If your garden lawn seems to have become your dog's or neighbors' favorite toilet spot, then know that there are steps you can take to keep it at a safe distance. A mix of barriers, repellents, and distractions can encourage your pet not to defecate in your yard.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Install Barriers
Step 1. Set up a fence
Perhaps the most obvious, if not the most cost-effective, solution is just a simple fence to keep dogs outside.
- Make sure the fence complies with local regulations. Ask the neighbors or contact the Technical Office of the Municipality for more details.
- A fence can be a rather expensive solution, but it can be worth the expense if you can't persuade the dog in other ways. If the pet is small in size, a 40cm high pen will work. It could cost around 15 euros per meter. However, if the dog is large and very energetic, you should fence the garden with a wire mesh and tilt the top outward.
- Installation work can be complex, especially if you've never set up a fence before. Consider hiring a professional for help, but be aware that it can be expensive. On the internet you can find articles or video tutorials and you can always get help from neighbors, friends or family. If your poo problem is caused by a neighbor's dog, you can kindly ask the owner to contribute part of the cost of the enclosure.
- Keep the fence door closed at all times and check for holes or other signs of wear.
Step 2. Place plants as barriers
Many people dislike putting up a fence for aesthetic reasons. Place plants to enclose your property, planting certain shrubs and flowers around the main garden, this will surely create a more pleasant environment.
- There are several "dog proof" plants. They need to be tall and sturdy enough to prevent your dog from entering your garden. These include peonies, verbena, echinacea, rudbeckia bristly, Russian sage and oenothera speciosa. If you want more advice, ask your local nurseryman.
- Shrubs are viable alternatives for creating a plant barrier and can define a more solid boundary. Laurel, evergreen plants, heather and escallonia are excellent solutions.
- Although thorny, prickly bushes, such as holly and barberry, seem like good deterrents against dogs, you need to be careful, as they can hurt them when they try to enter your property. You must prevent your neighbors' pets from getting hurt.
Step 3. Create a barrier with gravel or mulch
You can put some grainy material that covers the whole garden, such as gravel or mulch, because dogs don't usually like to walk on it. This can discourage them from entering your property to defecate.
- In hardware stores and garden centers you can find a wide variety of different materials. Choose one that makes your dog uncomfortable when he tries to walk on it, but doesn't hurt him. An excellent solution is represented by pine needles or pine cones.
- You can also purchase decorative gravel, preferably with sharp edges, from hardware stores and garden centers. Dogs avoid walking on this type of material, because they feel pain on the pads of their paws. However, the downside to this solution is that many people find it unsightly. If you have any doubts about using this material for aesthetic reasons, you can consider creating a rock garden as an alternative. However, this solution is not always effective for your purpose, because the dog may be able to move easily on the stones and rocks placed here and there.
Step 4. Opt for sprinklers
An irrigation system can be a great way to scare dogs away from the garden. Animals will learn to avoid areas where they are bathed from time to time.
- A motion sensor sprinkler is probably your best bet. You can get one at home improvement centers or even online. The system is activated automatically when it detects movement and sprays water when the dog enters the garden.
- Dogs will learn to associate your garden with an unexpected shower and will eventually understand that they need to stay away.
Method 2 of 3: Create Diversions
Step 1. Define a specific area for the dog to defecate
These animals do not go to their gardens with evil intent. They just need a space to use as a "toilet" and your property is probably inviting in their eyes. If you have to manage your own dog, or in any case you don't mind the presence of a neighbor's, you can set up a space that attracts animals, where they can carry out their bodily functions away from the garden.
- Choose a shaded area. Dogs prefer not to expose themselves directly to the sun whenever possible. Make sure it is an adequate space where the animal can run and play; you should also provide him with toys, water and treats to lure him into the designated area.
- Create a surface that the animal can walk comfortably on, such as wood shavings, bark, or leaves. The ideal solution is a mixture of sand and soil, because dogs love to dig and this material is soft under their paws.
- Use positive reinforcement. Praise the dog when he enters the area chosen for him and reward him with the food of his choice.
Step 2. Create a walkway outside your garden
Sometimes dogs enter private properties because they are in their path. Instead, create a passageway next to the garden, but one that does not cross it. If it's soft and inviting, your dog will likely prefer to walk on it and forgo destroying your plants.
- You can create the path by putting soft, dog-friendly mulch. If you have scraps of carpet, know that they are the perfect solution, as well as a mix of earth and sand.
