Growing up in a neighborhood where it seemed like every house had a dog, we had our fair share of dogs doing their business in our yard. It would drive my dad mad to see his flowers around our mailbox burnt and the grass around it dead. My dad tried quite a few tricks … some that worked and many that didn’t. In the end, he combined a few of the tactics below and found some much-needed relief!
Tricks People Swear By
Ammonia and vinegar are most often heralded as the best homemade way to keep the dogs at bay. Here’s the thing: both can destroy your grass, plants and flowers when applied directly on them. Therefore, ammonia and vinegar should be used only as a perimeter of protection. Apply one around your yard, such as on your curb. When it dries or gets washed away, you’ll need to reapply. Problem is, you most likely won’t realize it’s no longer ineffective until after you see the destruction again. Citrus is a smell dogs have been known to not enjoy, so you could try sprinkling orange peels around areas that are being destroyed. But I doubt you’ll want to have orange or lemon peels sprinkled around your front yard.
More practical and effective alternatives include using liquid or granular dog repellents that are environmentally safe for children, pets, plants, grass and shrubs. Both are effective because their powerful scent and taste keeps dogs away. They require less frequent application than the homemade remedies, plus, they aren’t visible.
Dog Repellents & Other Strategies Combined
Dog repellents when combined with other tactics can mean an end to your troubles.
By combining a bunch of the most effective tactics, like dog repellent sprays and motion detector sprayers, you’ll give your yard, plants and flowers the best chance from getting burnt by dogs.
Step 1:
Spray the liquid dog repellents on the areas of your yard that are being destroyed and those areas most accessible to dogs.
Step 2:
Create a perimeter of protection around your yard with granular repellents.
Step 3:
Mark your calendar to reapply every 30 days. If you get a bunch of rain, reapply sooner.
Step 4:
Install a motion detector sprayer in your yard, aimed at areas that haven’t been treated with dog repellents.
Step 5:
Get a few signs that say the area has been sprayed with fertilizer. Make sure to include on the sign to keep dogs protected by keeping them away from the area. No dog owner will want to take a risk.
Step 6:
Spread the word and be nice about it. Enlist the help of your neighbors to let dog owners know your yard has been sprayed. By combining a bunch of the most effective tactics, like dog repellent sprays and motion detector sprayers, you’ll give your yard, plants and flowers the best chance from getting burnt by dogs.
Image: angeloangelo