Are you wondering how to keep dogs out of the garden?
Are your fruits and vegetables disappearing every time you turn away?
What draws these dogs to the garden in the first place, and how can you prevent it?
Your flower beds can seem like a wonderfully cool place to lie down and relax, while those vegetables might seem like a salad bar just waiting to be raided!
Secure your garden with any one of the great tips below.
Keep Dogs Out of the Garden with Barriers
This is probably your most obvious answer, though it may require purchasing some supplies. Simply surround your garden with a fence!
Your fence doesn’t have to be expensive or fancy.
Metal stakes and galvanized fencing from your local hardware store will do.
Depending on your breed, dog gates ordered online present another option.
You might consider setting up a chicken wire fence, placing several stakes along the perimeter of your garden to prevent the eventual eyesore.
You can also place several steaks in the ground to prevent your dog from laying in freshly mulched soil or recently planted flowers.
Many sources suggest thorny vines or bushes placed along the perimeter of your garden, BUT this is somewhat aversive and could be painful if your dog steps in them.
You might also consider setting up a greenhouse or grow tent.
Motion Activated Sprinkler
Many dogs don’t like water or getting wet! Is your dog one of them?
Motion activated sprinklers would be a very mild form of positive punishment, giving (adding= positive) the dog something undesirable (getting wet) for crossing a certain line.
You’re watering your grass or garden at the same time! Just make sure your dog doesn’t learn to enjoy it.
Boundary Training
Keep dogs out of the garden by teaching them boundaries! This is a lot like the ‘flag training’ suggested by many underground fence suppliers.
You’re going to leave visual cues or obstacles around your garden (like flags), teaching your dog not to cross them.
Dogs can see in shades of blue or yellow, so consider those colors.
As your dog approaches the flags, you want to correct with a mild ‘No’, redirect away and reward for changing direction.
Your dog will learn that crossing these boundaries upsets you, while staying away keeps you happy!
You can also opt for an underground fence as an alternate option, administering a slight jolt whenever your dog crosses a certain line.
Your dog will learn very quickly to avoid that area!
Spray Plants
You can spray your plants with a bitter apple or pungent white vinegar spray.
Dogs don’t like either the taste or smell of these things. You will end up washing any foods anyway!
Make sure these deterrent sprays aren’t toxic when ingested by the dog, or dangerous to the plants.
Even if your dog doesn’t eat them, he will probably end up licking his paws.
Marigolds are said to repel dogs. You can consider planting these between other plants.
Create Dedicated Dog Play Area
If not exercised well enough or not provided with enough enrichment, our dogs can become a little destructive to either indoor furniture or outdoor spaces as a means of venting that excess energy.
This is especially common in high energy breeds (for example- Siberian Huskies)!
If your dog is going to dig or wants to play outside, encourage play in a safe, dedicated area designed specifically for it.
You might even consider creating a sensory garden specifically for this purpose!
Adding a sandbox for digging is another wonderful idea!
You can encourage outdoor games to provide plenty of enrichment while offering a great outlet for all of that pent up energy.
Provide Plenty of Mental & Physical Stimulation
Keep your dog out of the garden by constantly keeping him occupied!
Have you ever heard the age old saying “A tired dog is a good dog?”
This is true in many ways.
Like we said above, your pet can become destructive as a means of releasing much of that pent up energy.
Don’t let him get to that point!
Make sure your dog is well exercised and constantly stimulated mentally so he doesn’t look for alternative means of venting that frustration.
- Play mentally stimulating games
- Teach your dog agility
- Work on obedience training
- Offer plenty of socialization activities
Don’t Leave Your Dog Unsupervised
It is a lot easier to keep dogs out of the garden if they are constantly supervised and never leave your sight!
Treat your furry friend like you would a puppy, and don’t let him out of your sight when around the garden.
This is particularly important for more vulnerable puppies!
Just in case, you always want to ensure there is nothing dangerous in your yard that your dog is able to access.
For example, be sure to set up physical barriers or fences if you are using any kind of poison, pesticides, or herbicides.
Motion Detecting Cameras or Alarms
A motion detecting alarm presents a mild form of aversion therapy, offering a startling, unpleasant sound when the dog crosses a certain line.
Using visual flags, you can teach your dog where these barriers are and what happens if he crosses them.
Motion detecting cameras are great for any animal invader!
- Are those pesky squirrels scaling your fence and eating your vegetables?
- Are wild rabbits making a meal out of your plants?
If you add cameras, you’ll know exactly what your problem is and can take steps to prevent it in the future.
Keeping your dog out of the garden doesn’t need to be a tricky or complicated ordeal!
While dogs naturally love to explore their environment, teaching what areas are off limits is usually pretty easy.
The end goal is to teach your dog he has more to gain from avoiding the garden, or other places are more beneficial.
Photo by Jorge Luis Guimaraes Lima