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Dogs are naturally inclined to explore and patrol their spaces.
Courtesy Meredith Seaver, USU Extension
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The concentrated nitrogen in dog urine can “burn” grass. Good access to fresh drinking water for your dog and deep lawn watering can reduce the problem.
Courtesy Meredith Seaver, USU Extension
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Simple garden fencing can discourage dog activity in a garden.
Courtesy Meredith Seaver, USU Extension
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Some dogs are naturally more likely to chew items like drip tubing.
Courtesy Meredith Seaver, USU Extension
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- Dogs are naturally inclined to explore and patrol their spaces.
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- The concentrated nitrogen in dog urine can “burn” grass. Good access to fresh drinking water for your dog and deep lawn watering can reduce the problem.
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- Simple garden fencing can discourage dog activity in a garden.
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- Some dogs are naturally more likely to chew items like drip tubing.
Our family is getting a dog this spring. I’m worried that the dog will cause damage in our yard and garden. What can we do to avoid some of the damage?
The most common problems with dogs and landscapes are urine damage to lawns, digging in shrub beds or gardens, and trails worn in the grass by outdoor dogs. How much damage your dog causes will depend on the age and the breed of the dog you choose, how much time your dog spends outdoors and how you choose to train your dog.
Urine damage in your landscape is something you’ll have to accept, but if your dog will be an indoor pet, you can limit the severity with diligent training for the first few months you have your dog. Escort your dog to a designated area each time your dog needs to go out and relieve. If you can do this consistently, you’ll be encouraging your dog to prefer that area. Of course, your dog will also relieve in other areas sometimes but not as frequently as in the area you’ve chosen. It’s important that every family member follow the plan for at least a few months.
Make sure your dog always has access to fresh water. This will ensure your dog is well hydrated and its urine is more diluted. Watering your lawn deeply (but not frequently) during the irrigation season will also help to dilute your dog’s urine and reduce damage.
Having someone “scoop the poop” every day will also make a difference. Not only does infrequent scooping make the landscape less usable for your family, leaving feces on the lawn for more than a day can increase the damage it causes.
If you’re planning to have an outdoors-only dog, you may want to do some additional landscaping. Outdoor dogs commonly establish a routine route for moving around the yard. Over time, this can wear trails in the lawn. Strategically placed shrubs, large container gardens that can be moved every month or so and yard art items can redirect your dog and reduce the wear on your lawn.
Some dogs just love to dig; it’s in their nature. You can discourage this by using a thick layer of bark nuggets in shrub and flower beds. It’s important to quickly fill in any areas where you notice that the dog has done some digging and re-cover the area with a thick layer of nuggets. You can also underlay your bark nuggets with welded wire fencing in areas where your dog seems especially determined to dig. The nuggets will disguise the fencing, and the fencing will discourage the dog.
For your vegetable garden, you may need to fence the area off if you find that your dog wants to dig. You might also be able to discourage your dog by laying old metal fencing or sections of wire edging over places where you’ve recently planted.
Using fencing might be necessary if you use drip irrigation in your garden. Some dogs like to chew on drip tubing. Without protecting your drip system, you might find yourself replacing the tubing each time your dog gets into the garden.
Don’t let these possible problems discourage you. Having a dog can be a very rewarding experience for your family and after a few months of training and adjustment for your dog and your family, most problems will work themselves out.
