Having a garden is a great way to increase your pup’s time spent outside, which helps to keep them mentally and physically active. However, if you don’t have the necessary precautions in place, your dog may begin eating plants, digging up flower beds, or using the lawn as a toilet.
Whether you’ve just moved into a new property or welcomed a puppy into your home, you’ll need to make some adjustments to your garden to keep it intact. If your dog has suddenly become destructive, they may be feeling anxious, bored, or frustrated.
To help mitigate or prevent your dog from damaging your garden, continue reading for advice on how to adapt the outdoor space to meet your pup’s needs.
Keep them stimulated
If your dog becomes bored, they may take it out on your garden, but you can keep them preoccupied with outdoor-suitable toys. As dog lovers it makes sense that we would want to buy some gifts for dogs, but it’s also an investment for our garden. Dogs often bury toys left out in the yard, so you might need to keep the items indoors when you aren’t playing with the pup.
Creating an obstacle course with tunnels, balance beams, weave poles, and hurdles will prompt the pooch to exercise independently, and you can use it for agility training.
Protect flower beds
Deter your dog from walking through flower beds by forming clearly defined routes for them to use when patrolling the garden. Encourage them to use the paths with training.
You could also fence off flowers or place them in a raised bed to try to keep your dog away from them. You can spray dog repellents on flowers and plants too.
Help reduce anxiety
If your dog is commonly anxious or becomes stressed when guests visit your home, they may resort to chewing or digging. To help put the pooch at ease, provide them with a safe place to seek comfort.
The kennel retailer Benchmark Kennels offers secure, spacious, and insulated outdoor kennels that dogs can use as a den. To encourage your pup to use the kennel for relaxation, fill it with toys, food, water, blankets, and a dog bed. Never force them to use the kennel either, as this may increase their anxiety.
Designated digging spot
Digging is instinctive behaviour among dogs and is more prominent in certain breeds, including Terriers, Whippets, and Beagles. The occasional dig isn’t necessarily a problem, but it can become excessive.
To allow your pup to indulge in this habit without destroying your garden, create a designated digging area with a non-toxic sandbox.
Toilet area
Train your dog to use a dedicated area of the garden as a toilet to prevent them from urinating on the lawn, which can cause brown and yellow stains.
Daily dog walks
As well as playing in the garden, take the pup for daily walks to burn off their energy once they’re old enough. Otherwise, the dog will become frustrated and destructive.
Supervise the pup
Always supervise your dog when they’re in the garden to check they aren’t getting up to no good and to minimise the risk of theft.
Making these changes to the garden will help prevent your dog from destroying it but ensure you also put safety measures in place to protect your pup from hazards. For further advice on your dog’s destructive behaviour, seek advice from a vet or a dog behaviourist.
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