Last Updated on July 26, 2021 by Markeyus Franks
Dogs are a nuisance in your yard, and most of us want to deter them. Fortunately, how to keep dogs out of my yard is not as hard as we thought. You may even have some dog deterrents lying around at home. Other people’s pets can be a pest and a health hazard, so we are going to look at some ways to keep the dogs out, without harming them or breaking the bank.
1.KEEP YOUR YARD CLEAN
Keep your pathways very clean, and your garden beds planted. On your front boundary plant some sturdy shrubs with prickles. The dogs won’t want to push through prickles as it will scratch them. Roses have very big prickles, and if you are in a good place for Rose growing this might deter them from coming in. Beneath the Roses plant Marigolds, dogs hate Marigolds, and the dog has a strong sense of smell and is repelled by them. If you can’t face Marigolds, Lavender also repels dogs and is popular with most home gardeners. Lavender is hardy and won’t need much care, so it is a good choice as the dog won’t push through it. Once you have the front planted, your garden is already looking very unfriendly to dogs.
The smells your dog likes are not the smells a person likes, and as they are guided by their sense of smell they will be quite offended to smell Lavender and Marigolds. They do like other dog smells, so if you have a dog of your own, try to keep him out the back, and hose down the front yard to keep the smell of your dog from attracting others.
Another smell they hate is citrus, so get some strong orange or lemon citrus cleaning spray, and every week spray down the hard surfaces in front of your house. This will be very offensive to dogs, and very few will even walk on a citrus sprayed surface. So they won’t come any further when the smell is strong enough.
2.CLEAN UP ANY DOG POOP IN YOUR YARD
In planning how to keep dogs out of my yard, remove any dog poop from your yard or garden. You shouldn’t have to do this, but now and again it will happen. Dogs are attracted by the smell of one another so this should be removed immediately, and the area sprayed with citrus. Here’s a popular pooper scooper on Amazon. If you don’t have any citrus spray use vinegar to clean the area, don’t dilute it use full strength for best effect to keep the dog from returning to the same spot. Some dogs hate coffee grounds, but unfortunately, not all dogs, use your coffee grounds as a garden mulch as it is good for plants and it will keep some dogs away.
3.USE DOG REPELLANT PRODUCTS
Chilli powder is a good dog repellent, and dogs absolutely hate it, the mustard powder is also a dog repellant and it is cheap so sprinkle it around the bushes in your yard. Some commercial products will work to repel dogs, and try Multicrop. It doesn’t harm the dog, but they don’t like the smell and it successfully deters them. Another one called Kerato Red Hot Spray works even better in keeping them away, this will also keep cats away. Unfortunately, once the dog pees in your yard, you need to hose it down thoroughly and clean and spray the areas as other dogs are immediately attracted to the smell.
4.USE ULTRASONIC INSTRUMENTS
Some ultrasound emitters do work in repelling dogs. There is a new dog repellent out called Diaotec Ultrasonic repellent on Amazon that is said to be very effective in repelling dogs. The device emits bursts of sounds at frequencies in a wide band that does repel some dogs. Some dogs hate the sound and runoff, while others remain near.
The Ultrasonic Animal Repeller Sonic Deterrent, available online, can be mounted in your garden and works even when it is raining. It is solar-powered and emits Ultrasonic Waves and flashing lights. This does seem to work, but works best in the dark so will repel dogs at night. It is easy to install and will keep the dogs from coming in once darkness falls.
The best dog repellant that I have seen was a portable boat horn that made a terrible noise, purchased in a Marine shop it was kept by a neighbor who had time to sit on his porch, and when he saw a dog coming into his yard he would honk the horn and the dogs would run for miles. Some of them would never run past the house again.
5.PURCHASE SECURITY CAMERAS TO IDENTIFY DOGS AND CONFRONT THE OWNERS
Erect security cameras on your property to readily identify culprits. If you know where the owners live, print out a flyer and drop it in their letterbox asking them to keep their dogs at home away from your yard. Some will feel bad and respond others won’t take any notice. It is really unfair to you and your family when you are trying to keep your yard clean and sweet-smelling to be constantly invaded by dogs. The Ring Stick Up Cam with Solar is a wireless camera system that works great. With the Solar Panel you don’t have to run wire, just attach it to the camera outside( Within range of your WIFI router) and you’re good to go.
6.BUILD A FENCE AROUND YOUR HOUSE
When you are researching how to keep dogs out of my yard, this is the most foolproof way, as you can have a dogproof fence built, and not only will they not get in, but your dog won’t get out. To keep larger dogs out the fence needs to be of reasonable height, as dogs usually don’t climb.
When you are choosing the right dog-proof fence, you may need to use a mesh to stop smaller dogs from climbing through. Some houses even erect brick walls, and these are extremely dog-proof.
Of course, your own dog will be trained, and when you are out walking he won’t go running into other people’s yards, If everyone trained their dogs properly this would never happen.
7.SHOUT AT THE DOG WHEN YOU SEE HIM IN YOUR YARD
If there is one particular offender, shouting at him might just work for you. For those of us that hate shouting this is where the Portable Safety-Sport Dog horn is excellent, and dogs absolutely hate it.
Most dogs are highly intelligent and can be easily trained, with so many dogs now living in the city it would be great if a level of behavioral training for dogs was mandated. It only takes one or two bad owners to make our lives difficult by letting their dogs wander onto private property. Dogs that are unsupervised will often dig holes in the garden, another annoying behavior.
8.CALL THE POUND OR LOCAL AUTHORITIES
It is now necessary for all dogs to be registered and microchipped, so it is easy enough to find out who owns them.
If you are having issues with a dog on your property it should be reported to the local authority or council. The Council in turn may issue a nuisance order and a fine to the owner. The fine is for noncompliance in allowing their dog to wander onto other people’s property as dogs are not meant to be off-leash in suburban streets. They are only meant to run free in designated dog parks with the owner nearby. A dog that roams can be dangerous, and some of them attack smaller animals like cats and other dogs. It is sensible to report any issues with dogs, as they could attack a child. With dogs in the city, barking is usually the most reported problem.
If a dog is removed to the pound and the owner can’t be contacted, the pound will only hold them for a certain length of time. Usually, the time length is 48-72 hours, and then the dog is sold or euthanized, so it is essential that if you move house and change phone number that you can be reached. So change your dog registration details as well, when you move. Dogs are apprehended by the Rangers every day, often wandering in Public Places where food is served.
The Human Society of the United States suggests that pets be held in a shelter for at least 5 days, but some shelters don’t have the capacity to hold them for that long. The law does afford these animals some protection, so if your dog goes missing this should be the first place you check on in your search.
CONCLUSION
When we decide against having a fence the dogs coming in is an ongoing battle. If we are not vigilant the garden can end up smelling terrible.
Sometimes a motion-activated sprinkler can work when programmed to spray water anytime an animal enters the garden. The sprinkler can deter both dogs and cats. Motion-activated sprinklers range in price up to $100 and may work for you. The good thing is they will keep your garden hosed down, and when the sensor is activated the dogs get a shock and run off fast. So to keep our gardens clean and hygienic takes some work and strategic planning keeping dogs out!
