How Can I Keep Dogs Away from my Lawn and Other Plants?

[Mike]

I'm planting new plants and want to keep dogs away from them. Is there anything short of a fence that'll keep them away?

Thanks,

Mike

[willshak]

Anything short of a fence will be easy for your dog to jump over. I have a cable running from my house to a tree 70 feet away. The dog can only go about 15 feet either side of the cable and there is a stop on the cable 20 feet from the tree. There's nothing she can destroy except grass.

[Dave Balderstone]

Motion detector sprinkler?

[Mike]

I'm planting new grass and other greenery. Believe I found what I need - urine. . . urine from bears and wolves. Understand dogs will actually run from this scent and not c*ck their legs on my new greenery.

[Kyle Boatright]

Do dogs run wild in your neighborhood, or do not-so-thoughtful pet owners let their pets use your yard as a bathroom?

I don't have any advice for free-running dogs, but I have found that a small sign (it can be 6" x 6" and made of something that doesn't stand out like a sore thumb) that says something like.. "If your pet needs to use the bathroom, please take them over to the mulched area instead of letting them go on the yard or plants. Thanks!"

The bottom line is that pet owners are often lazy, but are usually nice enough people to get their pets to use your preferred alternative, rather than going right in the middle of your yard...

[Steveo]

I've never seen one that says that.

[Stubby]

Put several of those little "Dangerous lawn chemicals in use" signs around your place and notify your neighbors. Tell them it could hurt their pets and they must keep those pets off your property.

[CANNON-FODDER]

And be prepared for the hypochondriacs to come...

[Stubby]

I suppose you need to have a special made sign with the message and "No Tresspassing" on it.

[Mel-Donnie Kelly]

I use a 22 rifle with birdshot the first time.

Mel & Donnie down in Bluebird Valley In the middle of beautiful down town Yountsville. Managers of the water works.

[CANNON-FODDER]

Although my comment was meant as a wry poke at the power of suggestion, "No Tresspassing" would certainly be better. That would be up-front and clear instead of passive-aggressive and duplicitous, and would avoid any confusion over which [non-existent] chemical was applied and if there were any over-spray or ground-water concerns.

I am confident there are plenty of "No Tresspassing" signs available locally without having to have a special one made.

[Mike]

It's an urban neighborhood some dogs are loose. I'll put up a couple of small signs.

Mike

[Mike]

Good idea.

Mike

[Oscar_Lives]

Set out a dish of water with some antifreeze in it.

Some pieces of sponge soaked in bacon grease will also work.

Good luck.

[Darryl]

No.

However, the fence need only be those green light-duty U-posts & thin bird/deer netting (the kind you drape over trees & shrubs, with bright strings or ribbons at dog-eye level to make it visible). Secure the bottom of the fence netting with rocks, & tie the netting to each post.

For individual shrubs, I use 3' galvanized fencing, looped into in a 2' diameter cylinder, with the snipped fence ends twisted around the other side to hold it in cylinder shape. I've also learned to drive a 4' U-post into the ground next to the loop, & fasten it to the fence loop with plastic ties: ground stakes will not permit a 3' fence loop to withstand a solid hit from a playful Labrador. When the shrubs are large enough, I reuse the fence loops for new shrubs.

[Mike]

The dogs lick/chew them then don't return?

[Mike]

Sounds like that'l work for me.

[Steveo]

No, it's not as nice as that.

The dogs internal body parts will plug up and the dog may die. I suppose there might be a time and place for extreme measures, eh?

[George.com]

can't think of any Steve though I can think of some uses for it for people who actually do this to dogs, along with electric fences, baseball bats and barbed wire.

rob

[Danny]

Mike, Short of hitting the owner with a stick, I've had some success with Red Pepper Flakes. My grandfather use to spread them out on the side walk in front of his business to keep the dogs moving on down the line. Try boiling some flakes up in water then applying it to your most visited canine rest stops and see if this helps.

Cheers