backyard veggie garden...with a dog??

Really new to this, and am looking for a project I can do with my little guy. Have an area in the yard that I'm looking to start a small-ish veggie garden in (only really want lettuce, cucumber and possible tomato..I think). We have a dog who currently romps and whatnot back there, so I'm thinking that a raised bed would be the way to go, fenced of course. Just wanted to check and see if there were any ramifications to making a raised bed in an area where the dog had 'done his business'? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Many thanks from a very frazzled mom,
Sara

Sara, Because of my age and health problems, I am gardening in large containers(flowerpots)
I use some styrfoam icechests also.(ECONOMIC)
I have tomatoes,cukes,peppers and alot of flowers. They do very well in them. My dogs leave them alone but I had to shoo my cats off them for awhile untill they got the idea it was no way no time.
Vickie

Cats are the big problem when it comes to pathogens. Most of what you can get from dogs won't survive the winter and are gotten by direct transfer anyway. If dogs infected you I'd never have survived my infancy let alone childhood and adulthood. I grew up with goats, sheep, dogs, horses, pigs and just about any other four leggeds you can imagine. I won't tell you about the sheep poop I thought were raisins when I was about 4. Oh and milk straight from the source is great. You can teach your pooch not to poop in the garden, just make sure he's up on his shots and is wormed occaisionally if needed.

I would be more concerened if the dog was a digger and would tear up the plants.

"Cats are the big problem when it comes to pathogens. Most of what you can get from dogs won't survive the winter and are gotten by direct transfer anyway."

I've always thought that cats and dogs were both pretty prone to carry the same stuff, at least as zoonotics are concerned. Is there anything in particular that you're refering to? I do thing cats are more likely to be of concern, simply because they like to, um, "use" nice fresh dirt, but I'd be interested in what pathogens cats carry that dogs do not.

Thanks!

Cats carry toxoplasmosis which can cause birth defects, neurological issues and in some cases can be fatal. That's why pregnant women should never clean out litter boxes. When it comes to helminths (parasitic worms) all mammals can carry pretty much the same things. The issue comes with who's the end host and who has adapted to deal with the little beasties. Its sort of like when the Hawaiins were exposed to measles. They had never needed to develop immunity so it litterally wiped them out in droves, where the missionaries through hundreds if not thousands of years of exposure only got the spots and a temp. (most did anyway, you wouldn't believe the cases of deafness, blindness, neurological problems and death that are related to the measles virus). On the other hand there is some suspicion that the measles virus is involved in distemper in dogs. I remember my mother involved in an intense debate about this years ago.

You're absolutely right. I guess I was thinking of things that might carry into the plant, not about the dirt itself. Thanks!

People with immune difficientys should not change litter boxes either.

I garden with four dogs, one of which is my real buddy and wants to see all that I do. I work many hours and gardening is what I do to relax so I don't like to deal with "dog issues" while I'm out there in my haven. Two of mine a diggers, the one likes to wander about watching what I do and then extensively sniff the results, and the last just lays in the sun--wherever is the warmest as long as it involves sleeping. Sooo, I discovered this black biodegradable mulch. Works great, looks kind of like garbage bag material but is not, no real weeds to speak of, lets water through. I use it in both raised beds and ground level beds. I put grass clippings over it in the heat of summer. The dogs don't like it and stay off of it. Once they know it is there they just accept it as the boundary and we don't have to have further discussions about it. You can tack it down with whatever you have, extra pavers or bricks, or use bent wire coat hangers, or buy the landscapers stakes. I tried using newspaper, but my dogs really like shredding that so the plastic (I don't really think it is plastic, but that's what I call it) is the choice for me. I don't know about cats. We don't have any right now. I would just clear off the area you want to garden. Make sure to remove any existing poo and get going. My dogs usually like to go in one or two spots. Maybe pick a spot that is not your dog's "spot". Then have fun!