Landscaping with Dogs

I'm looking for anyone whose had the experience of a few very active hunting dogs running around their backyard on a daily basis & have any landscaping suggestions. This is new for me and I can't believe how torn up my yard looks since late last summer. I plan to make a lot of paths bordered by shrubs and pretty much forget about the lawn. I also see that the dogs steer clear of the rose bushes. I have access to an unlimited free supply of woodchips from the local utility company which is only a 10 minute drive from my home. I plan to put welded wire fencing around my new shrubs until they're well established. The area directly outside the backdoor is getting patio pavers laid down since I can't seem to keep grass growing there and that area becomes very muddy at times. I made it through the winter with 2 bales of straw spread on the ground. I've reviewed a couple of books about landscaping with dogs. Does anyone have any such books and were they helpful? I would appreciate any tips that you have to offer.

I just ordered a book today titled "Dog Friendly Gardens, Garden Friendly Dogs". It should arrive within the next 10 days. After reading it, I'll share what I've learned. I was surprised that this was the only book that I could find written on this subject. The author is a gardener and a dog trainer.

Good luck to you.... I personally have a tough time with the permanent "track" that is in my yard. plus i could never plant any flowers.
I've just learned to deal with it.

Do post back what you find out.... I'm certainly interested in what the book has to say.

I did find a few good dog tips in my Jerry Baker "Giant Book of Garden Solutions" listed under animal pests. I'm going to have to get around to reviewing this book in bookworm. It's really good!

About the flower beds:
First push stakes in the soil, all around the edges & down the middle of the bed. They should sit about 7 inches above the ground.
Next tie nylon fishing line to one of the stakes, about an inch from the top. Weave the line from stake to stake, across the bed and back again. When you finish, you should have a big zigzag pattern. Just keep the openings big enough so that you can step in and out for planting and weeding.
Jerry warns that not only will the dogs get discouraged after getting tangled a time or two, but to be careful not to get tangled yourself! Since I fish, I have plenty of fishing line, so I'm going to give this a try.

A good homemade spicy repellant that's suppose to be offensive to fido's taste buds & smeller:
Mix together and sprinkle around the perimeter of your flower beds.
4 tbsp. of dry mustard
3 tbsp. of cayenne pepper
2 tbsp. of chili powder
2 tbsp. cloves
1 tbsp. of very hot sauce
2 qts. of warm water
I would imagine that it helps to repel insect pests too! Of course, you'll probably need to reapply after a good rain.

I'm going to give both a try. Since I fish, I have plenty of fishing line. I also have all the spicy ingredients on hand.

Today, I'm taking down my 36" vegie garden fence and replacing it with 48" fencing because the pointer jumps fences like a deer. The other two, a redbone coonhound and american foxhound are the females. They don't jump the fence because they've been trained not to -- though they have their own issues that get 'em in trouble; such as baying. The pointer (the male & such a pretty sweet boy) immediately exits the garden when caught, but as soon as you turn your back... I'm going to cut up the 36" fence and make wire cages to protect my new shrubs. I use the green coated welded wire fencing because it blends in better with the landscape. My dogs are rescues and our family is committed to making them feel safe, loved, and at home.

Here's a few links about landscaping with dogs that I found informative.
About lawn care with dogs:
http://landscaping.about.com/od/lawns/a/dog_landscaping.htm
Ideas about landscaping with dogs:
http://landscaping.about.com/od/lawns/a/dog_landscaping_2.htm

Well, I need to get moving. I've got a lot of work ahead of me today. I'll be back after dark. I'll keep you posted. : )

If you have problems with the dogs digging in the flower garden you can put down chicken wire or lay down lattice.

Thanks for the tip goldeneagleone. I have a full unopened roll of chicken wire in the garage leftover from a project a few years back. In fact, that's what I used in my garden to keep the squirrels from burying stuff last fall. The dogs got into the garden and those were the only places that weren't bothered. How we often miss the obvious.

So far, the dogs haven't been able to jump the 4 ft fence. I think the hardwork & $$ will payoff overtime.

