The spring and summer months are wonderful times of the year for you if youre a keen gardener.
Unfortunately, your dogs intentions are not generally helpful.
Their digging, chewing or rampaging around can wreak havoc on yourflower bedsandcarefully tended lawns.
In this article
Training or Punishment?
Hitting your dog or yelling at him will only make your dog afraid and wary of you.
Why Do Dogs Enjoy Ruining Your Garden?
Digging
Dogs have an extremely good sense of smell.
Veterinary research shows that your dogs olfactory senses are up to 40 percent better than yours.
Well, dogs are pack animals.
In the wild environment, every pack has a leader or Alpha.
The Alpha dictates when and where the pack will search for food and take shelter.
Unfortunately, your dog doesnt know the difference between dead plants and newly planted bedding!
Chewing Plants
Although dogs are primarily carnivores, they enjoy eating some fruits and veggies.
Thats not the kind of surprise you want to find when you go to tend to your borders!
Also, dog pee can burn and kill grass, quickly scorching and ruining a lawn.
Whats The Solution?
That will provide your pet with the opportunity to spend time outside without spoiling your grass and flower beds.
Unfortunately, that usually means that your lawn or flower beds get dug up and destroyed.
Choose a shady spot away from the rest of your display beds so as not to ruin your view.
Keep the soil moist but not wet or too dry and dusty.
Build A Fence!
There are plenty of options to be considered when it comes to fencing.
Depending on the look you want to create, a metal or bamboo fence can also look very effective.
Now, that might sound like a rather dramatic way of keeping dogs out of your garden.
Electric fences can be placed either below or above ground.
The dog needs to wear a unique receiver collar for an underground fence to work.
As soon as the dog breaches the fence line, he gets a sharp shock.
That can lead to problems indoors with toileting accidents or destructive behaviors born out of frustration.
Try planting the sticks amongst your plants to deter your dog from exploring.
Boredom Breakers
Digging and wantonly destroying plants is usually a sign of boredom in dogs.
But that cuts both ways!
you might use scents that your doghatesto help keep him off your garden.
Low-acidity, horticultural grade vinegar can be highly effective in repelling your dog from certain areas in your garden.
Vinegar also repels wild animals, including rabbits that might fancy nibbling on tender plants in your veg patch.
However, vinegar can damage your plants, so take care to guard against any overspray.
Of course, always check that whatever deterrent youre planning on using isnt harmful to your dog.
Take a trip to your local DIY store or garden center and wander down the pest control aisle.
However, you’ve got the option to buy dog repellant products made from water-resistant gel crystals.
These products gradually break down, giving off the repellant scent as they do so.
Although some dogs dont mind an impromptu shower, most hate the idea of getting sprayed with water.
you could also buy ultrasonic pest repellent sound systems that use LED lights.
The main disadvantage of ultrasonic devices is that they also tend to scare off garden birds.
As soon as the dog complies, praise him for getting it right.
Fright Night!
Animal decoys can be extremely helpful in that.
Of course, if you have an incredibly bold dog, this deterrent might not work as effectively.
Scent and sound deterrents can work, too.
