5 Effective Tips to Stop Dogs From Digging Up and Getting into the Garden Beds

Do you have a dog who loves to dig? Don't worry, it's not a sign of bad behavior. It's just a natural instinct for dogs to enjoy digging in the dirt. But sometimes, they can go too far and destroy your beautiful flower beds in seconds.

Here are 5 amazing tips to help you stop your dog from digging and keep your garden lush and gorgeous:

Tip #1. Find The Root Cause. Identify the reason why your dog is digging up.
Tip #2. Spice Things Up. Make Natural Dog Repellents for your Garden
Tip #3. Use Pebbles To Keep The Dogs Away From The Garden
Tip #4. Create a Special Dog Digging Pit For Your Dog
Tip #5. Install a Safe and Effective Dog Fence System.

Tip #1 Find the Root Cause Why Your Dog Loves Digging Up the Garden.

Understanding the root cause behind why your dog loves to dig is vital in controlling their behaviour. So why do dogs love to dig,

Possible reasons why dog dig's out garden beds:

• Genetics - Hunting dogs like hounds and terriers were bred to dig out small animals out of their den. If you have possums and rodents in your yard, one possible reason is that your dog is trying to catch them all.
• Boredom, Separation Anxiety and Stress - Dogs that are left alone at home for long hours may result to digging to relieve stress and boredom. They need to vent our their energy and anxiety and as a result becomes obsess with digging because it provides them physical and mental stimulation. 
  
• Denning - Dogs create a den for shelter and protection. It is surprising that despite thousands of years of domestication, denning remains a wired behaviour in dogs to protect themselves from certain factors. On hot summer days, dogs dig up the ground to cool themselves down. You may also notice your dog digging up its dog bed or crate before it lays down to sleep. Studies agree that it is a natural dog activity. But sometimes it can become destructive.
• Escape - Let’s admit it. Some dogs are just escape artists like Houdini. If your dog fence is too high to jump over, it is likely that they will find a way to go under it. For determined and headstrong dogs, they can easily find that hollow gap below the fence to create a perfect path to crawl out and escape.

Identifying the reason behind your dog’s digging behaviour could be the spot solution to the problem. If your dog loves to dig the soil to cool down, consider getting a dog kennel that is located in a cool, well ventilated area inside your home. 

If your dog often digs the yard because of boredom and stress, it could be that it lacks playtime with you. In the morning, take time to walk your dog at the park. And when you need to leave it alone for a few hours, make sure to give your dog safe, interactive toys, chewy goods, and enough clean water to drink to keep him hydrated and occupied.

Tip #2 Spice Things Up. Make Natural Dog Repellents for your Garden

Make your natural dog repellents with herbs and plants to keep your dog away from the garden! This is one of the top techniques to stop dogs from eating your plants and digging up in the garden. There are certain herbs and plants that has strong scents that repel dogs, and other animals at bay.

Popular herbs that you can plant around your garden as repellents are:

• Citronella
• Rosemary
• Lavender
• Chives
• Lemongrass and spices alike
• Black Pepper
• Cayenne
• Chili Pepper

Veterinarians also shared some DIY to keep the dogs out of your yard. In a clean, empty spray bottle, mix water with a hint of chili, add some mustard and crushed dried pepper. Give the mixture a good shake. Spray on your garden beds after. The strong smell of these spices will make your dog dread nearing the garden beds again.

Note: These species plants are totally safe for dogs but will deter them due to their aversion to such pungent smell. Dog’s have a stronger sense of smell as compared to us. Do not sprinkle pepper or cayenne or any spice on soil alone, or let the water mixture get into the dog’s eyes, nose, and mouth as it can give them a burning sensation.

Warning: Research is also a must. Avoid plants that can be poisonous to dogs. There are plants that are highly toxic to dogs and other animals and may cause you expensive trips to the vet or even worse than that. 

How about Using DIY Vinegar Dog Repellent Spray?

White Vinegar and Apple Cider Vinegar is a common kitchen staple. If you haven’t heard, you can use vinegar  to keep the dogs away from the garden beds. Just mix an equal part of vinegar to water in a spray bottle and shake well. Spray this mixture around the perimeter of the garden and see the magic unfolds. 

Basically, dogs dislike the strong scent of the vinegar and will do all its best to avoid it. Not only that, it is also worth mentioning that vinegar also neutralizes the smell of dog urine odors, so say goodbye to dogs peeing on a garden spot all the time. And as a bonus, vinegar also kills weed, plant pests and fungus.

Tip #3 Use Pebbles To Keep The Dogs Away From The Garden

There’s a reason why gardeners use pebbles - and not only for aesthetic purposes. Pebbles are great solutions to keep the dog out of the garden beds because of its hard and rough textures that feels icky to the paws, and they don’t like how their paw pads get stuck on the spaces unlike on concrete or smooth pathways.

Find a pebble that is just the right size for your dog. Not too small that it actually feels like sand to their feet, and not quite large as they may get hurt when they try to dare to walk on it.