My order of raspberries arrived sooner than anticipated, so I had to plant them quickly after arriving home from work rather late with very little daylight left. After planting, I quickly laid down newspaper and pine needle mulch before adding the chicken wire which I secured with the u-pins that I use to secure floating row covers. This worked great. I put wire cages around the berry plants so that the dogs can't chew on the stems. It's been 24 hours and so far no problems.

The "Dog Friendly Gardens, Garden Friendly Dogs" has alot of good tips and nice color photos. Once I finish the book, I'll rate it. Since planting time has arrived, I won't be finishing this book in the near future.

you planted raspberry bushes?

i had them when i was a kid and boy do they multiply.
I'd also think with the thorns, the dogs would stay out of them.

I'll see if my local library has that book... sounds interesting.

I was at Home Depot today talking to the Scotts lady about my lawn. I mentioned my dog had run a path through the yard, and that I had just put a new flowerbed in and was worried that she would start digging. (She's a beagle hound mix). The lady mentioned that she uses Buggela - which is a slug & snail repellent made my Ortho (I think). She said it's very bitter to a dog - will only taste it once, then does not bother the area again. Anyone heard of this?

The product is called Bug-Geta, and absolutely, absolutely, DO NOT use it anywhere near your dog. It has metaldehyde as the active ingredient which is extremely dangerous to pets. They've included an extra ingredient in the product to make it less attractive to dogs than older metaldehyde containing products but if your dog does go after it anyway it could make her very sick or kill her.

Here are some references about metaldehyde poisoning and dogs in case you want more info
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=metaldehyde+poisoning+dogs

If you want something bad tasting but not harmful, you can probably buy bitter sprays or try sprinkling pepper or something, stuff like that will annoy the dog but won't hurt her.

Oh my God! Why would she suggest it if it was possibly lethal to my dog!?! I already spread some in my bed. I'm putting the dog in her pen right now. Any idea as to how to get rid of the stuff?

I'm sure she didn't know it was poisonous, not everyone knows that, I'm sure she wouldn't tell you to do it if she knew the stuff could hurt your dog. As far as how to get rid of it...are the granules big enough that you can scoop them up and throw them away? If not, I would try watering that bed a ton to try and wash it away, you could also try putting more mulch on top so there's not easy access to it, but regardless I would keep the dog away from that bed for a while, even if it means keeping her on a leash while she's outside. The good news is if you got the Ortho brand stuff, they do put bitter stuff in it so that if a dog does find it they'll most likely not like the bitter taste and stop before they eat enough to do damage.

I'm so glad I asked this question. Yeah - the granules are big enough to scoop out. Still, I think I'll do all three. Scoop, water and mulch. Good news is my husband had put her on her lead when we went inside. She couldn't reach the bed anyway. THANK YOU for the information.

Thanks for the advice and don't worry. I'm an organic gardener and wouldn't use any chemicals in my yard anyway. I just purchased some floribunda rose bushes to form a hedge. These will be used to camouflage the "doggy doo area". I know that the dogs won't mess with these either as the one rose bush I have has been left undisturbed. I raked up all the pine needles from under my pinetree and had over a dozen wheelbarrows full that I piled next to the vegie garden to use for mulch. The dogs love this stuff. Everytime I look out into the backyard, they're lying in the mulch. I found all their rawhide chews buried in it. I'm thinking of making a "digging area" for them and covering it with pine needle mulch. Is this also referred to as "pine straw"? I've got most of the fencing around the play area now, and the dogs sulked the entire time that I was putting up the fence. One must have forgotten that the fence was there and ran smack into it, oops! We're going to have the prettiest doggy yard yet!

Daisy (foxhound) , Rose (redbone coonhound), & Kai (pointer) said thanks too!

Has anyone a way to train dogs to do their poo in just one area? My bf has two dogs. A malamute and a German shorthair. The shorthair does what I consider normal, that is goes away from the house to do her business. The malamute on the other hand will get up and walk to the house to take a dump! He's made a mess all around the house throughout the winter. I'm so embarrassed but if I clean it up not only will he do it again but my bf won't bother cleaning it up himself.
HELP! It's making the gardens look awful and leaves almost no where to step .

