Dog Path

[Carol Dee]

My husbands dog has established a path around the perimeter of the back yard. Right down the middle of the flower beds that border the yard. So much for keeping the flower upright and full. They are always getting stepped on. We put the invisable fencing down...which works when the collar is on and working! (Or I have not cut the line when planting) I tried short fences. (He steps over, I fallover.... ) Any ideas would be welcome. Thanks ...

 

[journey11]

Hi Carol Dee and

I'll be looking to see what responses you get. That is something I have had trouble with myself. My dog doesn't like to get her feet wet, so she walks through my flowerbeds that are shaded by the porch. I put up a short fence and she hopped it. My husband hit it so many times with the lawnmower I gave up and took it down. Too much of a fence would detract from the beauty of the flowerbed. I'm thinking something electric might be in order??

 

[Jared77]

This is kind of a radical idea.....but what about building or putting in an arbor that would stretch over the bed that would alter his path around the garden? Or two smaller ones at each end of the garden?

Just trying to push him around the garden vs through it. What kind of fence is it? Chain link? Privacy? Do you need the light through that fence for the garden? If not maybe screening that area might help decrease his desire to patrol that area. Nothing to see might encourage him to stop going through there.

You might have some luck with putting up some barriers like the arbor(s) and then something along the front like a gazing ball or a bird bath, a small bench, some other solid decorations to help create a physical barrier that he won't want to blast through.

The downside is this might change the lighting and may force you to put in some different plants. However.....the arbors would open up some options for different plants too.

Journey you said you have a shadier area if you went with the arbors, Id put in some Dutch Honeysuckle it prefers more shade than other honeysuckles, smells wonderful and ours is a very strong bloomer.

 

[Carol Dee]

Jared, the bed is backed by an 8 ft. privacy fence and is only about 2 feet wide/deep. All the way around the yard. He can't see but he can hear! It is a shady yard even without the fence so I mosly have shade plants. He just knocks over stautues and birdbaths. Looks like my best bet is to get hubby to finally fix the invisable fencing and keep the collar on. Thanks for the plant suggestions.

 

[patandchickens]

What if you left a clear space, for dog use, of maybe 2' between the back of the border and the fence? The concept could be made clearer to the dog by putting in a bit of wire fencing or deer netting behind the plants (might need to flare the ends out a bit to 'funnel' the dog into it if any of the fenceline does not have flowerbeds against it), you wouldn't see the wire mesh much if at all b/c the plants would be in front of it but it would let the dog have his pathway to alleviate boredom while keeping him more out of your garden.

He sounds bored. Maybe give him a Kong toy stuffed with some frozen damp kibble or peanutbutter, or more people time?

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[journey11]

Thanks, Pat... Now there's an idea so crazy it just might work! Give the dog an official path of it's own, hidden in the back. I think I'll have to try that. Maybe make some pretty concrete stepping stones with the colorful glass pebbles in them. If I make that bed bigger, I'm going to need some way to get in there myself...

 

[Carol Dee]

Thanks for all the ideas. The yard is already on the small side so I won't be moving the beds in. Dog gets lots of play time. (He is going to be three this week and still full of puppy energy.) He lives in the house and the second he is let out he starts his laps of the yard. Patrol duty HA!

 

[Nyboy]

Hot wire around bed, few good zaps dog will stay away!! Just remember to turn off before working in bed.

 

[vfem]

Personally, I view dogs as useless and pointless....


Yet, for some reason I continue to feed and walk mine!

 

[Carol Dee]

vfem, I did say it was my HUSBAND's dog....