Dog jumped in my garden box

[BRusso]

So yesterday I planted some early spring vegetables... Carrots, radishes, onions, lettuce etc and planted them in nice perfect rows in a 4x4 garden box. My German Shorthair Pointer thought it would be fun to jump in this particular box and avoided the other 4 that had nothing planted yet. Anyway, he messed up the dirt and totally ruined the rows and seeds I had planted.

Anyone have a remedy for this? Not so he doesn't jump in again as I have already remedied that but so I can get this box back to perfect rows? Somehow? Any ideas?

Thanks!

 

[Chuck]

Since the seeds are probably now scattered you idea of perfectly straight rows is out of the window or box (so to speak). So here is what I would do. If you must have perfect rows all you can do is dump the entire top 2 or 3 inches of soil and start over OR smooth out the soil, plant new seeds and thin out the seedlings that are not in a perfect row. OR you can just sprinkle more seeds helter skelter all over the box and have a beautiful mixed garden, harvest as available and hope your pointer doesn't point your box again.

PS. I have an English Pointer and he points and assaults lizards. Most times when they are under one of my vegetable plants.

 

[RamblingChicken]

I would smooth it all out, re-plant your seeds, and then as misplaced plants from the first seeds come up in the wrong places, pull or snip them out.

 

[remnant]

I have encountered the same problem from time to time in the past. It can be so infuriating because it seems as if the dog is aware of the misdemeanor. The default tendency is to punish the animal but this doesn't exactly work out. The best thing is to fence the box garden. I think dogs don't like the scent of paraffin and sprinkling it round the edges will pay dividends

 

[Esther Knapicius]

Anyone have a remedy for this? Not so he doesn't jump in again as I have already remedied that but so I can get this box back to perfect rows? Somehow? Any ideas?

yes, you can train him not to go into the boxes. my GSD's do not run, or walk, or put one paw in any of my flower gardens, they walk around them. It takes time, walk him on lead around the boxes, pull him to you sharply if he moves into them, and praise him. Keep him at heel as you walk around the boxes. When your out with him, and he is loss, learn to keep an eye on him, and make a quick "NO" sound when he draws near the boxes. Then ask him to say with you, and praise him for being close to you. My boys got obedience titles. BTW.

 

[InvasiveCreeper]

Anyone have a remedy for this? ... I can get this box back to perfect rows?

I wouldn't worry about having perfect rows, let nature take over and enjoy what comes up.

Dog jumped in my garden box

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/1b/7f/c9/1b7fc99adef73053db74ec9a8fd7a944.jpg

 

[Beth_B]

I mostly plant edible things on the other side of the fence from where my dogs hang out. A couple of years ago though I wanted to have some potted plants on the back deck but one of my dogs decided fresh soil was the bestest fun to root around in.

I replanted, but bought a box of wooden toothpicks and poked them into the soil. Lots and lots of them, a forest of toothpicks. Worked like a charm...it was unpleasant but not really harmful to the dog when he stuck his nose into the pots. I'm thinking this would work in the situation you describe. Stern and vigilant corrections should also work.

 

[Esther Knapicius]

I tell this story often of my wonderful GSD Thompson, who waits for me in heaven. He was trained not to go in any gardens. But he love the water sprinkler. He would play in the water sprinkler for hours if you let him, and a good way to rinse him off from a shampooing. So one day the sprinkler was in one of the flower gardens, just at the edge, it was dialed to go only into the gardens. I witnessed him standing on the edge of the flower garden, thinking about it all. Then he craned his neck over to the sprinkler, not putting one paw into the garden, and pulled out the sprinkler into the lawn area and preceded to play. And that my friends is a smart wonderful dog.

 

[Autumn_Hearthwitch]

As I have indoor cats, I don't have that problem and since there are coyotes in the area I don't want to let them out. My garden is boxed and covered with a greenhouse tent thing, it's working great so far. I do agree with a few people in that you should just let your garden grown as it is and enjoy the mix you'll get. It would be fun to see what grows where. IF you really want neat rows then dump the top layer and replant. @Esther Knapicius I love your story, make me a little weepy. What a smart dog!

 

[Esther Knapicius]

Thanks @Autumn_Hearthwitch He was so smart, did other smart things on his own, stories I could tell. Very good socially. Have not got another GSD since the passing of my second one 6 years ago. Also have cats now. It takes much time to train a GSD to be wonderful, not only the simple commands but the time of exposure to environments to build up self-confidence and widen their "acceptance" of other humans. And to widen their understanding of what is "normal" and "abnormal". This has to be exposure, exposure. It took 2 years after my last one passed for the shop owners to not ask for him. As he went with me everywhere. (just about).

 

[darkrebelchild]

@BRusso what an excited dog you have there. I hope you can replant and keep the dog away from the boxes to encourage growth or involve him in gardening as well.

 

[IcyBC]

Re-planting the seeds is one solution, but I would put up some sort of fencing around what I want to protect, and train the dog not to go in there.