[mini_cj]

I am an avid gardener, but have 2 boisterous dogs who spend quite a bit of time out in the garden and delight in digging up everything!  I don't really want to fence off the borders - does anyone have any cunning tips about how to keep dogs off bits of the garden?  For example, I heard somewhere that they don't like walking on chicken wire so it might be worth laying this around bulbs etc - has anyone tried this?  I'm keen for the dogs to have as much space as possible to explore so don't want to confine them to a run.  Or am I just trying to have my cake and eat it??

[Guy]

Sorry mini-cj , if i put chicken wire down "Harvey "would just eat it Ive just spent a day putting up post and rail fencing with trellis behind to keep mine off - unfortuanately one of the pigs got out and ran straight through the trellis - twice!!! !! My only advice would be fencing - but then ive got four dogs to keep off. the bonus with the trellissing is that it gives me another area to cultivate - i plant french beans / mangetout and babysweetcorn up mine, which do very successfully ( always a good side to most issues , if you look long enough )
Good luck
Guy 

[stephen]

Our back carden is square shape with a raised 'stage' at the back with summer house and avery on, a raised square pond in the middle and the edging flower beds are raised the same height as the pond, the garden is paved and all in all cost just over £500 labour (plus materials)  its been done like that as my OH's mother was confined to a wheelchair a few years back and still wanted to carry on as normally as possible (gardening etc) she luckly recovered from the worst and can walk unaided again now! the dogs (alsation and lab cross) dont ever get up onto the flower beds or the side of the pond, they could if they wanted to as they regurally get up onto the seating area on the 'stage', they like sniffing around the floor and leaving there not so little presents where you have to walk! they are very well trained tho, i wouldnt worry about leaving them in the garden with the chickens while i clean out the run (at the side of the house) as i know the chickens would be more likley to do the dogs some damage and the dogs wouldnt think to bite back! if im on the raised bed gardening and i tell them to come up they will but otherwise they dont seem intrested! maybe raised beds are the answer, they do however cost alot more than fencing and make your garden feel smaller! 

[MrRee]

How about giving the dogs an area to dig themselves? Border and edge off an area,fill it with sand or bark chippings,then bury treats,toys etc in that area only. They'll soon learn that they have their own "area" to dig in and should stick to it if they can't find treats and toys in your "areas".

[mini_cj]

MrRee - that's a great idea!  I think I'll give that a try...it sounds like something my two would go for.  Thanks everyone for the advice!

[Townie]

So glad I came across this post....I like the idea of the trellis...

I have 3 dogs, and the younger springer dog likes nothing better than to "spring" all over my raised beds... he drives me nuts.

Last year he stole all the raddish, pulled them up one by one and ate the lot leaves and all ... then moved onto my young apple tree and ate all the apples grrr..

So this year i'm planning to make my raised beds dog proof...