Dog-Proofing the Garden!

Now don't get me wrong...I love my dog but I also love my garden too! However there are times when a conflict of interests between recently planted up flower beds and an over-enthusiastic bouncy Spaniel mean that drastic protection measures have to be taken!

Our dog Truffle's route to the back gate and walks beyond take her through the garden via her own well-trodden path. Unfortunately the route for this is via my yet to be planted up veggie plot and a small border behind the rockery. So ....mmmm what to do?

She's a bright little doggie and since she was a puppy we taught her the 'off' word. We would hold a treat in front of her and when she went to take it we would hold it firm and say 'off'' until she learnt to wait for the 'ok' command that meant she could be rewarded by taking the treat.

So - having build up the side borders in the garden with log roll, she's learnt that these are now 'off' limits and no longer ventures over them but she still treats the veggie patch as a through route. So - I still have some willow sticks and bits of hazel left over from the main fence and I reckon that if I build up a bit around my veg plot and border opposite she will learn that these are now out of bound doggie areas!!!

I've also included some pots and plants as further deterrents around the opposite border and hoping that these will be enough to convince that areas beyond are no-go!

So far so good and the new regime working well...dog looks a bit bemused though!

Truffle and the Robin

Our doglett Truffle loves the garden. Any opportunity to be out there and she is in doggie heaven....... and if you haven't already noticed, she manages to feature in many of the photos we've taken of gardening progress to date!

One thing that drives her potty is wild birds. We do our best to educate her that chasing birds is not acceptable behaviour but it's an ongoing battle and her natural instincts - being a Spaniel born of working stock - are hard to suppress. Roosting pheasants clucking in nearby trees at dusk are a particular tease ...on hearing the call Truffle goes into high alert, ready for the big chase into the distant mist.

The Robin is a different ball game altogether. Well known for being territorial - indeed they will fight to the death to defend their territory, our resident read breast is no exception! He seems particularly peeved that we have the audacity to invade his personal space and follows us around the garden watching us with his beady eye.

Truffle in turn, stalks him and watches his every move. Never quite quick enough to catch but just enough to tell him that this is her garden not his. So the stand-off continues and neither party wins.

You would think that Robbie would be grateful for all the tasty morsels we reveal for him but judging by his angry chattering from the shrubbery he is not happy! In fact if I were to translate his chirpings into human language...it would be full of obscenities!