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So, you decided to plant a garden and now you’re pup can’t seem to leave it alone. Or, maybe you just brought home a new dog and the smell of the fresh mulch, fruit and herbs has them attractive to your prized little garden bed.
Don’t worry, this isn’t all that uncommon!
In fact, there’s a handful of tips and tricks that will help you manage your pup and prevent them from ruining your precious bed of fruits and vegetables. And while all of these tips aren’t a 100% foolproof way of making sure your dog doesn’t get into your garden, they’ll certainly increase your chances and give you a 95% success rate!
I’ll take that!
So let’s jump into the top 10 Tips and Tricks on how to keep your dog out of your lovely garden.
#1 – Set up a Pet Fence Around Your Garden
One of the best ways to ensure your dog doesn’t get into a garden is to set up a pet fence around the perimeter of the garden. Of course, you’ll want to ensure you have the right kind of pet fence and you’ll want to make sure that is the correct size as well. The fence could be metal, wood, or a picket-style fence. Fences are effective because first and foremost, they give a visual cue to your pet which helps them understand that there is a barrier between them and the fence which usually does the trick. To learn more about the types of underground fences we have here at Pet Stop, visit our home page.
#2 – Spiky or Pokey Barrier
Rose bushes, cactus, chicken wire and twigs do a great job of adding an extra layer of barrier or protection for your garden bed. Dogs and other creatures never like to be poked or be stuck with things like thorns or other spiky objects so this is a great way to add some reinforcement if your pet seems to be persistent when it comes to approaching the initial barrier you set up.
#3 – Spice & Stink Things Up
Dogs don’t like spicy things, so a great way to keep them away is to sprinkle some mustard powder or red pepper chili flakes in and around your garden. When they approach and take a whiff, they’ll smell the spice and be deterred from going any further. You can also sprinkle these ingredients around the outside and perimeter of the garden so it keeps them from even getting close. Dogs are also can’t stand the smell of vinegar and ammonia! To utilize the distracting smell of ammonia or vinegar to keep your pups at bay, try pouring some into coffee filters and placing them around the perimeter of the garden bed.
#4 Use a Motion Activated Sprinkler
We all know that most dogs don’t like water. A motion-activated water sprinkler is a great way to keep them at a certain distance should they get too close to your garden bed. They can be picked up from online retailers like Amazon and can come in handy for a variety of things, like playing pranks of friends, family and neighbors. You didn’t hear it from us though!
#5 Train Them To Recognize The NoNo Zones
At some point, your dog will inevitably find his way into various spots on the house or backyard that he shouldn’t go to. When he does, it’s important that you make it clear to him that he is not allowed in that area. Use a commanding voice, point at the area he is not supposed to go to and firmly say NO. Give him a light pat on the nose or but to make the point clear. Your dog will naturally pick up on your disappointment and tone of voice and will learn over time that they should shy away from those areas. It’s important that you do this early on from the beginning and stay consistent until they learn. Training your pup with different off-leash techniques will allow them to feel their freedom while performing at their best behavior when traveling your backyard.
#6 Create a Pooch Path
Depending on where your garden is placed, you can lay down some carpet, mulch or soil in a specific area for your dog to get through. This gives them the opportunity to get through your garden to his desired location without destroying it and walking through growing fruits, vegetables and flowers.
#7 Consider Container Gardening
If after all these methods you still have trouble preventing your dog from getting into the garden, consider gardening with medium to large sized containers. This way, you’re dog will be much less likely to jump in and destroy the growing crops.
#8 Have Designated Areas For Your Dog To Play or Roam
This goes back to establishing boundaries and limits for your pooch. Ideally, you want it to be away from your garden bed to prevent any mishaps or accidents, but if your dog seems trained enough, their play area could be near the garden. To ensure you don’t get any surprises, utilize some of the above strategies such as a fence, thorny barriers and olfactory deterrents to prevent them from getting too close.
#9 Reward Your Dog For Good Behavior
As part of the training method, it’s important to reward your dog when he listens and follows directions. Rewarding your dog for good behavior is actually one of the most well known and effective ways for properly training your dog and getting them to behave the way you want them to. Have some treats handy in your backyard or outside somewhere so you can quickly reward them when they do as you say.
#10 Keeps Toys Around in the Backyard
You’re dog will never turn down the opportunity to play with a good toy. By having toys around in the backyard, you’ll have something handy to keep them distracted and occupied so that they’ll pay less attention to your garden. It can also serve as an emergency fetch toy should you see them getting too close!
So there you have it! 10 creative ways to keep your dog away from your beautiful garden. If you implement 3 or more of these, you should be golden when it comes to your dog understanding that the garden bed is not for exploring or play.
Let us know in the comments below which tip or trick you found to be the most effective. Also, if you have any tips or tricks that we missed, let us know! We’ll be happy to add onto our list.