Blog

There are a lot of dog owners who would love to grow some plants and flowers in their garden, but they are reluctant because they are afraid the dogs might ruin it. Indeed it is very often that a dog will dig ground, trample flowers and vegetables or simply playfully wreck the entire garden.

Naturally, dog owners will choose dogs over gardens and simply give up on the idea of maintaining or even having a garden, however there are so many ways to make it both work.

One of the first things that should be determined is the type of the garden. Whether the garden will include fruits, vegetables and herbs or just flowers. Whether the plants are grown in containers, plant pots and flower pots or in open ground. It is best to plan the type of garden in advance in order to efficiently implement the necessary measures that will help both your garden and dog coexist. As stated by Pet Fashion Week the biggest oversight dog owners make is not knowing whether their dog has an allergy to the plants in their garden. Plant-based allergies are very common to dogs because sprouting vegetation tends to rub against their legs, underside, and face.

If this all sounds overwhelming it may be easier to determine the type of garden after listing some of the tips that help maintaining the garden with a dog. There are various and easy to implement methods for maintaining a garden with a dog, from nasty odors to fences, natural plant barriers, plant containers and many more.

Vegetable gardens are practically salad buffets for dogs. In order to keep the dog away plants or areas around plants can be sprayed with odors that dogs don’t like. There are many harmless natural dog repellents that can be applied to your garden and some of them are quite cost friendly as well.  

When it comes to odors that repel dogs citrus is on the very top list. Almost every dog hate the smell of citrus. Limes, oranges, grapefruit, even a fresh peel can be effective. The best way to use it is to mix some water with concentrated citrus juice and you’ve made a natural spray repellent for dogs and best of all it is completely harmless both for humans and dogs. Spraying areas around the plants or flowers can sometimes do wonders.

 

Chilli pepper is also very effective because of the capsaicin, a chemical responsible for their spiciness. Not only dogs, but most animals will avoid anything that smells like chilli pepper. Apart from mixing the water and cayenne or dried chilli powder into a spray repellent you can also simply rub them on a surface you want your dog to avoid. Some people use this method when dogs enter their so-called chew phase to avoid damage to furniture and clothes.

 

Dogs are famous for their sensitive noses and keen sense of smell, therefore they are very sensitive to the smell of vinegar. Apart from spray repellent and spraying the areas method you can also soak vinegar in old rags or simply put it in small open containers. Same method can be applied to alcohol. In case of spraying vinegar it is best to first check if certain plants are sensitive or too delicate for a mixture of vinegar and water.

 

Even the lowest fence should still provide a good barrier for your dog. Even if they can jump over it they will still perceive it as a visual barrier and most of the time avoid going any further. Do have in mind that you should check your fence at least once a month because although they will not go over the fence, they still do tend to sometimes dig a hole or gnaw small passages on corners. In case you have a large dog you can still protect your plants and vegetables by enveloping them in a chicken wire cage. It is not only a good option for dogs, but other animals as well.

 

Sometimes the garden itself can be a good protection. If you plant pruned roses or perhaps even holly branches around the garden and plants, the thorns and prickly leaves will prove to be quite a challenge for your dog. This can also include mulch, and barberries The dog will naturally develop a habit to avoid that area.

Certain strong fragrant plants may also work, however, neither it is something that is scientifically proven, nor can it be applied to every dog.

 

Sometimes the best solution is to simply contain your garden in plant pots and flower pots. The higher the pot container is the lesser is the chance a dog will be able to trample the plant or do anything harmful to your flowers. Not only it will protect your garden, it may even provide some shade for your dog during the warmer seasons.

Plant pots come in various shapes and sizes and you can even successfully grow vegetables such as potatoes and even something more complex, like a lemon tree for example.

 

Sometimes a simple training is enough, especially if training starts during a puppy stage. Training your dog that certain areas in the garden are restricted can be achieved the same way you train your dog how to behave in the house. However, it is recommended to not leave them alone too much at first, because as soon as you are away from sight, they tend to go their way. It is best to occasionally check until you are certain that they adopted good behavioral habits.

Dogs are literally a walking collection of habits and with proper guiding and persistence, maintaining your garden with a dog will no longer be a challenge, but on contrary a very enjoyable and fulfilling experience.