A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2003 dogs and gardens don't mix

I need some help... I have a section of my garden that I just can't keep anything living in because of my furry best friend, a 50 lb bundle of energy that I love completely.

Unfortunately that part is the closest to the front yard which he feels the need to protect so he runs through like a mad dog and tears everything up when the neighborhood kids run by. I had petunias and they lasted a few weeks before one of the neighborhood kids climbed our wall and drove him nuts. I had million bells and some geraniums but he's trampled that too. I don't want anything too big because I have a dwarf lime in the back of the section so I'll need to be able to get back there and pick limes.

Is there anything that is dog resistant? Or super duper hardy? I don't want to hurt him (cactus or thorny things) but I need something to deter him. Both my husband and I are on him when we are home to stay out but when we're gone its open game. I've put a small fence up but he jumps right over it. It gets mostly full sun with late afternoon shade over most of the section. Any suggestions? :rolleyes:

Thanks for your help in advance!

How do you feel about marigolds? I have a planter full of them and cosmos that have withstood my dog, cat, chicken, and being topped by horses...they just keep coming back bigger and bushier each time they get damaged. Both are also easy to start from seed, so it's a cheap and easy fix for me...I don't feel so bad when something happens to them!

I'll have to try that as well! My mother in law has a little dog that runs through my side garden trampling the ferns when he chases the squirrels - and so do my cats!
GRRR!!

Thanks for the idea barleychown. :)I have marigolds in other places and they seem to do okay. He has knocked a few flower heads off here and there but they aren't in a direct path of his. And they do pop back pretty easy. I already tried cosmos, they didn't withstand him either.

Right now I planted some iris bulbs since I had to thin out my front planter's irises and I had some extra. Most of them are hanging on but he has uprooted one. That's the main problem, he runs by so fast that he actually pulls the plant right out of the ground.

I wonder what would happen if you made it impossible for him to run in a straight line, therefore reducing his speed? Maybe with some sort of statues or boulders or something? Anyone ever tried this?

Maybe that will help. Of course now I have to convince my hubby that I need some statues or rocks. I did see a cute toadstool shaped sitting stool, maybe that will work.

The section I'm talking about is kind of in a corner, it where our side wall meet the front yard wall. It kind of makes a U shape about 6 ft from the wall at the thickest part. So he tears up there and then stops and does his little dance around and around. And everything underneath him is just toast. :rolleyes:

Yup - tried the rock/statue thing. The dog either jumps right over them (he's like a kangaroo!), or just runs around them and then back into the garden he goes!!!
I've also been wondering about plant cages (as much as I HATE the look of them).

Would it be possible to make sort of a cute little path that follows the track he uses? Maybe make it wider where he dances?
Sort of a compromise...he gets his space, but you get to choose the look?

As much as I wish it would I don't think that will work for me. The problem is he wants to be near the wall where the action is so somehow I have to make the wall unattainable. He's left the rest of the garden alone, its just this one spot.

Maybe some bigger plants in the front that will make it hard to jump over... hmmm... what's a pretty good size, but not too tall (maybe 2-3 ft high) hardy plant that I can put close together??? Of course what's the incentive to jump over them when he can trample them?? They need to be big enough he can't just step on. Maybe I should put a water feature in... he hates water with a passion!

Maybe Jake/ Ellen can make a path to save her ferns. Of course she'll have to teach the squirrels to use the same path. :p

Hmmm, a dancing path for the animals. Could be most entertaining!!