How To Keep Pets Out Of Your Yard
A house is deemed attractive if the main attraction of the property, which is more often than not is the lawn or the front yard, is kept in perfect condition.
Taking care of the yard or the garden is no child’s play.
You must have spent thousands of hours mowing the lawn for it to look so green and even looking, but a random hole dug by your pet would stand out like a sore thumb.
Let’s not get started with your garden and the number of efforts you must have put in.
Growing your garden has its challenges, so worrying about the pets ruining it should not be on your gardening list. We already know that these pets don’t want to cause any nuisance.
They just want to play and explore. Our furry little friends are the apple of our eyes, but sometimes they can get a little too comfortable and ruin our garden or lawn, which may make you sad or mad.
In this article, we have curated only the best measures, tips, and tricks that will keep your garden safe by not harming your pets or carrying any inhumane activity.
We know you love them even if they love destroying your yard.
Ways To Keep Dogs Away From Your Lawn
Planting plants that woof hates
Since dogs have a sharp sense of smell, why not use it to your advantage. Plants like Rue, Bergamot, and Citronella can repel your dogs. Marigold is another exceptional plant that dogs hate.
Try planting such plants, so they go away from your plant bed. Doggies hate thorns as much as we do; therefore, planting thorny plants and cacti can be another good option.
Remember to look at your dog’s allergies before planting the plants. Also, check a guide that has a list of plants that might be harmful to your pets.
Repellent spray
Repellent sprays are a good alternative that will keep your curious pup away. Several good quality repellent sprays work well. You have to keep reapplying it, as and when needed.
Try to reapply after rainfall as the water would wash down the repellent properties.
DIY repellent sprays
Why spend money on gadgets and items if you can get rid of the problem with just ingredients lying around your kitchen. Trying these DIY recipes will work if they are pungent enough.
Garlic
Smash a whole clove of garlic and mince it properly. Add 4 cups of lukewarm water to it and let it sit for 24 hours. After sitting, simply drain the water and put it in a spray bottle.
Spray it in your yard or the garden wherever required.
Vinegar
Spray vinegar in small stripe patches and avoid directly spraying it on your plants. The pungent smell will deter the dog not to enter the zone.
Be careful with over-applying as vinegar might turn your soil infertile if used in copious amounts.
Motion-activated sprinkler
If you want to solve the problem and don’t have the time or patience to apply or reapply sprays, then motion activator spray is your buddy. It might be a pricey investment but will serve you in the long run.
The motion-activated sprinkler will wet the dog, and after some time, your pup would pick up the idea of not entering or visit that patch as they get wet every time they come in contact with the water.
Dedicated dog-den
A dedicated dog garden space is a good idea if your yard has a space to accommodate one or if you want to keep your dog outdoors to experience nature and be fit.
You can fit a sandbox and some of his favorite toys in it. Dogs love to dig, and this will fulfill their desire to dig.
Make sure you make a guided way so that your champ knows where his garden is and where he shouldn’t go.
Mesh and fencing
Try fencing your garden or meshing the entrance of the garden. Dogs will automatically stay away after several tries of barging or jumping.
If you are fencing, make sure your pup isn’t a jumping champion, as he will simply jump and cross the fence. While meshing is a cheaper option than fencing, you should try to dig it as deeper as you can.
If your dog tries to dig the end of the mesh, it could cause harm to his paws.
Ways To Keep Cats Away From Your Lawn
Stone-way ground
Cats love to walk on smooth, soft, and even areas. Adding stones will create an uneven road that the cat would never walk on.
Make sure the stones aren’t extra-pointy that can hurt the kittens’ feet, and we don’t want that.
Pushing pine cones in the ground is also a good trick. Make sure there isn’t a pattern, and the cones are spread randomly across the ground.
Planting plants that meow hates
Your feline friend detests some smells that can irritate their nose. Try planting herbs like lavender or rosemary that will keep them away from your garden.
They also hate scaredy-cat (apt name). You can try planting that plant as well.
Animal-shaped glowing eyes
These types of animal scarecrows work because of their realistic-looking eyes. The eyes glow and will scare the animals. They usually come in the shape of an owl with big eyes.
These glowy-eyed scarers come with a solar-powered battery, and some even run on electricity that will glow the eyes and scare the cats.
Wash up
If your cat loves to sit in a specific area in the yard or the garden, then try washing up that place with a good hearty spray of water.
Cats mainly like to use the same space because of the familiar scent. Washing it down will reduce the chances of them visiting that place often.
If your cat likes to ruin your patio furniture, then try liquid Castile soaps on your furniture and doors too.
Motion sensors activated
Cats hate being wet, so sprinkling them with water can encourage them not to enter the greens.
You can even put some water in a spray can and shoot it at their end, but for manual spraying, you will need to keep an eye on your cats every time.
