Neighbours dogs - my plant pots!
Dinah
Posts: 294
I don't like to spell this out but leg-cocking over my plant pots, shrubs and perennial boarders has become the one, single objective-in-life of my neighbour's dogs. I try to keep the gate closed, but people open it to drive through, and the dogs are ready and waiting. Every now and then they also break through the brushwood defences that I have wedged under the fences. I've had quite a few young plants killed over the past five years: one Arbutus, my precious seed-grown Medlar, two Wisteria, numerous trays and pots of perennials and shrubs - I don't want to go on listing them, it's too terrible!
Anger aside, what I need right now (apart from some sort of electrical deterrent or a sedative) is a first-aid cure for a wilting Clematis. Is it possible to neutralise the liquid with something after the fact? Obviously, I've already tried flooding or soaking the plants with water, but it didn't save the others. Dog-rocks and such like are no good because they are not my dogs, but any suggestions would be very welcome.
Posts
There's not much you can do to neutralize the urine other than copious amounts of water, unfortunately. If your clematis is in a pot, you could try re-potting it.
As for the base problem - the dogs are marking their territory. One solution might be to put something very strong-smelling where they are marking - I've no idea if garlic would work, but it might be worth a try.
On the electronic front, I would try a cat scarer - dogs hear in the same range, so it should work against them. I wish you the best of luck - this is a very unpleasant (and smelly) problem.
I'm a bit confused, is this a shared bit of land, " people open it to drive through. "
How about trying the citronella gel crystals that are used to deter cats? Think they're called 'get off my lawn' or something, are green in colour, about £3 - £4, and are in a bottle like a tomato sauce bottle
Might work on dogs too, though you'll have to replace them every few days or so, after heavy rainfall, or this baking sun we're experiencing at the mo. I used them years ago when I lived in Yorkshire, because cats kept leaving their business in the middle of my lawn, but sprinkling the gel crystals around soon stopped them .
Good luck !
Thank You so much for those suggestions, I am really grateful for your researched and insightful responses. I will look out for and try them.
To clarify about the gate being left open, the postman and other utility people leave it open while they walk down the drive, or while they move their vehicles through if they are here to fix something. Also, my husband is unintentionally very forgetful and unobservant with regard to gates, the dogs are equally determined and watchful, so they usually outwit him.
The product Kezza refers to is "Get off my Garden" and I, too, have found it very effective against cats. (I have two of them, and the gel crystals preserve essential areas of the garden).
Other than that - have you spoken to the dog owners or are they (the dogs not the owners!) straying unsupervised? If the owners aren't aware, then they may be appalled that their pets are causing such problems.
A suggestion-fit a gate closing spring to the gate-it will shut itself-simples!!
ps
like this-
other retailers are available
http://www.screwfix.com/p/gate-spring-black-200mm/17251