MollyD

I know what you mean. The redbone coonhound goes right outside the backdoor near the patio area, and I'm always stepping in it--yuk! The other 2 dogs go to the far end of the yard by the dumpster. The book I'm reading offers some advice in this area, but it will take some action on your part & your bf's. Someone will need to walk the dog on a leash and take your doggy to the designated poo area until he gets the idea that you want him to poo only in that spot. Goodluck to you. With summer coming, you've also got to deal with the flies and the odor. That's why I'm planting very fragrant rosebushes near the designated poo area . I am the one who cleans up the poo in the yard, but it doesn't bother me. If you stay on top of it, it doesn't take so long. I also have a supersize water gun that I get the dogs with if they're doing something wrong. I can stand in the doorway and the stream reaches the back fence. All I have to do is be seen at the door holding the gun and the dogs stop whatever they're doing wrong. Maybe that's one of the reasons that my little granddaughter says, "grandma is the BOSS of the dogs!"

What was the invention in the Ben Stiller/Jack Black movie "Envy" that made dog poo disappear? If such a product existed, you'd still have to go out into the backyard and spray it on all the piles. Please let me know how the training goes if you decide to give it a try. I've got to start training Rose, but I'm waiting until I get the poo-pit finished.

I would look at it just like housebreaking--when you know he has to go, take him to an appropriate area of the yard, then when he does his business there, praise him and reward him. And if he starts to go where he's not supposed to, tell him no, then lead him over to the appropriate area of the yard. You have to stay on top of it until he learns though, if you don't consistently reinforce where he is and isn't allowed to go then he'll never really get it.

Problem is he's an outdoor dog. He's only inside when temps will be below 20 degrees. Normal house temps are too hot for him so he doesn't tolerate them for long.
He's never walked on a leash. We have 10 acres and he's free to roam most of 2 acres of it (electric dog fence). My bf will never agree to walk him. He thinks this poo everywhere is a normal part of having a dog! I keep telling him I've never been to a house with dogs where there was this mess all over the place. I had hoped to find a spray or something that would attract the dogs to going in one spot.

Looking forward to hearing what's in that book if I don't get a copy first!

MollyD

Every dog i've ever had, has always gone in "his spot" (there may be 2 or 3 areas, but they are still "his spot") and not all over the yard... i thought this was just "normal" and all dogs did it, until my neighbor got a dog.... this dog is a "pooping machine" (big choc lab) he'll go anywhere, even in my yard (it's fenced in, but if i'm out back with my dog, he'll run right in the yard and "go") and not once mind you.... usually 3 times!!

i do cut him some slack, as he's a dog that needs to run, and they keep him in most the time and no fenced yard, so he's usually on a leash.... when he really NEEDS to run.

MollyD, I was checking out the Pet Forum and see that you posted there. That's good. I'll be watching that thread with you and I hope that you get some useful suggestions there. A friend lives out in a rural area with some acreage. Her golden retriever and rottweiler do their business far away from the house. She said any dogs that she's had in the past did the same. It might be helpful for you to learn a little more about the Alaskan Malamute breed. I did a google search & found several websites all claiming that the Alaskan Malamute is an exceptional dog breed. They're suppose to be highly intelligent and trainable. I've also read that they like to be close to their people and problems usually arise due to isolation and lack of training. Our pointer was unhappy outdoors & behaves much better now that he sleeps indoors. Since your dog can't take the heat, that does create a problem.

In all my gardens, if I want the dogs to stay out.... I put a hotwire. water the yard the 1st time you turn it on & they'll never go near it again! It won't hurt them... hot wires are designed w/ very low votage/amps. But, it'll sure teach them to respect that wire! I don't even have to turn mine on anymore. I put it up & let it sit there.
As to the fishing line. Hunting dogs are very sure footed. It might sound like a great idea... but dogs go thru allsorts of bushes that are very tangly. That's what they're really good at, avoiding getting tangled up in stuff. The guy's a quack!

I just found this website this morning by accident and am I glad I did! I have a puppy who chewed all my hostas down the nothing last fall and chews any wood. I think she was chewing on the lilly leaves this spring. I wrote down three suggestions just from this thread alone. This is great. I don't think Trudy (the boxer) will thank you tho.

Ohhhhhhhhhhh. but look at that faaaaace.
Trudy is such a cutie!! My neighbor has a boxer... Bosco. He's gorgeous, but VERY high strung.

