Gardening with Pets: Dogs

Can I still have a nice garden if I have a dog?

Families with pets often ask that question. They'd love to start a vegetable garden or flower bed but are unsure of what to do about the dog. While it is a balancing act, there are some key principles to consider before proceeding.

Start by evaluating your dog. As the yard is right now, what are the dog's habits? Is it a digger, a chewer, extremely energetic, curious or is it more mellow and loves to find a cool spot to plop down in?

If the dog currently has problem behaviors for your family, a garden will not see them improve (of course!) Diggers are usually bored, chewers need something safe to chew on, energetic dogs need to be given interactive play time, curious dogs need stimulation. Without first addressing those needs, the garden could become a a point for conflict. Once you have addressed the problem behaviors, there are some normal behaviors to consider. These are fairly simple to address.

#1 Territory

Your dog has already staked out his territory. You will see it by the little path he has worn in your yard somewhere. If you have a fenced property, it will most likely be along the fenceline. Wherever the most activity is, he'll be patrolling. He has a need to protect his property and that needs to be respected. Accomodate him. When you lay out your garden, allow for that little path to remain. With a little imagination, you can come up with a nice compromise.

Our urban lot has a fully fenced back yard, for example. When we first introduced our rescued Min Pin/Chihuahua to the yard, I carefully plugged up every hole to prevent an invitation to try to escape. Good sized rocks along the lower edge of the wooden fence worked well. I used what I had on hand, the thrifty garden side of me once again. We watched him to sure he was safe and gradually allowed him to be outside by himself. In a few days, his path was made. Very energetic, I knew that in the rainy season, that path would be turned to mud so I decided to "pave" it for him with some old lumber left over from a demolition project. I laid the 2x6's out along the edge of the fence and it served two purposes: a clean gardening edge for weed control and a nice doggy highway. The compromise I made with my dog was that he could have full access to look out and I would refrain from planting right up to that fence line.

As plants were emerging in early spring, I placed grapefruit sized rocks by the little plants near the doggy path. It was fun to see him hop over the rocks and soon my tender shoots were big and healthy and could handle a little bumping now and then. Don't sweat a few tattered leaves. And of course, keep the prized plants well away from high traffic areas.

#2 Elimination Issues

Again, start with your pet's established routine. When female dogs urinate in the lawn, a bright green spot will show up in a few days (uric acid is high in nitrogen=feritilizer!) and possibly turn brown later on due to the burning effect of too much nitrogen at once. This can be managed by noting the elimination area and immediately diluting it with a bucket of water. Males lift their legs at will and the same bucket method can be used if you see problems emerge. Fecal matter should be removed as a matter of sanitation.

#3 Teaching Respect for Boundaries

Now that you have addressed your pet's basic needs, it's fair to teach him to respect your boundaries. An indoor/outdoor dog can be trained to stay off your couch and also to stay out of your veggie patch. Whatever method worked indoors can be used outdoors. That, of course means that you will have to spend time outside together. It will be a training process. There will be a few slips but it is attainable. For some families, that means placing a reminder barrier around the garden. A few stakes and some string or yellow caution ribbon works too. Others resort to a simple chicken wire fence. Do as little as needed. The goal is not to recreate Fort Knox but to clearly establish the rules. And remember to play with your dog and not just spend time working in your garden whenever you are outside. If left out, your dog could become resentful and find ways of letting you know how he feels about it!

Don't invite your dog into the garden unless you plan to always let him in. Don't teach him to nibble, say lettuce, if you don't want to him to help himself to all of your lettuce when no one is looking. Some dogs truly love fruits and vegetables. Our little dog discovered he liked ripe strawberries and kept beating me to the fruit. It took me several days to figure out what was happening to the nearly ripe berries! My friend's Springer Spaniel mix begs for lettuce, another friend's Terrier mix loved fresh carrots, a Retriever I knew loved any berry he could find!

A Final Caution: Fertilizer

Fertilizing a garden can be tricky. Be sure to follow the directions on the package. I like to use Alaska fish fertilizer, granules, on the veggies, and liquid on my flowers. It takes several days for the fishy smell to dissipate. I water in the fertilizer and keep a closer eye on the dog until the smell is gone. A dog will dig in the garden trying to find the hidden treasure of the dead fish! Be careful about storage of the fertilizer as well. I left the garden shed door open one day and found my curious little dog sniffing around the shelf where I had set the laid the fertilizer bag. We need to protect our pets from the danger of being poisoned by garden chemicals. Organic or otherwise, fertilizers are potentially harmful.

So to answer your question---

I have found that with a few accommodations, that "Yes, you can have a nice garden even with a dog!" Our little dog seems to thrive in our yard now. As the plants have grown, he has found them to be almost a jungle. Every day he is out there exploring, leaping over plants, chasing birds, becoming mesmerized by bees----and patrolling his property lines. Ahh.... all is well in our little garden paradise.

Happy Gardening!