Dividing yard with drought tolerant plants to keep dogs out

[JohnnyB60]

I'm looking for something to divide a small yard such as a hedge or tall grass maybe. I originally wanted something that I could step over, but I realize now that it’s going to have to be 2 to 3 ft high to discourage my dogs from defecating in my little drought damaged lawn. The lawn is struggling as it is with the water rationing and the dogs aren’t helping.
I'm not watering the other side of the yard at all and it is almost gone with only patches of grass hanging on. I just wish the dogs would use that side of the yard for their business. I have a small 1ft high border fence to divide the yard now, but it makes the dogs more determined to do all their business in the grass part. They are not jumpers and I think 2 to 3 ft would be enough to discourage them.
I installed a 3 ft high wrought iron fence years ago to keep the dogs out of my pond and it worked, but I just couldn’t stand the closed in feeling of a fence because it really made my yard look small and I took it down. I still have the fence and may have to put it up again if I can’t com up with something to stop the dogs.
I'm going to leave the short border fence in place so the dogs don't go under whatever I grow. And also whatever I plant has to be drought tolerant.

[applestar]

I don't have a dog so I don't know how difficult this would be, but a friend once had a professional trainer help train her dog to "go" in a particular part of the yard around the corner from the house in the fenced back yard. It was working beautifully until one year, it snowed so much that the entire backyard was covered in 2-3 ft of snow for weeks and the dog refused to step off the low deck (only 3 steps) down to the ground (snow was almost level with the deck) and she kept "going" on the edge of the deck by the steps....

Another friend put up a fence enclosed area (typical fenced dog kennel) that she put her dogs in until they finished, then she would let them out.

In both cases I think it was a matter of training and routine/habituating the dog to go at a certain time, and most of the time, unless their routine was disrupted or they had a physical disorder, they seemed to stick to it.

...point is I think you would have to train your dog to respect the boundary regardless of what kind if you use anything other than an impenetrable barrier like a fence.

[imafan26]

Dogs are dogs. But like most animals they want a flat place to go that is why they like the grass. They can be trained and there are training aids. There is even a fake fire hydrant that is used as a visual cue for the dogs. Dogs being dogs will be drawn to it. You can plant 'grass' in the area or make a sand box, or some other flat smooth material. You can put out puppy pads near the hydrant, it makes clean up easier and the pads are designed to attract the dogs. I even saw one man who had trained his dog to alert him when he had to go and the dog would stop sit and look at him and wait while the man took the newspaper from under his arm and opened it up on the ground for the dog to do his business. When he was done, the man, collected the paper and put it in a bag and tossed it in the nearest trash can.
It may take a few tries. Dogs are not as easy to potty train as cats. Cats are easy, just find the right location and if they accept it, you are done. Dogs take repetition and shaping. Using visual cues and sometimes a bell, whistle or key word.
It also helps to know when they have to go. First thing in the morning, after meals, on walks, etc.
http://tipnut.com/how-to-train-a-dog-to ... -one-spot/

[JohnnyB60]

I don't just don't have the patience to train these dogs at this point. The funny thing was that they always went on the other side before I let the grass dry up and now they think they have to go on the green grass.
I thought maybe be if I moved their poo over to where I want them to go they would get the message, but instead they waited for it to bake in the sun and then ate it.
I had a dog once many years ago that would push his butt into some bushes to go and I never saw it. He did this completely on his own without any training.
Anyway I saw some Mountain Holly on the internet that is supposed to be perfect for deterring dogs, but I don't know yet if it will grow in the desert with temps over 100°F. I'm going to keep looking, but I'm not exactly sure how to search for what I need.

[ElizabethB]

Hi Johnny,

You really need to find the patience to train your dogs.

Training your dogs will take much less work and effort than planting some barrier hedge.

Good luck

[JohnnyB60]

Thanks Elizabeth, not only do I not have the time, but they around 12 years old and I don't think they can be trained