DOG PROOF PALMS

[Stevetoad]

Hello, I've used this forum in the past and finally joined. I live in Santee california (east san diego county). I have a Boston terrier who loves palms as much as i do but she shows her affection by chewing on them. any ideas on which palms tend to be pup proof... i've run out of room in my front yard so im forced to move my obsession out back. right now i have a.alexandrae and howea forst. that are to tall for her to get at, but my sabal minor, bizzy, and dypsis decaryi are at prime level for a good gnawing. anyone have this problem before? i should add that i dont want to hurt her by putting in something like aiphanes aculeata (not that i could). thanks in advance for the help...

[palmislandRandy]

Welcome to the forum. Fortunately my dog's not a chewer, but he'll get interested in stalking a lizard or something he imaginations & bowl over a small palm. For chewing, try spraying your palms with a product like "Bitter Apple. It shouldn't harm the palm to spray the trunk. Dogs hate the taste. A few applications & your dog will move on to something else.

Randy

[Stevetoad]

Thanks for the suggestion. My dogs a freak show and seems to enjoy bitter apple spray. We used that on my shoes. I'm sure she will grow out of it but as of right now she keeps all my smaller palms pencil topped.

[nkbish]

Welcome, my puppy chewed the palms as well as ran them over and smashed them. I have discouraged this in a couple of ways: 1. Put a wire cage around them, like for tomatoes. 2. Put rocks around them to protect them from getting ran over. Here are some photos, I hope this helps, good luck

Vegetable Cage

Rocks for the smaller palms

[Takil-Explorer]

Maybe spiny palms will do the trick...

Alexander

[Stevetoad]

Great idea. That could have saved a few of my Chams from turning into chew toys. Thanks for that one.

[pindo]

Hello Stephen

welcome to the forum

Some possible solutions

be patient!!!!!

Edited May 18, 2011 by pindo

[DoomsDave]

Stevetoad!

Welcome to our merry band!

Judging by your avatar, you'll be a perfect fit!

Ahem.

You have a young dog, and young dogs are PATHOLOGICAL chewers.

First, some music to set the stage.

I offer my own experience (like Jimi Hendrix . . .):

Once, I had a German Shepherd, and her name was Iggy, and she was a year old when I got her. Full grown, more or less, but still a puppy at heart. Friendly to a fault, she'd probably lick burglars, peeping toms, rapists, and assassins skinless. That's not so bad. Unless you're a burg, etc.

She was cute, playful, everything was a toy! Cats, cars, possums, other dogs, were to be chased and barked at.

(Sound familiar?)

So, one day I planted a few rose bushes while she watched, and roared off right after to get some beer to celebrate, and when I came back, Iggy-Pup had uprooted all half-dozen of them, played with them, even after the thorns tore her tongue, gums, etc., and she left red streaks on my white t-shirt.

Thereafter, she ripped several sacks of steer manure to shreds, and scattered the contents everywhere, including into the fire box of the water heater. (Smells GOOD!)

She fished and ate, kitty poop from the cat-box.

She MUNCHED on a plastic screwdriver handle, smashed it (I could barely dent it with my own feeble teeth).

The Jaws theme is appropriate, I think.

That said, you have a Boston Terrier, with the same instincts, but less equipment.

When I replanted the uprooted roses, I locked Iggy-Pup in the garage (she cried, so sad) and replanted them, out of her sight. I figured that she saw me playing with them, and if she didn't, she'd leave them alone.

I was right.

But the best part was, once she got all grown up, about two years old, she wasn't the slave to impulse she had been, and I could plant while she watched.

So, for your palms, I'd protect them, for now, and avoid handling them in the dog's presence. As she gets older, she will both lose that mindless impulse to chew and be willing not to chew on something you care about.

Good luck and let us know what happens.

But, she also chewed.

[Stevetoad]

Thanks Dave. Shes always " helping " me dig so maybe that's the problem. Good to hear that she will grow out of this.....I hope

[paulgila]

welcome mr.toad. loved your "wild ride" when i was a kid.

[Stevetoad]

Thanks it was a lot of work to get Walt to approve it.

[paulgila]

its easier now that he's cryogenically frozen.

[MattyB]

Ive found that cayenne pepper works if reapplied often. Cage them while your training.

[Stevetoad]

On the soil or dust the palm with it. I got to tell you it's starting to sound delicious

[MattyB]

Both, but test a small area on the leaves to see if it burns. If the palm is in sun it might. I put a cage around it, and then dust the cage. It ain't pretty but it works. It takes a few sniffs before they realize that it makes them sneeze.