- If you want to choose a material that is pleasant for the dog and at the same time is aesthetically pleasing in the garden, you can make stone steps or lay colored tiles. A concrete path is also quite common and is suitable for both people and dogs. The downside to the concrete driveway is the cost and difficulty of installation.
Step 3. Train the dog
If you always catch him in the act while doing his business, take advantage of the circumstance to teach him that the behavior is wrong. Dogs want to please humans and usually react positively to training.
- Clap your hands loudly to get his attention and interrupt him. Say a firm "No" and immediately take him out of the garden.
- If you have already designated a specific place in the yard for your dog to defecate, take it there. If not, take him to the street and let him perform his bodily functions on the sidewalk.
- Involve your neighbors. If they allow their dogs to run freely and you notice that the animals have chosen your garden as their bathroom, talk to the neighbors. Kindly ask them to engage with you in your attempt to discourage dogs from defecating on your property.
Method 3 of 3: Work on the Garden
Step 1. Change the fertilizers you have chosen
Sometimes the fertilizers that are used can inadvertently become attractive to dogs. By changing the methods of fertilization and the type of product you can discourage animals from entering your land.
- Dogs react very strongly to new smells or stinks and may be deterred by sudden changes, as they may be interpreted as signals that a new animal is present in that territory. Change the fertilizers you use periodically so that your dog avoids getting close.
- Organic fertilizers are fine, but they can give off an odor that attracts dogs. Look for information online about the fertilizers you use to see if other people have had the same problems with a particular product.
- In some cases, people are tempted to use rodent and wildlife repellents in combination with fertilizers to keep dogs at bay. Unfortunately these repellents contain coyote urine which actually attracts them. Do not use these products in an attempt to protect your garden from dogs.
Step 2. Clean the area thoroughly
Dogs like to go back to the same place if they think it's pleasant. When a dog uses your garden as a toilet, it releases an odor that leads other dogs to believe that it is allowed to carry out their needs right there. For this reason, you need to clean thoroughly after finding the droppings.
- Dogs often urinate in the same spot as they defecate. Their pee leaves burn marks on plants and grass, so rinse the area with a garden hose as soon as you have removed the feces. In this way you neutralize the acidity of the urine and minimize its effects.
- You can also rake compost in the area, as it contains soil organisms that balance the chemistry and biological composition of the soil. Just remember to move the compost bags out of the dog's reach.
- Throw all the fecal material in a dumpster after sealing it in a plastic bag. You need to prevent the smell from attracting other dogs.
Step 3. Use repellents to keep animals away
Whether it's an artisanal or commercial product, many repellents give off an unpleasant smell to dogs or cause annoying sensations that cause them not to enter your property.
- It is well known that by sprinkling the surrounding area, the plants or the perimeter of the garden with olive oil, almonds or garlic, it is possible to keep dogs at bay.
- Ammonium and vinegar have an unpleasant odor that keeps animals away. Place cotton balls soaked in these products all around the garden, especially where the dog has already soiled previously. This way you should be able to prevent him from accessing.
- Often home remedies can be decisive or instead completely useless. There are specific dog repellents both online and in pet stores that are also environmentally friendly and harmless to animals. However, they are quite expensive, with an average price between 50 and 60 euros, while the other repellents are around 10 euros.
- Some websites recommend citrus fruits and cayenne pepper. However, you should avoid using them as citrus fruits are potentially toxic to dogs. Although not all specimens show adverse reactions to citrus, there have been cases in which the animal's health has been compromised; for this reason it is better to err on the side of caution. Cayenne pepper irritates the dog's face, paws and skin. You must not inadvertently harm him in an attempt to prevent him from accessing your garden.
Advice
- You can understand that the dog urinates in the garden from the stains of dead and yellowed grass and from the suffering plants.
- When you take your dog for a walk, make sure he never defecates in someone else's garden. This behavior could confuse him and lead him to believe that using that garden is a good thing.
Warnings
- Dog feces contain bacteria, worms, viruses and other pathogens. Wear plastic gloves when cleaning the garden and always wash your hands thoroughly afterwards.
- If you suspect that the specimen that is using your garden as a toilet is stray, contact the local health authority or an animal rights association in the area. Both of them will take care of recovering the animal.
- Some people use mothballs as a deterrent; however, it is toxic to animals and is not recommended.
