Pets and Garden can you have both?

**struglew3kids** · 03-20-2008, 01:10 PM

I have two lovely pets. One is a male shih tzu and the other is a female lab. The lab has destroyed my garden. My trees, my vegetables. The only thing I have left in my back yard is a rosebush hehe. Any suggestions?

**suki** · 03-20-2008, 01:26 PM

My dogs are kenneled in our yard. They have a very large kennel. They are taken out on walks. I use the "Dog Whisperer" techniques and correct them when they go near forbidden areas.

Without the kennel, our yard was large enough that they never really destroyed much of it but they did dig holes everywhere and created a mess. So, we invested in fencing material.

**nancycg56** · 03-20-2008, 01:30 PM

We put up a small fence to keep our dogs out of it ~ one of those wire ones you can buy at WM. It was inexpensive and keeps the dogs out of trouble

We actually sunk in in the ground some to keep the rabbits out, too!

**mom2matty** · 03-20-2008, 03:43 PM

We also had to fence in our garden area. Our yellow lab is a digger and he also loves to get in the garden and eat my veggies!

**M55FF** · 03-20-2008, 04:40 PM

I dont let my dog outside unsupervised because she's a digger. I'd have holes everyewhere.
She is an inside dog now who only goes out to potty

**mombottoo** · 03-20-2008, 05:59 PM

Believe it or not you can train your dogs not to go into areas where you don't want them to be. We had two dogs (until recently) and both were trained to stay out of my flower gardens and out of the front yard. It just takes a lot of patience and consistency.

Dogs ultimately want to please you, so I'm sure if you work with them they will learn.

**Edna_E** · 03-20-2008, 08:31 PM

My first thought was "build a dog run" - fenced on all sides, including the bottom if you don't want digging, and shaded at least part of the day and with protection from rain, and big enough to have some real movement. Side yards can be great for that.

**mnmarty03** · 03-21-2008, 04:22 PM

Positive reinforcement training.

I've been reading up on this subject lately for my career (zookeeping) and it makes great sense. A famous book is Don't Shoot the Dog by Karen Pryor. I'm reading a book called Zoomility by a guy named Gary Stafford.

I bought both books because of my career - for me they're good investments. I haven't put any of the info I've learned to use yet.. but it's a good training technique that has been used successfully in a variety of situations (including zoos).

So..that'd be my suggestion. It's what I plan to use to train my personal pets (when I can afford them in the future! lol) and any animals in my career.

**mnmarty03** · 03-21-2008, 04:23 PM

P.S. There are a lot of books on positive reinforcement (or check out clicker training or operant conditioning). I'd go to your local library.

**Ceashels** · 03-21-2008, 04:30 PM

I ended up putting a fence around my garden areas because the dogs chase the wild rabbits under the fences without regard for my potatoes or squash. It is a hindrance to me because it makes getting in and out much more difficult for weeding and harvesting.

**ravenmaniac** · 03-21-2008, 05:35 PM

Our dogs are walked in our yard for now. They are watched very carefully by us. Right now we are fencing an area in our yard for our dogs so they can run freely. I want to plant a small vegetable garden. I can see our Boxer, Petey, and Pomeranian, Sandy, now. They would tear it up! The other dogs would gladly help them. I feel our dogs need an area of the yard that is theirs to play in.

**YankeeMom** · 03-21-2008, 08:56 PM

My shelties are trained to stay out of the garden and flower beds. They are not diggers.

My lab only goes out on a leash.

They are all inside dogs. Although in the warmer months they come outside with us when we spend time in the yard. The lab is still on a leash. She's a runner and our yard isn't fully fenced.