We have had a very special dog in our lives for the past 4 years. Emmy has been quite a handful as a puppy, but she has started to calm down a bit now and I can even let her run on the beach without worrying she will run off after birds. Em so loves to be with me that I look forward to letting her off the leash in the yard as well.
But this will be a challenge in itself as I expect she will not pay attention to the garden paths but will want to run all through the flower beds. I am hoping this spring will be a chance to guide Em around the plants instead of through them.
First, let’s talk about safety. I can no longer set out slug bait willy nilly and expect a dog to leave it alone. Em is intrigued by something that smells different and she is not above sampling that new smell no matter what it may be. And, to my dismay, the most effective slug baits are highly toxic to pets. I will have to resort to other methods of repelling the Slimy Ones. I have tried handpicking the last few years because I hate using toxins on my garden anyway, but handpicking is just not as effective as a good ‘ole poison. Since this is not an option anymore, back I go to the wives’ tails of using tins of beer, creatively covered to keep the dog out but allow access for slugs and snails. (Not good beer, though! Cheap beer will do.)
One important thing I realized is that dogs like to run the perimeters of the property, patrolling their kingdoms. Of course, this was obvious but it took someone pointing it out to me before I got how silly it would be to plant precious things inside the perimeter of a border fence. Our entire yard is fenced, and in some instances, mature shrubs grow along that fence. In other portions, the fence is lined with blackberries for the birds to enjoy. But I know Emmy will love to run along the fence, checking out who is walking or driving down our street. I am not concerned about the mature shrubs or the blackberries, but I took to heart leaving perimeter space empty of anything special. Grass is planted there, but fine gravel would probably be even better and make less of a muddy mess.
Fresh water is a necessity. And a clean bowl is crucial. Also, I am more aware of the toxicity of my plants now that Em might eat them. She is particularly attracted to eating grasses, which are pretty much harmless. I didn’t realize how tasty Japanese forest grass would be to a grazing dog, but those are her preference. Of course… they are the most expensive grasses I have. That dog has “good taste” (you should pardon the pun). So the Hakonechloa grasses go outside the front gate and in tall pots where I can enjoy them and Emmy can’t reach them.
But there are other plants, like Acontium (monkshood) and Euphorbia, that can be very dangerous when ingested. I have removed the monkshood entirely and created some unique - and virtually free - fencing around certain clumps of plants. I spend lots of time on the Barview beaches scouting for nice pieces of driftwood that I use to construct a fence. A few strategically placed screws to join the pieces of driftwood, and voila! a fence. Not a long-term solution, I admit, but it will help in the short run to encourage Em to stay on the paths instead of running through the garden. A bonus is that I happen to like the way driftwood fences lend a hint of the ocean to the garden. I do try to choose pieces that have been dried in the sun so most of the salt content has hopefully been evaporated. I also have to remember not to make the fence too high so I can effortlessly step over it.
All I need to do now is to spend some time in the garden with my dear Emmy, training her to run along the driftwood fencing instead of jumping over it.
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