Dogs are cute and while our dogs are not digging up our home gardens (they know better than to do that so it's the park they're at), they can be quite as troublesome as wildlife home intruders.
Dogs dig. Dogs scare birds and other pollinators. Dogs eat vegetation (even strawberries when you're not looking). Dogs poo. Dogs pee. Dogs can literally do everything wrong, totally destroying your dream garden.
Well, it doesn't have to be that way. Garden and dog can perfectly coexist and here's the tips to how to add 'dog' to the definition of 'fun family garden'.
The first is a bit obvious, though it's important to know that old dogs can learn tricks too, contrary to the old saying. It just might be best to start younger in training that dog to poop in a specific area, pee on the urine-resistant areas, dig the areas not needed, eat the grass and not the valuables, and play nice with the neighborhood wildlife. Dogs are smart animals -- quick learners like the baby children that we (as in humanity in general) raise.
Second is to treat your treasures as treasures. Gates, fence, wires -- protect the precious, locking the princess in that high tower if have to be. There are many types of garden arches and hanging pots for that use as well. To keep dogs from stepping on low vegetable plants and berry bushes, it'll be great to pave gentle, soft paths with smooth pebbles or comfy mulch for your dog to walk on instead. Protect your borders with sharper, rougher chips to keep dogs from the planted areas. Heck, even sacrifice a far off fort (wooden piece) as a marking post for the dog to keep the urine away. Let the dog take over the decoy and mark it as their own territory to keep them away from what really matters.
Third is to plant reasonably. More durable plants should be on the borders to protect more fragile plants from doggy rough-housing and pouncing. Dog-resistant plants like the marigolds spoken about earlier should be on the borders as well to discourage even the tiniest bit of curiosity. If all fails, then use containers.
And always remember to include your dog's needs within the garden as well. Dogs need plentiful of exercise so create a grassy mini field for them to play and even trot in. Dogs need shade as well so share arbors and pergolas with them. Dogs need emergency areas for potty purposes so create an area with a marking post for the dog to define their territory and add materials to the ground to make clean up easy.
Dogs are not only best friends, but family. You don't have to leave them behind. Love them, have fun with them, garden with them.
Dogs dig. Dogs scare birds and other pollinators. Dogs eat vegetation (even strawberries when you're not looking). Dogs poo. Dogs pee. Dogs can literally do everything wrong, totally destroying your dream garden.
Well, it doesn't have to be that way. Garden and dog can perfectly coexist and here's the tips to how to add 'dog' to the definition of 'fun family garden'.
The first is a bit obvious, though it's important to know that old dogs can learn tricks too, contrary to the old saying. It just might be best to start younger in training that dog to poop in a specific area, pee on the urine-resistant areas, dig the areas not needed, eat the grass and not the valuables, and play nice with the neighborhood wildlife. Dogs are smart animals -- quick learners like the baby children that we (as in humanity in general) raise.
Second is to treat your treasures as treasures. Gates, fence, wires -- protect the precious, locking the princess in that high tower if have to be. There are many types of garden arches and hanging pots for that use as well. To keep dogs from stepping on low vegetable plants and berry bushes, it'll be great to pave gentle, soft paths with smooth pebbles or comfy mulch for your dog to walk on instead. Protect your borders with sharper, rougher chips to keep dogs from the planted areas. Heck, even sacrifice a far off fort (wooden piece) as a marking post for the dog to keep the urine away. Let the dog take over the decoy and mark it as their own territory to keep them away from what really matters.
Third is to plant reasonably. More durable plants should be on the borders to protect more fragile plants from doggy rough-housing and pouncing. Dog-resistant plants like the marigolds spoken about earlier should be on the borders as well to discourage even the tiniest bit of curiosity. If all fails, then use containers.
And always remember to include your dog's needs within the garden as well. Dogs need plentiful of exercise so create a grassy mini field for them to play and even trot in. Dogs need shade as well so share arbors and pergolas with them. Dogs need emergency areas for potty purposes so create an area with a marking post for the dog to define their territory and add materials to the ground to make clean up easy.
Dogs are not only best friends, but family. You don't have to leave them behind. Love them, have fun with them, garden with them.