How can I stop dog from digging in flowers?

[chewbacca]

I was wondering if anyone has any ideas on how to stop my dog from digging in my flower boxes. They are built-in boxes on my deck and she always lays on the flowers and then digs them up. I have tried to use some spray stuff from the store but it did not work. I have heard about putting chicken wire just under the soil but do you eventually remove it or how would I go about doing this?

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

 

[marydmjj]

You could try sprinkling cayenne pepper or tobassco (sp?) sauce. I've heard that helps with squirrels and cats. Not sure about dogs but I don't think it will hurt them. Chicken wire would probably do the trick if you nail it to the sides or something. I tried to lay chicken wire under our fence to keep our dog from digging and I didn't secure it properly. She pretty much destroyed the wire and got out. She's over that phase though ~ thank goodness.

 

[dianeschlicht]

You can always try burying some of the dog's poop in them! They don't usually like to dig in that! Another idea is to put chicken wire in the dirt, and they will get their toenails caught and they don't like that either.

 

[olena]

Chicken wire

 

[Snowwark]

Why do I have "Please Don't Eat the Daisies" running through my head?

I've never had a dog, so I can't really say, but you've recieved some great suggestions!

I was wondering though, is your dog a puppy? If so, might it just be youthful exuberance, something he/she can be trained to not do?

Oh, btw, Welcome to the F&G board, Chewbacca!

Olena, it's great to see you here again!!

 

[spiceycat]

my cats use to do that.

I solve it by making sure that they (3 cats) got to sniff and touch whatever I was putting in the ground before I did it.

they knew what it was and were not interested in it after their first sniff.

I would think the same method would work with dogs.

however I think your dog is trying to TAKE over this box. Is she trying to be dominant in other areas?

 

[chewbacca]

Thanks for the suggestions! By the way my dog is about 6 years old and she is a pretty passive dog. We bought this house about 2 years ago and the first summer here she would not dig in the boxes. Well last summer is when she started laying in them and actually dug them up. So I think I will be trying the chicken wire method. Do I plant the flowers first and them cut the wire to go around the flowers?

Thanks!!

 

[Snowwark]

Chewbacca, I think it might be easier to lay the chicken wire down first, and then cut out the holes for planting the flowers. Either way would work, but that's how I would do it.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Actually, you want to lay the chicken wire about the same as the planting depth, unless she is just digging the surface.,

 

[DebºoºS]

I am very thankful for your advice. It came at the perfect time. DS just brought home a puppy from college. He adopted it from a kill shelter. His name is Einstein

Einstein is obsessed with sphagnum moss. He has recently discovered the planters on the deck too climbing up into them and tearing them up. I'm going to try the chicken wire & the poop in the outside planters. Not on the houseplants I've removed all the sphagnum moss from the large plants. Hopefully he'll grow out of this plant obsession.
Ridley our Scottish terrrier never dug so this is a new one on me.

 

[marlasmom]

I just walk out and yell "get out of the flowers" and she does. Doesn't go back for some days - and then I yell again.

 

[umbluegray]

I don't have a problem with our dog in the flowers. But how the heck do you get your dog to stop eating his way thru your wood fence?

 

[Snowwark]

I've never heard of such a thing, umbluegray! Your dog actually eats the wood? That sounds dangerous!!

BTW, Welcome!

 

[DebºoºS]

Have you tried Bitter Apple??? It works in a small area.

 

[Tulirose]

I am very thankful for your advice. It came at the perfect time. DS just brought home a puppy from college. He adopted it from a kill shelter. His name is Einstein .........

I see you got a new puppy too!! I went to this thread thinking it would be a good place to talk about my new puppy. I think I'll go upload some photos to the internet so I can show off my puppy on this thread. That would be appropriate and acceptable, wouldn't it?? Would love to see your new puppy too.

Oh Snowwark and OP Chewbacca! Can this be a puppy/doggie photo thread?

 

[Tulirose]

I just walk out and yell "get out of the flowers" and she does. Doesn't go back for some days - and then I yell again.

-- What a good doggie she is!

 

[umbluegray]

I've never heard of such a thing, umbluegray! Your dog actually eats the wood? That sounds dangerous!!

BTW, Welcome!

It's a cedar dog-eared fence. Sam chews on the 2x4s and the planks. He'll chew holes in the planks so he can get out. He also completely chewed thru a 2x4 leaving nothing to nail replacement planks to.

I don't know how his stomach is still intact. He's had to injest splinters. I'm sure he's been pricked by nails.

He's a gentle dog, but he must really like to run around the neighborhood.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I don't have a problem with our dog in the flowers. But how the heck do you get your dog to stop eating his way thru your wood fence?

That's a tough one! We always joke that if we want a board to have rounded corners, we just put it in the kennel for a few days! Some dogs have a real taste for the wood!