Keeping the Family Peace

[pecan]

My father in law and his girlfriend came to stay with us last weekend. They brought her australian shepherd (normally great dogs) which is a very poorly trained dog that does whatever he wants while father in law's girlfriend rants and raves about what a good dog he is.

This time around, the dog walked along the pond egde where all of my rocks are hand placed to cover the liner edge. He knocked about 10-20 rocks in the pond, then stood in those areas till he pushed the liner edge down into the water. The dog sat, stood and layed on many plants crushing them. The girlfriend just went on and on about how everyone loives her dog and how her dog loves my pond

They left this morning so tonight I will be reparing all the damage.

But... they are coming back next tuesday for a week! to be here for the youngests graduation.

I can't say anything becuase I don't want to cause bad feelings and we only see them twice a year. But is there anything I can put around the pond where the dog likes to stand to keep him away? I was thinking maybe sprinkling cayenne pepper in the areas he thinks are interesting?

 

[don't ask]

you had me curious so this is what i came across ..... good luck....

How to Make a Dog Repellent?
The most simple way to keep your dog off the kitchen counter is filling a spray bottle with water. Whenever you catch your dog crawling up the kitchen counter, spray some water and he will run for his life!

On a serious note, to keep the dog away from your vegetable or flower patch in the garden and furniture, you'll need to take a few concrete measures. Here are some common homemade dog repellents.

• Cayenne Spray: The most common homemade dog repellent recipe is using cayenne pepper mix. You need to add 1 part of cayenne and 10 parts of water and spray this liquid mixture over the problem areas. Do not make the mixture too concentrated as cayenne can harm the sensitive nose of Rover. Cayenne irritates the eyes, nose and throat of dogs and therefore the dog will avoid it. If you are looking for natural homemade dog repellent for furniture and upholstery, then try making a potpourri containing cayenne pepper powder next to your curtains or sofa. The dog won't come near it as it will irritate his delicate senses.
• Ammonia: Ammonia smell repels dogs more than anything else. Soak cotton balls in ammonia and place them in the problem areas. This will keep your dog away from the area.
• Alcohol: Alcohol, like ammonia repels dogs. Place cotton balls soaked in alcohol in a similar fashion as ammonia to keep the dog away from the problem areas.
• Citrus: You can try using any citrus fruit for making a homemade dog repellent. Cut the citrus fruits like oranges, lemons and sweet lime and spread them in the garden area. You can even spray citrus oils over the furniture to keep your dog away from it. Another way is to place slices or peels of oranges and lemons near your flowerbed or vegetable patch. In case of furniture, you can place a glass of lemon water near on a table near the sofa or chairs you want to protect from Rover.
• Vinegar: This is another strong-smelling substance that acts as a homemade dog repellent. Dogs hate the smell of vinegar. They just can't stand it! Soak cotton balls in vinegar and spread them over the problem areas. You can concoct a mixture of vinegar and lime juice and spray it over the shoes. It will prevent your puppy or dog from chewing it. Never spray vinegar over the plants as it will kill them. Instead, soak coffee filters or blotting papers in white vinegar. Allow it to dry and cut thin strips of the filter or paper. Place these strips around the plants, flowers, vegetables, and areas you don't want Rover to wander about. This will keep him away and protect your garden or even carpets.
• Essential Oils: Eucalyptus, cinnamon or sour apple essential oils are a great way to keep your Rover from visiting garbage cans and other problem areas. Mix the oil with water and spray it all over the area you do not want your dog to visit.
• Mustard Oil: You can spray mustard oil around the places you do not want Rover hovering. This is an effective and safe way to keep away dogs.
• Chili Powder: If you find Rover chewing up your plants, then sprinkle chili powder around your plants. This is a sure shot deterrent for troublesome plant chewing dogs.
• Dog Poop: You would have never imagined dog poop to be a useful repellent. If your dog has digging problems, you can place his poop in the problem areas. Dogs do not like to dig their poop out and will refrain from visiting that area. Once Rovers interest in the particular spot begins to vain, you can discard the poop and fill the hole with mud or soil.

I hope this solves your query 'how to make homemade dog repellent?' Try these homemade repellents to keep the 'Roving Rover' away from areas he is not supposed to visit.

 

[j.w]

Wow pecan you are so nice to not say anything. I would not be as nice. Could you buy one of those cheap folding wire garden fences that just stab into the ground around the pond in the grass to keep him out and tie some of those smelly things above to the fence line. Keep the fence handy for whenever they visit again.

 

[sissy]

Make signs for around your pond that say no touching stones ,no pushing stones and no pushing liner .Then put signs that say keep your big fat doggie butt off of my plants

 

[j.w]

Maybe you could also make a nice spot for him w/ some doggie toys and treats and a comfy blanket and a rigid kiddy pool to draw him away from your pond. Some nice large bone chew things will keep him busy for awhile!

 

[addy1]

even that orange or green safety fence, put it up when they come, take down when gone. That is what I would do.

 

[j.w]

Yep that would work too. Just stake it up good and he hopefully can't get in and that would be cheaper than that rigid wire fencing.

 

[pecan]

Sissy I don't think the dog can read LOL

 

[don't ask]

Pecan, does the dogs' owner read? lol

 

[pecan]

Maybe you could also make a nice spot for him w/ some doggie toys and treats and a comfy blanket and a rigid kiddy pool to draw him away from your pond. Some nice large bone chew things will keep him busy for awhile!

Can't give him and toys or anything to chew on... Everytime the girlfriend does he digs up my flower beds to hide it

I tried flooding the yard to see if he would be more interested in the water on the lawn then the water in the pond, but he didn't seem to care.

 

[pecan]

Good question LOL, but even if she did she would probably think that did not apply to her little angel She really seems to have no awareness of the damage her dog does.

Good suggestions you found above though. I think I will try several of those things in the spots he really thinks are interesting.

 

[don't ask]

you said father-in-law? if not being too nosy, what does your hubby say or think?

 

[pecan]

[quote name='don't ask' timestamp='1337637059' post='119185']
you said father-in-law? if not being too nosy, what does your hubby say or think?
[/quote]

He is impressed with my not freaking out... But we are all a little scared of the FIL's girlfriend. She is very pushy, bossy, loud, and passive agressive. Anything said to her would make my FIL's life hell and he is a great man... Just deaf which is how I think he deals with her.

 

[don't ask]

ahh.... 'nuff said

 

[Jerry In Maine]

my opinion...

i'm all for being nice, but you owe it to yourself to take care of your interests. i'm learning now just how much work it can be to get things in a pond "just right".

tell 'em their welcome and the dogs is welcome too - as long as he stays restrained on a leash. that's not too much to ask and will let them know you've got boundries. this will pay off in the future, 'cause this type of thing is going to come up again and again and you'll find yourself dreading their visits. they might be a bit miffed at first, but they'll get over it and will likely have more regard for you in the future.

AND - if all this fails...take a OTC sleeping pill and stick it inside a hotdog. let poochie gobble it up and he'll nap rather than explore.