how do you keep a dog out of your garden?

Question

we just barely planted our garden last week and my dog won't stop bothering it. i've done about everything to try to keep her out. she's a golden retriever so she loves the water and when we water it, she gets in there. i've never seen her get in there but i know she has because when i see her, she's wet. I've tried showing her the boundries when she comes around by putting my arms out and walking at the edge of the garden. i guess when i put my arms out, she thinks i want her to jump on me. she either does that or runs around me and rolls around in it. i've said no to her about a billion times but she never listens to me. i could put a fence up, but by the time we were done she would already have it ripped to shreds. i need help fast. im afraid nothing will grow while shes around. one more thing, i dont believe that smacking a dog will make them learn anything, it will just make them hate you. please i really need help.

i have thought about those invisable fences but when we looked at some, the fence part is like $80.00 and you also have to buy the collar seperate which is like another $30. I do say no when i show her boundries and "go" or "go on" and also, im not going to call animal control because shes my dog!

i have thought about those invisable fences but when we looked at some, the fence part is like $80.00 and you also have to buy the collar seperate which is like another $30. I do say no when i show her boundries and "go" or "go on" and also, im not going to call animal control because shes my dog! but she is out in our pasture that is seperate from our backyard so its really hard to keep an eye on her when shes way back there. she can chew through a leash if she really wanted to and shes a really big dog (even though shes only a year) so its pretty hard to pull her back.

i know when i put "she can chew through leashes if she really wanted to" you all were thinking get a chain leash, but its not that easy. i have 2 dogs and the other one stays away from it. we let them sleep and eat in our barn thats just right there. so if i put her on a leash, she wouldnt be able to get into the barn. if i put her closer to the barn so she can get in, she would be able to get the garden.

Answer 1

You'll have to leash her and walk her around the yard, avoiding the garden. If she ignores the garden, praise her (love + treats). If she goes toward the garden, firmly say no and then distract her with a toy or something. As she masters ignoring the garden on the leash, gradually move to a longer leash and finally no leash at all. Don't move too quickly! If you get to one stage, and she suddenly 'forgets', you're moving too fast.

Also, consider creating her very own garden- use the same materials as in your regular garden (mulch, top soil, etc), and bury treats and toys in it. Encourage her to play in her own garden. She'll forget the other one even exists.

If all else fails, you'll have to build some kind of fencing around the garden. You said she rips it up as you're building it... perhaps put her in the house during construction?

Answer 2

I agree with the other posters that a fence is the only permanent solution--but depending on what you're growing, you may not need a permanent solution, but only something that works for a few weeks, while your new plants put down roots. Our four dogs romp through our established perennial garden all day long and don't do much harm.

If your dog wants to play in the water (and you live in a place where water is abundant) you may be able to distract her by running a sprinkler for her in another part of the yard, or giving her a baby pool to roll in. If she's attracted by the newly turned soil and likes to dig, she may lose interest as it begins to pack down again.

If you are growing non-food items, there are products you can spray on your plants to keep dogs away, but I've never tried them.

Answer 3

I just went through this myself and believe me, nothing is going to work. There's no way to keep a dog out of your garden without using a fence or some sort of chain.

In our case, we just recently planted some grass seed, and we needed to keep the dog off it so the seed would have a chance to sprout. Building a fence wasn't feasible for us, since nearly half tbe backyard was seeded, so what we had to do (unfortunately) was tether the dog. Every time he's outside, he has to be on a tether for a while, because otherwise he's going to destroy everything. And it's not just a case of "we need to protect our grass." It's also partially a case of "we used fertilizer and I don't want the dog to eat it and get sick." But yeah, unfortunately for us our poor dog is going to end up tethered for the better part of the next month. It's not his fault, but it's the only way you can grow a garden (or plant grass seed) short of erecting some sort of fence.

Good luck. It's not going to be easy. Dogs are pretty much garden killers.

Answer 4

Keep a close eye on her and maybe put heron a leash when she goes outside so she isn't able to reach the garden and destroy your hard work. You could also put a fence on another part of the yard that she could run around outside without having to be leashed up and being able to get to your garden.Good luck

Answer 5

Well you could put an invisible fence around the garden.

Answer 6

shes probably wondering why the heck you are walking around a garden with your arms out - you really thought that would work? *lol*

train her to not go in there, and she wont. every time she is about to go in, say NO, and pull her out immediately. EVERY SINGLE time she goes near the garden, yell NO and pull her away.
dont just "say no". yell it directly at her and literally pull her physically off the garden.
you might even have to sit out in the garden with her for a few days so you can catch her in the act.

this problem is you, not your dog. GR's are smart dogs - she will learn quickly if you are persistant and consistent and do the training properly. you are the boss, not her.
.

Answer 7

Jasmines suggestion is good, the best way to train your dog not to go into the garden is to catch her in the act. When you do punish her for it. When you punish a dog you can only punish them if you catch them in the act of something they are not allowed to do. Then when you punish them they will understand why they are being punished and will learn from experience not to do it again.

Answer 8

I HAVE 3 DOGS, ROTT/PITT---SHEP/LAB..AND A PUG...1ST I HAVE LEARNED THAT IF YOUR DOG SEES YOU DIGGING? IT WILL DIG TOO...ABOUT GOING INTO THE GARDENS? MINE DO AND MY PUG HAS TO PIDDLE ON EVERY PLANT IN IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!
ANYWAY, WHEN THEY GO INTO IT I TELL THEM TO GET OUT AND USUALLY THEY DO, THEY DO KNOW BETTER BUT WILL TRY YOU....TRY DOGGIE TOYS IN THE YARD? I ALSO HAVE ONE OF THOSE LARGE PLASTIC SWIMMING POOLS FOR KIDS IN MY YARD...ONE FOR THE BIG DOGS AND A SMALL ONE FOR MY PUG...MAYBE YOUR DOG WILL GO INTO THE POOL AND NOT IN THE GARDEN FOR WATER, WHERE THEY LOVE THE WATER...POOL AND TOY...GOOD LUCK!!

Answer 9

try o ne of those invisible fences, if that doesn't work, call animal control.

Answer 10

cider vinegar and garlic, will make any dog stay away