How to Keep Dogs Out of Flowers

Overview

In a perfect world, you and your dog would garden side-by-side. He would respect your newly planted seedlings, stay on the paths and never pee on the expensive things. Of course, everyone who lives with a dog knows that this scenario is a bit of a fantasy. But you and your dog---and your garden---can co-exist happily if you employ a few basic canine-proof gardening techniques and heed your dog's natural inclinations.

Step 1

Fence it. To borrow a phrase, good fences make good dogs. If there are areas where you simply do not want your dog to tread, fence it off. Most dogs can jump at least twice as high as their shoulders and some can jump quite a bit more than that. Cindy, a 60 lb. greyhound, holds the record at 5 feet 8 inches, so plan accordingly.

Step 2

Use mulch. Fresh dirt is very tempting to dogs. It just begs to be dug. Cover all bare dirt with a thick layer of cedar bark or licorice root mulch. To deter determined diggers and their feline cohorts, lay chicken wire first. For smaller areas, a gravel mulch can be used.

Step 3

Try repellents. There are a variety of nontoxic dog repellent sprays and granules available. Most need to be reapplied several times over the course of the growing season.

Step 4

Buy big. The larger the plant, the less damage your dog is likely to inflict upon it. Stake your plants and flowers to prevent trampling.

Step 5

Plant for pee resistance. Some plants hold up better than others against regular "dog watering." According to Scott Aker in "The Washington Post," dog urine contains ammonia salts, which damage plants. Salt tolerant plants such as Rugosa rose stand up to the rigors of a regular sprinkling but should be watered regularly---with fresh water---to minimize damage.

Step 6

Create a special place. Create some dog-friendly areas in your yard where your pet can pee, roll, romp and frolic to her heart's content.