Tip #4 Build a Digging Pit In Your Yard Where Your Dog Can Play Anytime.

 

If you have a spare space in your yard that you could use for your dog’s play area, then install a fair size sandpit which can be an alternative to digging and messing up with the garden plants.

Pro Tip: You can also hide treats and chew toys in the pit, to get your dog excited and enjoy their playtime. Do not forget to reward your furry companion after every play session in the sand pit, and for not choosing the garden bed.

Tip #5 Train Your Dogs To Stay Out of the Garden Beds Using an Invisible Dog Fence

Keep your dogs away from the garden beds by installing a safe and reliable Electric Dog Fence, this is a game-changer and has helped fur parents of stubborn dogs keep their paws out of the garden.

Invisible Dog Fence Systems have been in industry and widely used to secure garden beds with a well-planned garden and gates boundary wire lay out design.

Dog Containment System such as the Pet Barrier Dog Fence Kits are safe and effective alternatives for expensive traditional fences that don’t actually protect your gardens and even cover the beauty of your plants. 

Take a moment to check the Pet Barrier Invisible Dog Fence Kit, It’s one of the Best Dog Fence Containment System in Australia. 

The Pet Barrier Invisible Dog Fence Features Will Keep Your Dogs Out of the Garden:

• 3 Years Up to a Lifetime Warranty
• First-in-the-Industry Chew Warranty on the Collar
• Unique Coded Digital FM Radio Frequency
• Lightning and Surge Protection on the Power Supply
• Super Strong HDPe Coated Boundary Wire (20-year UV rating)
• Fast React Technology on the Receiver Collar - 1/8th of a second
• Easy Peasy Installation - No Need for an Electrician

How does the Invisible Dog Fence Work?

The Pet Barrier Dog Fence Kit comes with a transmitter box- this is where the radio signal comes from, the signal travels through the boundary wire that you will need to set around the garden beds.

Your dog’s receiver collar will react to the signal around the boundary wire - if your dog goes near the garden, he/she will hear a beeping tone as a warning from the collar, to back off from the garden.

If your dog continues to go near the garden, he/she will then receive a harmless static pulse to deter your dog away from the boundary. Don’t worry, these static corrections are safe and NOT painful... but they are annoying enough to keep your dog away from the garden beds.

Soon enough, your dog will be able to associate the static stimulations to getting near the garden or digging things up. Your dog will eventually quit such behaviours - effectively training your dog to stay out of the garden beds.

 

Garden Fence - Pet Barrier Invisible Dog Fence Features:

These are the feature details of Pet Barrier Invisible Dog Fence System that will help you protect your garden beds:

3 Years Up to a Lifetime Warranty

Each equipment in the kit is covered by a 3-year manufacturer’s warranty. Now, if you upgrade to premium receiver collars, you’ll get the collars covered by the lifetime warranty.

First-in-the-Industry Chew Warranty

All receiver collars of the Pet Barrier Electric Dog Fence is covered by a Chew Warranty. Even though we all know that these collars are super TUFF, they are still covered by this unique guarantee since some dogs are just extreme chewers.

Unique Coded Digital FM Radio Frequency

Unlike any other Dog Fence systems, Pet Barrier is designed with a unique digital code on the transmitter- emitting the FM Radio Frequency that is uniquely recognised by the receiver collar.

This is to ensure that the radio signals will not bounce. So, your dog will not get zapped by the receiver collar for the wrong reasons. This is also to make sure that the system will not interfere with other electronics that use radio signals.

Power Supply with Lightning and Surge Protection

The power plug that comes in the kit is designed with a green earthing wire which helps direct any extra electric energy to the ground in case of power surges, usually from lightning strikes, to protect your transmitter.

This feature is very important and saves you more money BECAUSE it will cause you more than $250 just to replace a transmitter damaged by power fusions.

Super Strong Boundary Wire

The boundary wire of Pet Barrier Electric Dog Fence is coated with High Density Polyethylene (HDPe) - this has been rated with 20 years of UV resistance. Inside the wire, is a 1mm 7 strand copper core. These features make the wire almost impossible to break.

So, you can just place the wire on the ground or hang it on your regular fence - it won’t easily break down in the sun. You can also bury it to the ground and not mind gardening around it.

Fast React Technology

The receiver collar is designed with the fast react technology - 1/8th of a second. This is to prevent dogs from running through the boundary, escaping and getting in the garden.

The collar will be able to immediately detect the radio signal from the wire and deliver the static correction to your dog as he/she pushes through in a quick manner.

Thus, no matter how fast your dog may seem to move, this feature effectively deters your dog away from the garden.

Easy Peasy Installation

Yes, you won’t ever need to call up an electrician just to install the Pet Barrier Invisible Dog Fence around your garden beds.

The kit includes an easy-to-follow installation guide, operation manual, and comprehensive training guide. PLUS, we have a 7-Day Help Line that you can always reach if you have questions about the installation. Call 1 300 THE DOG. That’s 1-300-843-364.