Is Your Dog Ruining Your Yard?

As spring warms the soil, our lawns, flowers, trees and bushes begin growing. It is at this time of year that many people work on sprucing things up to make their property look pretty.

However, many dogs and puppies seem to make it their goal to thwart those efforts! Digging holes in flowerbeds, ripping up bulbs, pulling branches off of bushes and other destructive behavior is sure to not only effect the appearance of your yard, but is likely to make you pretty mad too!

So what’s a pet owner to do? After all, your yard is a place where your dog is supposed to spend time and you certainly don’t want to keep him indoors all the time. The answer… supervision. Remember that if your dog is outdoors alone and is getting into mischief, no one is there to teach him that’s wrong! In order for your pet to learn what are the right and wrong things to do, you must personally be there to catch him in the act of doing the wrong things (such as chewing the lawn furniture) as well as catching him doing the right things (such as chewing his bone).

For now, pretend that your yard is not fenced and that you are worried your dog would run away if he were out there off-leash. Spend plenty of time giving your pet access to the bushes, toys, flowers, etc., and when he tries to do the wrong thing, tell him “no,” accompanied by a tug of the leash. Follow with a down/stay obedience command, give your dog a toy to busy himself with, and follow with praise.

Also important is to practice obedience training in your yard on a regular basis. By working on behaviors such as heel, sit, down, stay, and come, your pet will begin to associate that the yard is a place for behaving… not for running wild.

As your dog improves, you can begin to work with him in the yard on a twenty foot long lead and then eventually off-leash. Provide supervision on a regular basis until you are certain that your dog can be trusted unattended in your yard.

By putting in a little effort now, you can enjoy both your pet and your yard for many years to come!