How to stop dog from ruining lawn?

I don't know that I agree with this but I bought a house one time and there was chicken wire all over the yard under the gr. Upon asking the previous owner what it was there for he said he was a dog breeder of labradoodles and snoodles and this kept them from digging out and tearing up his lawn. I didn't even notice it until I went to plant a garden. He said he tried everything and this was the only thing that worked. My concern would be that a dog that was used to digging there would hurt its paws or rip out a nail until he got used to it.