A chilly spurt of spray bottle will surely dissuade the cats from coming to your yard. If you plan to fit a motion sensor, make sure to read about the water shortage guidelines during summer.
Designated cat area
Mr/Miss Whiskers would like to play in a designated area where they can dig, soak in the sun or play with their toys.
Cats love honeysuckle, catnip, and mint, so you can plant these plants around the sandbox to attract them.
Clean the sandbox frequently as the cat would poop there. Get ready to find hidden treasures of your cat like a dead squirrel or bird that might not be very pleasing to see.
Noise okay please
Try windchimes or simply put some pebbles in a jar. Cats will hate the sound if they touch these things.
You can even try using a cat deterrent device that will produce ultrasonic waves which are not audible to human ears but work perfectly for your kitten.
Lion poop
I know you chuckled, but it is true. We do not consider this an ultimate method as Lion poop isn’t readily available in the market, especially unadulterated.
If you search your local garden center, you might end up finding Lion poop. A cat usually won’t dare to poop or roam in an area that is especially some Lion’s territory.
While your yard would be cat poop free the yard would still have Lion’s poop! Nonetheless, it was interesting to read, so we couldn’t hold ourselves to put this point on the list.
More ways to keep stray animals at bay
If a stray animal is trespassing your property and ruining the yard by pooping, peeing or digging holes in the lawn, consider using animal trapping cages.
Before you consider this option, always talk to your local animal control helpline and get all the necessary help. Buy a cage that is not very small.
A big trap is unlikely to cause suffocation to the animal.
To lure the stray, try using meat or fish. You can also fire up your barbeque and have a good lunch before catching the animal. The barbeque will lure the animal and will get the stray into the trap.
After trapping the animal, reach out to the animal rescue squad that will safely rescue the poor animal.
Sometimes such trappings can even catch a lost pet, so you will be helping the pet by bringing them to their owner.
Things You Must Avoid
No matter how desperately you may be trying to prevent stray animals from trespassing your property, there are some harmful things and tactics that you must avoid. Let’s take a look:
Avoid using Pepper
Cayenne pepper, black pepper, or any other type of pepper is extremely harmful to your pets. They can cause damage or irritation to their paws and eyes.
At the end of the day, we don’t want our pets to get sick or injured.
Mothballs
These innocent-looking balls can turn out to be fatal if ingested. As they come in small sizes, your dog or cat can eat them. They might even choke, so avoiding mothballs is a good option.
Never keep them lying around the yard or even in your house.
Unsupervised pets
Your little pets can cause havoc if they are left unsupervised. Whatever method you use from the list mentioned earlier, never leave them unattended for a long time.
Especially if they aren’t trained yet, leashing them is a good idea when taking them for a walk.
Tips To Prevent Your Neighbor’s Pets From Entering Your Yard
Signboard
Using a sign is the most gentle and compelling thing you can do. The neighbor will read the sign and will try to stop their pet from pooping in your yard.
It will also warn the normal walkers that might have taken their pet out for a walk. A signboard with clear instructions can demotivate people on a walk or the neighbor’s pet to poop or destroy your property.
Confronting the neighbors
If the signboard trick doesn’t work, then try confronting them. If they have some free time to talk about an issue, be polite. You don’t want to get involved in any unnecessary quarrels and fights.
Let them know that their pet ruins your yard by digging holes, stomping the plants, or pooping in the yard. Ask them nicely to consider training their pets, so they do enter your property.
They will take measures accordingly, and your beautiful yard will stay beautiful.
Legal advice
If your neighbor is not cooperating in this situation, you have the legal right to sue that neighbor.
Before you sue your neighbors, always try to talk to them first, as it will help your case without ruining friendships.
You can approach local attorneys that will guide you through the process.
If you win the case, the pet owner has to compensate you for the damage that the pet might have caused. Always carry proof like a photograph of the destroyed property or CCTV footage.
We hope you don’t have to take such a step and your neighbor complies with you after the confrontation.
FAQs When It Comes To Keeping Animals At Bay
How can I stop my pet from digging up the fence?
If you feel that fencing is a good option, then do it, but if the dog keeps digging the fence, make sure to add a layer of chicken mesh under it.
Take good big boulders and place them along the ends of the fencing but make sure they are half-buried and a half on top. Your pets won’t be able to dig such big rocks, and the fence will stay perfectly fine.
I like having my pets in the garden. They’re harmless. How can I keep them safe there?
Rakes, garden forks, and other types of gardening equipment can cut your pets’ paws. Always store these tools in a shed or somewhere your pets cannot access.
Avoid using chemicals and pesticides that will cause damage to your little pet’s health. Keep the garden clean and devoid of small pieces on which your pet can choke.
Wrapping Up
That’s it. It was our complete guide on keeping your pets away from the yard. Use whichever you may have found the most helpful. Don’t be shy to use multiple tips at once.
It will train the pet faster, and you can have your yard or garden back quicker.
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