I live in town, work in my yard a lot and get many compliments. But there are lots of people who walk their dogs and let them use my plants for their potty place. Of course, male dog urine is a plant killer. The yard next to the sidewalk has large bare spots from them using it. People are really very inconsiderate and really ugly, if I try to explain it to them in a very humble nice way.
Some come after dark to let them do both jobs, just for spite. I do not blame the dogs, but their owners. I love dogs and have dogs of my own, but when they do their job, they do it at home. I am always friendly to people who walk by with or without a dog. I have read about several dog repellents, but this seems to be for keeping them from digging. I need something to keep them from hiking their leg on my yard. Any answers are very much appreciated. I have lost many dollars of plants.
This is wonderful, I have a little chihuahua who is housebroke and paper trained, but the little bugger still steps out the front door and does her business on the door-mat or right at the bottom of the front-step, which is the first place your foot hits when you step down.
I think I'll get a little Cayenne pepper and sprinkle the mats.
I really really appreciate hearing from so many peole who understand and all the wonderful remedies. I am headed to the store to buy cayenne pepper. All of you have a blessed summer.
I agree on not using moth balls. They smell terrible to people as well, and are poisonous.
I love the idea of putting up a sign that says your yard is treated with chemicals, but I also would use the hot sauce/cayenne pepper. I have heard that cayenne can be hurtful to dogs, but if you have asked people not do it, maybe put up a little fence, and also posted the sign, I don't think you should worry.
There may be dog repellents that you can buy at Walmart. I had some that I had to use to keep my cat from pooing on my own lawn. It had a faintly sweet odor, which I wasn't crazy about, and had to be reapplied every time it rained. But it did work. Finally the cat learned to go dig elsewhere, where it wasn't a nuisance.
I have the same problem in my area too, so I know how you feel! But I found a solution that is inexpensive and works like a charm! I found some cheap HOT sauce at Wal Mart. It was $1 for a large bottle. It had chunks in it so I strained it when I got home. Then I took an old Febreze bottle, rinsed it out good, and poured the hot sauce in. Then I filled it up with water. Now I spray along the edge of my yard with this once or twice a week. The smell dissipates in about an hour. But the dogs, cats and other animals still smell it when they sniff and they move on.
I first used this because my own cat had started munching on my houseplants. It only took spritzing my plants twice in a month and she decided that was too hot for her tongue! So now I use it wherever I don't want stray animals or wildlife to get on or inito my yard. It doesn't hurt them at all, but I haven't seen an animal yet that will come back for more!
Two words...cayenne pepper. Dogs always sniff first and then hike their leg, usually to mark the territory as theirs, or because another dog has urinated there and they want to re-mark it as their territory. Cayenne pepper stops that, even keeps cats from digging in your nice soft uncompacted garden soil. Believe me I know all about other people's pets. Just sprinkle the ground cayenne pepper all around where ever the animals are using it for a toilet. Pretty soon the pet owners will get the idea, too. But buy a LOT of cayenne pepper to cover all the areas or they will just move over and do it anyway.
I would put up a wire wicket fencing. Cheap to buy, easy to put in, comes in lengths that unfold. Then tie some red fabric strips to it, you can make a sign to put in the yard, "Yard chemically treated, do not walk on, dangerous for pets".
Isn't it awful that when you ask people for their help and they turn out to be spiteful? I like the cactus idea, or you don't plant plants that close to the edge. If you live in a regulated community I am sure the bylaws have rules and regulations that you could bring to their attn. People need to be more considerate of others property.
I would put up a little barrier around your yard, the kind you can buy that is only a foot high or so. Other than that I might secretly film them catch them with a camera doing the job and then turn them in to the city for this. People are supposed to pick up after their pets, it is a matter of courtesy.
As a LAST resort, I might plant cactus around your borders of the plants, and I am sure they wouldn't want to go there...lol.
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