Also, ammonia is a strong animal repellent. If you can put it in some container with vent holes that won't spill they won't like that. Very cheap.

[Palm Hound]

Steve, You can put their own feces next to the trunk to discourage digging. You could try spraying vinegar on the leaves. My dog hates vinegar.

Otherwise, give the dog lots of physical and mental stimulation, so he is less likely to go on a rampage. It gets better as they get older.

[amazon exotics]

GET RID OF THE DOG!!!!

[palmmermaid]

You should try protecting things from horses! You can't just put a little fence around a plant. It has to be at least 6 feet away on all sides. And one of mine loves to rub his belly on my young flexible trees. So he is no longer allowed out. And they love to walk down my mulch paths. And they can run by and just snatch a small plant out of the ground without slowing down!

[edbrown_III]

Where are the palms ?

[Stevetoad]

Where are the palms ?

usually in my dogs mouth but besides there, in my backyard where she spends most of her time. she hates being indoors...

[palmislandRandy]

How about a photo of your palm eating monster.

[osideterry]

I would add, give your dog lots of other stuff to chew on. They are gonna chew onsomething.

[Stevetoad]

How about a photo of your palm eating monster.

seems like a normal pup... then she dreams of eating palm hearts then the white faced plam eating beast comes out...forget about weevils, beware of this!

[Jastin]

It never fails...when I plant something - especially palms - my 2 trench diggers love it for some reason. this is what I found this morning along with 2 dirty noses. The dane is 6'6'' on her back legs and has some large shovels for paws.

[Stevetoad]

Jastin youre horse looks just like a dog!!! those are some huge hooves... atleast my problem is only 20 pounds

[Stevetoad]

Steve, You can put their own feces next to the trunk to discourage digging. You could try spraying vinegar on the leaves. My dog hates vinegar.

Otherwise, give the dog lots of physical and mental stimulation, so he is less likely to go on a rampage. It gets better as they get older.

Palm hound, putting a little bit of her poop by the palms worked like a charm. Even tried it with some d. Lut seedling I had that would normally be chewed and ripped out of the ground within 15 min. They never got touched. Great trick for anyone else with this issue. Thanks for the tip...

Edited June 1, 2011 by Stevetoad

[DoomsDave]

Steve, You can put their own feces next to the trunk to discourage digging. You could try spraying vinegar on the leaves. My dog hates vinegar.

Otherwise, give the dog lots of physical and mental stimulation, so he is less likely to go on a rampage. It gets better as they get older.

Palm hound, putting a little bit of her poop by the palms worked like a charm. Even tried it with some d. Lut seedling I had that would normally be chewed and ripped out of the ground within 15 min. They never got touched. Great trick for anyone else with this issue. Thanks for the tip...

DOG poop! Not cat . . .

[Stevetoad]

Update. Got rid of the dog. Guess I should have updated this 7 years ago. 

[OC2Texaspalmlvr]

Thats a bummer was it beacuse of her palm eating fetish? 

[Stevetoad]

43 minutes ago, OC2Texaspalmlvr said:

Thats a bummer was it beacuse of her palm eating fetish? 

No. She was a spaz and not good with my son. This was my first post back in 2011. I was feeling nostalgic.  

[OC2Texaspalmlvr]

Google reminder ? Dogs have to be good with children. 

[DoomsDave]

@Stevetoad hope the doggie's happily re-homed.

Meantime, your garden rocks! How about some pictures?

[Stevetoad]

12 minutes ago, DoomsDave said:

@Stevetoad hope the doggie's happily re-homed.

Meantime, your garden rocks! How about some pictures?

Yep. She went with our good friends who had her favorite dog friend too. I need to get around to posting more pics. The acrocomia I got from you as a one gallon a while ago is now flowering for the first time. The first inflorescence shriveled up but there’s another spike now that looks much stronger. Maybe I’ll get seed. 

[DoomsDave]

15 minutes ago, Stevetoad said:

Yep. She went with our good friends who had her favorite dog friend too. I need to get around to posting more pics. The acrocomia I got from you as a one gallon a while ago is now flowering for the first time. The first inflorescence shriveled up but there’s another spike now that looks much stronger. Maybe I’ll get seed. 

BOOYAH!

My acrocomia's setting seed. Dunno when they'll ripen, let along germinate. Give you some if you want.

[Stevetoad]

41 minutes ago, DoomsDave said:

BOOYAH!

My acrocomia's setting seed. Dunno when they'll ripen, let along germinate. Give you some if you want.

Thanks Dave. But one of these buggers is enough. It’s one of my favorite palms but Also one of my most hated palms. I can’t help but think that acrocomia must be delicious for it to be so well protected.