Any tips on keeping dogs out of beds?

ljcoolj · Fri Apr 24, 2009 10:01 pm

I have 2 dogs, both over 60 lbs. They've always had full reign of the back yard but now that we've put a veggie garden in and other flower beds, we're trying to figure out how to keep them from trampling. Well, just the flower beds, we did build a wooden fence around the veggie garden. Any tips? Does anything deter them? I've had dogs my whole life but never really had to deal with this.

Kisal · Fri Apr 24, 2009 11:34 pm

I would say, depending on the breed and the dogs' individual personalities, you might be able just to train them to avoid the beds. OTOH, there are dogs that I consider to be hopeless cases in such situations ... such as the 2 I own.

My Lab mix just galumps along and mows down anything in his path, and the little dog (allegedly a Blue heeler/Dalmatian mix) can't seem to tolerate the sight of a piece of ground that doesn't have craters dug in it. :p I have a hard time keeping her from digging in my planter boxes on the patio, and they aren't that big. I dread the thought of the destruction she'd wreak if I were to try to put a garden bed in the back yard!

That's the reason I garden in containers on the south side of my house. Years ago, I installed a chain-link fence, separating that area from the back yard. That means the dogs can't get at my plants. Originally, the area was used as a dog run, when I had Komondorok that I showed. To that end, I had the area dug out and filled with 18" of sand topped with gravel for good drainage, so I can't just plant in the ground, but the containers work just fine.

ljcoolj · Sat Apr 25, 2009 10:02 am

Both of mine are lab mixes. They're not digging in the beds, but they have their certain 'paths' that they run, which usually included running thru my beds. I may eventually have to resort to raised beds everywhere but I'm thinking I may put up some fencing to block their paths. I'm going to an organic nursery today and I'm going to see what they have to say too. I planted some chicks and hens yesterday and in about 2 hours, one of my dogs had dug one up. I sprinkled some cayenne around the bases and they haven't touched them since. Don't know how well that will hold up though.

Kisal · Sat Apr 25, 2009 12:46 pm

Fencing would work. Last year I had to keep my dogs out of an area of new lawn I put in, so I put up a 2' fence. It worked just fine. I fully expected the little one just to jump over it -- after all, she climbs around up in my apple tree as if she were a fox!

But both dogs went around it, instead.

plkelly · Sat Apr 25, 2009 2:07 pm

Seems a lot of us have doofus labs or lab-mixed dogs that just gallump through everything. I tried everything last year with my two new ones, including a couple of pet-repellent products I found at a gardening web site and plants from the nursery that had a strong menthol smell and were supposed to repel cats and dogs. I can't say that any of them worked well, although the stinky plant kept them from digging under the gazebo to chase rabbits and/or cats, until one day they screwed up their courage and literally yanked it out of the ground.

There's a product called Bitter Apple that is supposed to keep dogs away from furniture but I don't know if it's safe for plants and didn't try it.

In the end, I fenced the area that they bothered the worse, and by the time the plants were taller in other areas, they had learned to stay out as well as our previous dogs had. They are doing pretty well this year, altho there's a lot of screaming and cussing to 'remind' them they can't go in that area.

Good luck--it is really frustrating. I had a large clump of beautiful balloon flowers one year that got ripped out entirely by our lab/shepherd mix chasing a squirrel. And she was one of the well-behaved ones.

Patsy

Earl K · Sat Apr 25, 2009 8:29 pm

Funny to find this topic today.I had thought my dog(JackRussell) got into my bed of pole beans. I noticed a bunch of radish plants in the corner lying flat and a small dig mark in the soil.I just went out to look at my plants before dark and was startled to see a toad hopping along the edge of the bed. I saw the hole where he popped out of within 6 inches of the border,as he jumps up onto the paverstone edge of the bed.Guess it wasnt the dog , just a cute little toad.I will not do anything to deter him as that is his world out there.

hassenpfeffer · Tue Apr 28, 2009 9:08 pm

My dog has running paths too so I just got some chicken wire (also the cheap plastic netting that looks like chicken wire might work too if you know what I am talking about) and some stakes. Then I set it up basically as if I was setting up normal chicken wire but I didn't have the wire in the ground. Also make sure you can get in and out easily (this can be done by chicken wire that is short enough to step over or make a way you can unhook and hook the chicken wire on something.)

Kisal · Tue Apr 28, 2009 11:17 pm

hassenpfeffer wrote:or make a way you can unhook and hook the chicken wire on something.)

Small swivel clasps, such as those used on very lightweight dog leashes, are available almost everywhere hardware items are sold and work very well as little "gate latches."

Rikesh · Wed Apr 29, 2009 3:55 am

I too had problems with dogs. The only solution I got is to fence the garden.

The Helpful Gardener · Wed Apr 29, 2009 7:32 pm

I'm with Rikesh...

HG

Rikesh · Thu Apr 30, 2009 2:24 am

the fence should be high enough. My german shepherd jumps over low fences.

ljcoolj · Mon May 04, 2009 9:10 am

Yep, I fenced it. Its a lower border fence, but they know it means they need to stay out. So far, so good. I also blocked some of their paths with stakes and twine........maybe I'll finally get a pretty back yard!!! Thanks for all the advice!!

Faythe · Mon May 04, 2009 12:50 pm

My garden is fenced, but yesterday while I was working in the garden I left the gate open...my lab/chow mix came bounding in to pay me a visit, and tore right through the bed I was working in. I guess it doesn't pay to have a nice high fence if you don't keep the gate closed!

I have a bigger problem with my compost pile. It is made of old pallets on three sides, but the front only has a piece of chicken wire stretched across it, and the dog just tears it aside to get at the "yummy treats" in the pile. I now have old egg shells and orange peals scattered around my lawn. I think I need a better design

makeitgrow · Sun Jun 16, 2013 5:40 pm

I just had to build a mini corral around my raised flower bed in the front after my 100 lb Lab/Weim ripped out all of the flowers.

I appreciate all of the suggestions on this forum. Has anyone used hog panels or such on top of a raised bed? Thanks.

imafan26 · Sun Jun 16, 2013 6:40 pm

I had to fence off my plants from my dog. It was not a strong fence. A 76 pound dog would really have no problem getting into it. I just trained the dog to not go beyond the fence. Whenever we would play ball and the ball ended up on the other side, he would look at it and then at me and I had to go fetch it, but he did learn his boundaries.

That was until he saw me take a section of fence out to get in the garden to weed it. He decided if I could do that, so could he, so he would move the "gate" on the side and lie down in my freshly tilled bed. Well, at least he did not use it as a toilet.

So, I do suggest if you train your dogs to stay on one side of the fence, make sure that they never see you open it.