I have pretty learned that I can not plant directly in my back yard.... my "Bud" the first summer chewed my clematis thru the fence.... that ended the season for 2 out of my 3 that year.

I have a 'clump' of a taller sedum, Bud digs in that sometimes, and some hens&chicks that he leaves alone.
Other than that, i have no plants in my fenced back yard.

Here's the hounds. Daisy on the left and Rose on the right. They're couch potatoes in the house. When outside, they race around like a couple of greyhounds.

Here's Kai the pointer. My daughter calls him a "velcro dog". He follows you all over the house. Kai has grown larger since this picture.

The raspberry canes are still untouched after being planted a week ago. The chicken wire advice was the best! Thanks again. I planted five rose bushes yesterday and the dogs haven't touched them so far. I picked them up at Wal-Mart very cheap, so I don't have much to lose. If these do ok, I'll consider planting some more. My youngest daughter wants a lavender colored rose. I planted:

Iceberg (white floribunda)
Montezuma (orange-pink grandiflora)
Oregold (yellow hybrid tea)
Gene Boerner (pink floribunda)
Intrigue (plum floribunda)

Now I'm concerned about the frost warnings for this week. I've covered them heavily with pine needle mulch. Someone suggested that I cover them with towels at night? The low for Thurs. night is suppose to be around 25.

I forgot to mention that I also love boxers and yours has the sweetest face. Thanks for the hotwire suggestion. The foxhound already wears a "shock" collar since the alderman across the alley complained about her terrible baying--she sounds like someone's killing her! I'm just afraid that my 2 yr old gr-d might get shocked. Since she & her mom live with me and I watch her evenings and weekends while my daughter is at work, she spends alot of time in the yard playing with the dogs while I'm gardening.

This message was edited Apr 3, 2007 9:46 PM

i covered my roses in mulch today too.

cute doggies.

tcs1366--How are your plants holding up to the cold in the upper NE region of IL? I made cages and covered the raspberries and rosebushes. The pointer was pulling up the cages and playing with them until I figured out a better way to anchor them to the ground. (Kai gets forgiven quickly because he's such a pretty sweet boy.) I filled the rosebush cages with pine needle mulch. The rasberry cages are covered with floating row cover cloth. I didn't do anything about the Nanking cherry bushes. They're sheltered by the house and garage with a southern exposure, so maybe they'll fair ok.

I started putting up the fence around my gr-d's play yard which has created a dead end to some of the dogs' favorite "tracks". I'm finding that such obstacles that I've created in the landscape have slowed the dogs down; esp. after running into the fence a few times; as they have to make so many turns now while running through the yard and don't seem to be wearing out the lawn as badly.

I had a great raspberry patch for several years & it finally succumb to disease. My kids have been complaining about how they miss the raspberries, so I decided to start a new patch in a sunnier location. I'm adding blackberries which are my oldest daughter's favorite. My dad was successful at growing them in this area. Since he passed away, we've lost our supplier. Mine are thornless, so they'll be planted inside the garden & trained to trail on the fence.

Labs are a nice bred. The ones that I've encountered were extremely friendly. My neighbor's lab would come to the fence with his ball wanting me to toss it for him. I knew the dog better than the neighbor & missed him the most when they moved. With this cold snap, my dogs are spending a lot of time on the couch sulking.

I volunteered to help at a church block party today face painting way back when the weather was nice and warm. I've been reassured that it's moved indoors. I sure hope so! Well, I better get crackin' and start packin'. Try to stay warm. : )

they are holding up better than i thought they would.

my rhododendron looks fine, and i never even covered it.... it's about 30" tall... i could have wrapped it in a sheet or something... but didn't and it's fine.

my roses and peony, that had about 2-3" got new growth -- i covered with mulch -- some has blown off so the tops are back poking out... but they all seem uneffected (BUT these plants are on the south side, and get sun [if it's shining] and it stays a bit warmer here.)

the few ferns that were brave to come up this early -- bit the dust. shriveled beyond recognition.

other things like day lilies and sedum have "softened" a bit and hopefully will bounce back.

