Dogs and Palms - Im getting annoyed...

[JLM]

I need tips on how to keep dogs from being attracted to my palms. He's chewed up my foxtail, he's chewed on my bottle palm, he's chewed up a crape myrtle, and now he's chewed a frond off my in ground queen palm.

Edited December 2, 2020 by JLM

[DallasPalms]

Peanut Butter & Cayenne?

Edited December 2, 2020 by DallasPalms

[Silas_Sancona]

Bitter Apple spray and a Squirt Bottle w/ water..  Work like a charm.  Whenever it/ they attempt to chew on fronds/ leaves, etc, squirt and tell them to " leave it! " ..And be consistent in reprimanding when you catch him/her in the act..  In the 8 years i have had him, have Never had issues w/ my dog chewing on/ chewing up any of my plants.   Digging in an empty fire pit?.. Basenji are weird, what can i say, lol.

Edited December 2, 2020 by Silas_Sancona
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[Chester B]

  On 12/2/2020 at 10:44 PM, JLM said:

I need tips on how to keep dogs from being attracted to my palms. He's chewed up my foxtail, he's chewed on my bottle palm, he's chewed up a crape myrtle, and now he's chewed a frond off my in ground queen palm.

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I have a dog that was like this he chewed deck railing, posts and stairs, water proof membrane on the foundation of my house, Christmas lights, any tree or plant, rocks, rabbits, etc, etc.  I tried absolutely everything and nothing worked except time.  The older he got the less he did and by age 5 he has stopped destroying things, even his toys.  When he was young I literally couldn't take my eyes off of him for more than 15 seconds.

I would try a chicken wire cage around them, this seems to deter just about anything.

[Jubaea_James760]

I had to put up wire cages & stakes with zip-ties. I'm not around much so this has been the only thing to stop my dog. Its not pretty but im hoping she'll out grow this stage & ill be able to take them down in a year or 2? Also,  I am going to be adding decent size rocks around the base of the cages soon. All 3 of my dogs like to gopher hunt & have been tearing up the roots near the cages on some of my palms  never ending battles...

[WaianaeCrider]

I had a dog that chewed to much.  Gave him away.  LOL

[Darold Petty]

  On 12/3/2020 at 6:11 AM, James760 said:

I had to put up wire cages & stakes with zip-ties. I'm not around much so this has been the only thing to stop my dog. Its not pretty but im hoping she'll out grow this stage & ill be able to take them down in a year or 2? 

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One of our former dogs was a rescue that had been physically whipped and abused.   She was extremely nervous and chewed to a stump my Pritchardia minor the first night at our home.  I had to put up wire fencing all through the garden.   She did grow out of the destructive behaviour after about 1 year and became a well loved family member for 14 years.

  Your fencing looks very well done, don't despair that the behaviour is permanent.  

[Tracy]

In addition to the protections above which are all excellent recommendations, its important to remember why some dogs get into mischief, boredom.  I don't know who said it but I've always subscribed to the saying that a tired dog is a happy dog.  Whether its going for walks, playing fetch, getting a dog involved in more formal training, they like being busy.  I currently have a Swiss Mountain dog or Sennenhund that was bred for herding cattle, so like most working dog breeds or mixes, she has a ton of energy.  Rather than wait for bad habits to start she got her frequent walks as a pup and gradually got used to walking adjacent to a bike.  The next phase when she was ready was learning to bikejore, which is the bicycle version of pulling a sled.  While smaller dogs might not be able to pull, they do appreciate being able to run.  Why resort to a bike instead of running with the dog?  When she was young, I couldn't keep up nor could my son who was a D1 college lacrosse player at the time keep up with her running.  So while older now and not requiring twice a day bikejoring trips, we do keep up the exercise and "tired dog is a happy dog".  If you elect to explore bikejoring, check out Alpine Outfitters online for the correct type of harness and pull lines for safety.

  On 12/2/2020 at 10:44 PM, JLM said:

I need tips on how to keep dogs from being attracted to my palms. He's chewed up my foxtail, he's chewed on my bottle palm, he's chewed up a crape myrtle, and now he's chewed a frond off my in ground queen palm.

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  Also make sure your bike's breaks are in great working order and you have appropriate safety gear (helmet and gloves are a must).  You can do it on the street if you don't have trails to ride and your dog still gets in a great workout.  Your plants will appreciate it!

[sonoranfans]

My latest experiment with basil linalool essential oil has been very successful.  In order to train the dog I would put some in  olive oil on the plant stem or trunk.  Basically their noses are 40,000 times more sensitive so you will see their head jerk a bit when the scent is noted.  Of course when training a dog, you have to ensure the dog understands a behavior ends up in this pungent smell.  Like housebreaking it wont happen overnight, but it happens faster than housebreaking.  I put this essential oil 10 drops on a rug area where my 80lb lab puppy has been going to town.  He is not interested in that rug at all now.  I am removing the rug anyway to install a wood floor so I only did it so he wouldnt eat that nylon rug fiber for his own good, worked like a charm.  Cayenne pepper in olive oil will also do the trick, just the burn cannot be avoided in the training.  I use cayenne on squirrels that rip up my soil, and stray dogs that want to rip the trash.  No more trash can ripping after a few applications.

[JLM]

These are all great recommendations! I will try a few and see how they do!

[BigWaveDav3]

  On 12/3/2020 at 5:47 PM, Tracy said:

a tired dog is a happy dog

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Was thinking the same thing until I scrolled down and saw this

I have a German Shepherd and especially when they are young, the best thing you can do is walk/run them and play fetch with them to keep their behavior on the positive.

[Darold Petty]

"A tired dog is a a good dog"   Also 'calm and relaxed'.    We favor hounds, they are high energy and independent, so vigorous exercise is the best routine.

[Stevetoad]

Been there. Mine used to sit with me all weekend and watch me plant just to dig and chew them up the next week while I was at work. She likes her new owners.

[Gonzer]

  On 12/3/2020 at 6:46 AM, WaianaeCrider said:

I had a dog that chewed to much.  Gave him away.  LOL

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