Gardeners - how do you handle your dogs?

Especially anyone with Labs, have you successfully trained your dogs not to eat, poop or pee on your plants?

I'm thinking to the future, about some kind of dog run or area that's hidden from the rest of the yard where the dogs can do their business. With Labs especially, I feel like the sky is the limit if you train them right.

My husband is a little skeptical - he thinks no matter how well behaved, they'll prefer to mangle my future planting beds than an area we set out for them.

What do you think?

Re: Gardeners - how do you handle your dogs?

I plan on planting flowers in a raised flower bed. I don't think Bama would bother them then. Anything around the perimeter of the yard gets trampled because he plays soccer out there with tennis balls and runs over everything. But I figured flowers in a raised bed would be fine. I doubt he'd mess with them.

Re: Gardeners - how do you handle your dogs?

I have three gardens in my backyard and three dogs. They have been taught from the time they were puppies that were not allowed in any of them. I, usually, don't have any problems. I've never had to use anything to keep them out. Once in a while, one of them will take a stroll through. She will then be reminded of the "no garden rule".

Edited to add: At one time, I did have a Lab. Never had a problem with her, either.

Message edited 6/8/2007 4:05:25 PM.

Re: Gardeners - how do you handle your dogs?

Since I had my dogs as puppies, we first trained them to go outside with a leash. They wanted to eat the plants. We kept saying no.

They now know to stay away from "mommy's" plants and beds. Or I

Re: Gardeners - how do you handle your dogs?

My neighbor actually made a box that the dogs could not get into.
My dog destroyed all my flowers and plants and I will not grow anything until we no longer have him. It is not worth it to me.

Re: Gardeners - how do you handle your dogs?

I have raised beds - and that helps.

For the regular - he's not as big as a lab, so he might stroll through them, but that's it. We designated a place for him to go to the bathroom - I think that helped. If you don't have a designated area, you could just collect his droppings and put them in a similar location. That might help him realize there is a place to do his business

Re: Gardeners - how do you handle your dogs?

we put the plants in the front yard and the dog out back. yes the labs dig up everything. so does our shibainu. everything and anything they like to carry their prizes in their mouths around the yard. so the only thing back there now is violets, there are hundreds of them in the shady part of the yard. for some odd reason the dogs won't pull those maybe they dont like the smell??
they even manage to climb up the pear tree and take down the pears. ( i dont know how in the world they manage that since it stands all alone in the middle of the grass )
my suggestion section off an area for the plants or put them in the front yard so the dog doesnt have access to them.
we have a gated dog run area in the back for the dogs... we spent over 900 getting it put up and they dont stay in there. the golden has figured out how to unlatch the gate and they all get out anyway.

good luck.