How do I keep my dog out of my flower beds?

If you have a dog that likes to dig in your flower beds, there are several effective ways to deter them and protect your plants.

Use Physical Barriers

One of the best ways to keep dogs out of flower beds is to set up a physical barrier they can’t get past. Here are some good options:

• Decorative fencing – Install a small decorative fence or railing around the perimeter of the bed. There are many attractive options that can complement your garden design.
• Landscaping borders – Burying stones, bricks, logs, or other materials to create a flush border around beds prevents dogs from being able to dig under the edge.
• Rock beds – Cover the soil with a 2-3 inch layer of large, uncomfortable rocks that dogs won’t want to walk on.

Use Repellents

There are a variety of chemical and natural dog repellents you can use in and around flower beds, such as:

• Citrus oil – Dogs dislike the smell of citrus. Spray peels with water and place around the garden.
• Cayenne pepper – Lightly sprinkle some around the perimeter of the beds.
• Vinegar or ammonia – Sprinkle either around the beds. Can also mix cayenne into vinegar water.
• Dog repellent spikes – Place these special spikes designed to stop dog digging in and around beds.
• Scat mats – Lay these spike mats designed to be uncomfortable but harmless for dogs to step on around the beds.

Train Your Dog

While physical deterrents and repellents can be very effective, the best long term solution is to train your dog not to go in your flower beds. Here are some tips:

• Obedience training – Teach commands like “leave it” and practice having them ignore or avoid the flower beds when told.
• Interrupt and redirect – When you catch them in the act, interrupt with a loud noise, then call them away and redirect to a toy or different activity.
• Reward good behavior – Give treats and praise when they avoid the beds and go to a designated dig zone instead.
• Limit access – Block off the garden area when you can’t supervise until the behavior is corrected.

Protect Individual Plants

You can also protect specific plants within the flower beds by making digging more difficult around them:

• Use wire mesh baskets or guards around plants to prevent access to roots.
• Place large rocks, pinecones, sticks or other natural items around plants to obstruct digging.
• Partially bury sticks or chicken wire horizontally around plants to discourage rooting.

Conclusion

Unwanted digging and plant destruction can be a very frustrating problem, but there are many effective solutions. The keys are excluding access with physical barriers, making the area uncomfortable for dogs with repellents, rewarding good behavior instead of bad, and protecting plants individually. With consistency and patience, you can have a beautiful garden and a well behaved furry friend.