I got into winter sowing this year... and have 70 containers of various sizes (from flats to 16oz water bottles) and some were hit hard (tender annuals) while others are doing just fine -- those they are very small seedlings. Hopefully by the end of the week, the weather will break -- i dont think it's looking too good -- but then i can get the plants/seedlings back out out in the sun. (most are on my front porch, which is eastern exposure, but out of the brutal wind.)

thanks for asking....

Terese

goldeneagle-- I love that idea. Simple and inexpensive! I have cats that get into my flower box areas so I am going to try the mesh wire idea after I plant my flowers this year. I'm thinking that the cats wont find it to their liking after a couple of digs!! LOL.

Not only will the dogs and cats leave the beds alone, but it should work for squirrels too. Squirrels are the worst pest in this area & are often referred to as "tree rats". I planted crocuses one year just to see them bloom in the neighboring library's rear yard. The squirrels had relocated them. I've not planted any bulbs since. This fall I'm going to try it again with the chicken wire covering the beds. It is a great suggestion.

I HAVE 2 DOGS. WE PUT IN A POOL LAST YEAR AND I NEED HELP WITH ANIT-DOG POOL LANDSCAPING. I LIVE IN CENTRAL ALABAMA. ANY SUGGESTIONS?

we3bram, The book that I'm reading about landscaping with dogs covers dogs & water features; incl. pools. I'll look thru it & post back later with hopefully some suggestions. Please give me some specifics to your problem if you have time. Thanks.

Betty : )

So glad I came across this thread! We are beyond frustrated with our yard. 3 Catahoulas and "lawns" do NOT mix well! We no longer have "dust" in the house... it's now all "dirt"!
I'm thinking about ordering that book referred to in this thread, but wondered if there is also info in there regarding ground cover options vs. just "garden" info. I can't find a store with the book in stock so can't browse it first so thought I'd check. At this point, we've pretty much settled on pea-gravel and mulch, but would be interested in other options, because it's a pretty big backyard. Anyone have any luck with clover instead of grass?
Here's a pic of the three of them playing (it gets LOUD with Catahoulas!) in the snow... ah the snow. The first year I've ever been happy to see snow... snow=no mud!

Nice photo catawhat of what appears to be a happy pack of "cowdogs". I've also considered using clover. After reading what's involved in sowing it and getting it started, I'm undecided. You may decide differently.

Please check out the links above from my 3/10 post on landscaping with dogs. I have divided our yard into "rooms" and separated them with fencing, shrubs, and other barriers to slow the dogs down and provide areas for the humans to enjoy the yard without getting plowed down by running dogs. The paths are (or will be upon completion) some gravel, some wood chips, and some paved. In the end, there will be a digging pit and pooping area.

We have a dog kennel setup on a brick patio where we kept the pointer until he stopped jumping the fence. Instead of putting the dogs in there, we use it for our outdoor grilling area so that the dogs can't get to the meat or risk being burned by the hot grill.

The book mentioned has a lot of nice colored photos of dogs in their yards and does offer good visuals of how your yard could look. Training is key and the author is a professional dog trainer. I hope you come up with some ideas of your own because you know what's important to you and your family. Please share any ideas or suggestions that might work for the rest of us.

I'll also try to post back later with anything new. Good luck!

I need help in GA. I live in a townhouse so I have a little area. But I also have a small child so I like for him to have a yard to get out in from time to time, not just a mudd pit. Anyway I have this Giant Schnauzer, who can only go potty when he is loose in my tiny yard. I keep up with poop on a daily basis so it is no big deal. I also take him to a place he can let loose and run 5 times a week. My problem is he pees out there and my grass is now spotty where he has been peeing. This is the 3rd time I have planted my yard in the 2 years I have been here. Other 2 times failed do to my lack of knowledge and know-how trying to plant seeds. So I got sod and it looks great but I have these pee spots. Anyone know of anything to nuetralize the pee in my yard. I have been watering it for the last few weeks and I am hoping that it has a chance of coming back.
any ideas? PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cute doggie. Here's a link that you might find useful. Talks about dog spots on lawn. Started a new thread "Landscaping with dogs II". Thought this thread was getting a bit long. Hope to hear from you on the new thread. : )

http://landscaping.about.com/od/lawns/a/dog_landscaping.htm