How to train dog to stop eating plants

[PawPatrolAreOnARoll]

Our new dog (19 months old) keeps eating the plants in the garden. He loves chewing up the play bark and sticks and eating grass. That we're fine with. But today I caught him ripping the border plants to shreds (mock orange and sambuca nigra) and yesterday he completely desimated my kid's popcorn plants that they've grown from seed. So he's currently very unpopular with my kids and my husband, who has the garden as his hobby that keeps his depression at bay. What can I do besides never letting the dog in the garden unsupervised? He loves mooching around the garden and it was something we promised the previous owners he'd have access too. I can only spare the odd five minutes a day to pop out there. I've heard of lemon/ammonia/chilli sprays but these will just wash off when it rains and we've a lot of borders to cover! Any ideas?

He's also pulled branches off the hydrangeas and a buddleia. He likes anything twiggy.

Highly unlikely you can train him to stop doing this if he is left unattended in the garden.

Fences and barriers would be the way forward.

Also give him other stuff to do in the garden so enrichment toys, kong toys etc.

Ok. There's no way to put fences or barriers up that are high enough as he's a big dog and the borders run the length of the garden.

He doesn't have any interest in enrichment toys. I've tried four types of food stuff in his Kong from his regular kibble to wet dog food to peanut butter to chicken and salmon treats and he just avoids them, even on an empty stomach. Tried a handmade treat box with screwed up paper and treats and he ignored it. Tried bacon flavoured chew toy, squeaky toys and his puppy blanket. No luck.

You’re not going to be able to train him to do something without being there tbh.

You have to teachmany dogs to use the kong and some need more encouragement than others.

He sounds pretty highly aroused and working on teaching him to chew and sniff wil help him a lot and indirectly help the garden too.

We have the same problem with our 5 month old pup. As well as destroying plants she empties flower pots, digs holes everywhere and has started to pull at the fence. On the plus side she's good as gold inside...

My dog has recently developed an appetite for heuchera – he’s practically eaten 3 plants! At the moment plants are growing and are tasting nice and sweet to them!

I think your husband is going to have to accept his garden has been taken over and will never look the same again whilst you have a four legged friend. I’m still coming to terms with it :(

I don't think my husband will come to terms with it. It's literally the thing that stops him slipping back into deep depression.

I'm going to sit out with the dog later while the kids have TV time, and if he approaches the flower bed plants, start training leave with positive reinforcement.

Just found out sambuca and hydrangeas are poisonous to dogs too. So not something I can ignore. Although the mock orange is fine .

I lied slightly on my last thread because it was negative and I didn't want the previous owner to recognise me. But, hey ho, they might as well know we're struggling.

He's a golden retriever rather than a lab. Also good as gold in the house re. destruction, well bar a wooden spoon. But I think my husband was envisaging a garden-friendly dog like Monty Don's retriever, Nell.

If he chews plants that often then you shouldn't have to wait too long to catch him at it. When you catch him at it make it very clear that this is unacceptable - a very firm 'No' should do it. This will have to be repeated several times, consistently. I am no expert, and perhaps I am just naturally authoritative, but one of my dogs would dig holes in the flower beds and lawn - each and every time I caught her I would use body language and the intonation of my voice to show my displeasure ,and now she doesn't do it. It wasn't an overnight break through and did require persistence

@PollyRoulson

You have to teachmany dogs to use the kong and some need more encouragement than others.

He sounds pretty highly aroused and working on teaching him to chew and sniff wil help him a lot and indirectly help the garden too.

How do you teach a dog to use a kong? I've rolled it around and shown him treats/kibble coming out but he just ignores it if I leave it alone. It still has part of yesterday's dinner in.

You really need to look at the dogs whole day if they are being left or destructive in the garden.

Dogs with energy and no outlet will go self employed and do things that they enjoy but may be incompatible with the humans they live with.

If your dog is getting enough stimulation and exercise they should not need to be left unattended in the garden. They should be happily chilling or sleeping maybe near you or at times on their own.

As they grow used to relaxing they will then be able to transfer this relaxation out to the garden where they can chill, smell the roses and listen to the birds. They will then potter link Nell - (but even she chews sticks )

So after a long walk when your dog is tired and relaxed, take you coffee outside have your dog on a lead and get him to settle on a mat whilst at intervals you drop treats onto the mat. If he gets up ignore him but pop a treat back onto the mat. he will return to the mat. You are encouraging a calm state. Build on this indoors and outdoors.

However if he is chucked out into the garden for example when he is full of energy and raring to go he will very likely carry on with destroying the plants as he has nowhere else to put his energy.

Re teaching him to like chews and kongs put in a small amount of kibble and play with the kong. Make it really easy to get out. Wipe cheese on the outside of the kong so it smells nice, pretend to keep it to yourself and not let him have it , that will make it even more appealing to him. Do not just dump it down and walk away, make it fun.

When mine was that age, he wasn't trusted to be out in the garden unaccompanied. Young dogs who are left unaccompanied will cause mischief, especially in a garden with lots of temptations like plants and dirt to dig in

If you can't supervise him, then he needs to be in the house. Like you say, you have plans out there that could make him very sick so this isn't just an issue of mess and digging - your dog could end up in the vets if you don't nip this in the bud.

Is he getting enough attention, exercise and stimulation overall?

He gets on average 1.5 hours of walk a day, mostly off lead split into two walks. He gets one to two training sessions a day lasting 10 to 15 minutes. I talk to him and throw the odd ball/tug of war/hide and seek with his blanket while I go about my day. But other than that I have to focus on my kids and the household chores. Is that enough?

Yes its enough. You'll have the odd person on here who says that it isn't - but imo they must have a housekeeper, groundsman, nanny, PA and chef because frankly most of us still have other things to do and other responsibilities in addition to the dog. If he doesn't like kongs you can give him a lickimat spread with something like cream cheese or mutt butter (peanut butter for dogs made without xylitol) likimat here

Or a snuffle mat if you feed him kibble snufflemat

It's plenty of exercise, but I would consider what other options you have as well to keep him occupied. He's only young and adolescent dogs need more attention and input than fully grown ones.

For example - would he maybe enjoy the odd day at doggy daycare, or going out on a group walk with a dog walker at lunchtime? It's a different kind of stimulation to what you can provide at home and it may help to tire him out (plus it gives you a break!)

I would also try out some natural chews for him to keep him occupied - raw bones, things like yakkers, pizzles, beef trachea, pigs ears - all fully digestible (never give rawhide) but tasty and will keep him occupied while you're busy doing other things.

As a Labrador could you do other things on his walks rather than just an off lead walk? So maybe some training walks, take him for a swim, get him to practise finding and retrieving a toy? Also make sure you switch up the location so he gets lots of new smells and stimulation when he goes out