Ultra Outdoors
Being an avid gardener and a dog owner isn’t easy. Dogs are curious creatures and this curiosity can sometimes have disastrous effects. To ensure your animal and plants live in harmony here is what you will need to do.
Fortify your fencing
Dogs will find any weakness in a fence and use it to escape and explore. This could lead to them ending up next door, or even worse out on the street. Before buying a dog check your fence and make any repairs. Alternatively, if it’s looking old and worn, you may find it more beneficial to replace the whole thing. You’ll find all kinds of ideal fencing online such as these wood fences installed by Beitzell Fence. Check with your neighbours and local planning committee before fitting a new fence, especially if it’s taller than your current one.
Avoid potentially toxic plants
Some plants can be toxic to our canine companions if ingested. One common plant that is dangerous for dogs is daffodil bulbs. Sweet peas, rhubarb leaves, tulip bulbs and asparagus fern are other plants to look out for. And of course, you should always steer clear of well-known poisonous plants such as hemlock, nightshade and lily of the valley.
Protect your vegetable patch
Just as you should protect your dog against your plants, you should also protect your plants against your dog. This is especially worth considering if you’ve got a vegetable patch. Most mutts like a good dig and will quite happily dig up your potatoes, carrots and cabbages and munch them up. You may be able to train your dog not to dig. A more extreme measure might be to put a fence around your vegetable patch. This needn’t be anything big – a foot high may be enough to help train and tell a dog where the boundary is so that you can tell them off when they cross it. You can also consider cages for fruit such as raspberries. Others have found that chilli powder or apple bitter sprays can deter dogs.
Keep hazardous objects locked away
Keeping sharp objects and chemicals locked away is important with any pet. You don’t want your dog getting curious and sniffing and licking something it shouldn’t. In most cases, dogs will be sensible enough to steer clear.
Quite often the best way to stop your dog getting curious and exploring is with distractions. Buy chew toys and rubber balls for the garden that will stop your pet getting bored and looking for other items to put in its mouth.
Meanwhile, there are some garden activities in which locking away your dogs might be sensible. These include mowing the lawn or using a strimmer. Some canines will keep a distance from noisy garden power tools, but others may try to attack them. Lock the dogs inside before you start using these tools to prevent any nasty accidents (even if your pet doesn’t get hurt, the last thing you want is a dog running under your feet and tripping you up whilst trimming the hedge).
