Pulling up/ chewing plants

Afternoon all, when we moved into our place in December the garden was a tip, so over the last few months we have been trying to tidy it up and make it nice. I've made a raised bed and a couple of days ago we went out and bought some small shrubs etc to plant which will look great when filled out.

Anyway, Izzy has decided that the plants look tasty and keeps having a chew and trying to pull them up, she is supervised in the garden being only 12 weeks as we don't want her eating slugs etc and also as we are toilet training making sure she does her buissnesses too.

We make it clear she is doing wrong by giving a firm loud "NO" and taking her off the border, light tap on the nose and giving her one if her many toys or nylon bones etc. This seems to be working in teaching that it's wrong as now she won't go into the border until our backs have turned and as soon as we see her she jumps straigh back off the cow lol

We got a 300mm high wire picket fence thing to also go around it, but she still manages to get on some how :/

I'm thinking of making a chilli spray like some people use to deter catapillers and spiders etc and sprays that on the area to deter her, but does anyone else have any ideas?



Cheers

A firm NO is fine to discourage her from what she was doing, but please do not tap her nose. It may seem like a light tap to you but a dogs nose is very sensitive. Using toys as a distraction is a great way to redirect her attention. Could you just not call her name and give lots of praise when she gets to you ?

From what we've found with our 7 month old is to either be in the garden with her all the time or give up on a nice garden! We haven't tried sprays but every other method just turns into a game. Redirection onto something else only lasts until digging seems to be a better idea.
It will pass, our last dog never bothered and we can see a difference from when this little JCB was 12 weeks old.
Pete

Lynn&Pete wrote:From what we've found with our 7 month old is to either be in the garden with her all the time or give up on a nice garden!  We haven't tried sprays but every other method just turns into a game. Redirection onto something else only lasts until digging seems to be a better idea.
It will pass, our last dog never bothered and we can see a difference from when this little JCB was 12 weeks old.
Pete

Cheers Pete, to be honest we arnt worried about having a show garden, if she wants to dig the odd hole in the lawn so be it, the only reason we did the raised bed was that side of the garden was full of stones and rubble and covered in 6ft high stinging nettles so unsafe for our little boy, the raised bed covers the crappy ground. Just wanna stop her pulling the plants up until they are large and established enough that she can't do them much harm with the odd nibble

Try distracting the dog instead and everytime they dnt go back to the same plant or another give them a small treat and plenty encouragement.

You have my sympathy. Our late staffy once went out into the garden and randomly ate an entire seven foot high angelica plant. Roots and all. On the plus side, his trumps for the next day or so were a bit more fragrant.

Charmy wrote:You have my sympathy. Our late staffy once went out into the garden and randomly ate an entire seven foot high angelica plant. Roots and all. On the plus side, his trumps for the next day or so were a bit more fragrant.

That may not be a bad idea, today her bottom is less than fragrant, infact I think something crawled up there and died ^_^

I wouldn't try any kind of spray that can harm her! Imagine walking on chilli powder and then licking your feet or itching your ear or face with them? Pretty painful stuff!

We are going through this with Bane at the moment. He has so far destroyed my whole fuschia bush in a 5 minute mad spell, he has pulled countless numbers of roots from the OH parents gardens, destroying their rockery and also eating all the plants that resembles sticks in their garden We are finding that when we notice him taking an interest or getting close, calling him to play or something is starting to help!

just something to bear in mind when your dogs are loose in your own garden or other people heres some plants poisonous to dogs.
amaryllis bulbs
asparagus fern
azalea
cyclamen
daffodil bulbs
day lilies
delphiniums
foxgloves
hemlock
hyacinth
hydrangea
ivy
laburnum
lilies
lily of the valley
lupins
mistletoe
morning glory
nightshade
oleander
poinsettia
rhododendron
rhubarb leaves
sweet pea
tulip bulbs
umbrella plant
wisteria
yew
and some berries, mushrooms and toadstools