In the Garden with Pets

We seem to always have one or two in the bunch!

With Summer in full swing, 
everyone is spending more time outside.

The last thing I want to find is my best friends 

digging up my flowers. 
Or stray cats leaving me "presents".

You don’t have to choose between your dog and your daffodils; keep both by adding a digging pit to your landscape ~ a spot where Fido can satisfy his urges without 
destroying anything in the process.

A digging pit can be a simple depression, a wooden boxed area,
 a child's wading pool...whatever suits you and your dogs needs. 
You want to choose a good location your dog will want to use. 
One of the reasons dogs dig is to have cool soil 
under their bellies when they rest. 

That means you need to place your pit in an area that gets shade, 
at least during the hottest part of the day. 
Pick a location where the ground will not become 
waterlogged when you water the garden. 

Clean up any debris if necessary

Make it the right size. 
The pit needs to be about as wide as your dog is long, 
and one-and-a-half times your pet’s length. 
These proportions give the dog room to maneuver comfortably.

 Next, do some training.

Once you’ve made your digging pit, 
you have to convince your dog this is the one and only place to dig. While it may take time, it isn’t difficult. 
First, bury favorite toys or biscuits your dog will 
be happy to find in the pit. 
Take your dog with you to the pit and 
make a big show of digging. 
Get excited and play with a toy you uncover. 
After a minute or two of play, 
bury the toy again while your dog watches. 
Dogs will often dig where you’re indicating, 
especially when they smell the toys or biscuits. 
When that happens, praise the dog extravagantly 
and play again when the toy is uncovered.

We gardeners don’t like finding “presents” left 
behind by stray cats.
The worst! 
There are solutions to this problem, 
though it may take experimentation to 
find the one that works best for you.

Add a feline ''playground''. 
Try adding a “kitty corner” away from your main garden, 
off to the side perhaps, to keep the cats busy. 
Fill this area with sandy soil, and plant around it with 
catnip, mint, and grasses.

Once in a while one of ours goes out to enjoy that corner also :)

Or just visit the garden ;)

This will entice cats to remain in this location 
instead of in the rest of your garden. 
This is what has worked for me.
I've left a back corner grassy and added some catnip.
 They like to slink down and hide in them too.
There's also an area of soft sandy soil for there convenience.  

Look for deterrents. 
Rue (Ruta graveolens) is a well-known cat repellent, 
used through the ages to keep cats out of gardens. 
(Some people develop a rash when handling rue, so take care.) 

Commercial repellents have varying success. 
Some cats flee; others don’t even acknowledge the products. 
Many cats dislike the scent of citrus, 
so try scattering citrus peel around your gardens.

Get ‘em wet. 
An automatic sprinkling device, called the Scarecrow,
 releases a burst of water when anything moves in its coverage area. A quick spritz is sure to make Kitty think again about a future visit.

I tried the Scarecrow for Raccoons, it didn't work.

Maybe cats would be more skittish. 

Don't get me wrong, I am definitely an 

animal person and love them all. 

I've probably had a wider variety than the average person.

Just some kinder thoughts, ideas, and tips to help 

enjoy your garden more  =)

I opted for a sandy shaded area for ours dogs.

So far no more digging in the garden! YAY!

Bella enjoys it! ♥