Bad Dog!

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Keeping Dogs Out

I'm looking for something that I can spray or sprinkler on my front lawn that will repel the neighborhood dogs. I have a lot of burned circles from the urine of one particular female dog and apparently her "marking" my lawn as her latrine is attracting other dogs to urinate and defecate there as well.

I remember from my childhood an elderly neighbor who sprayed something around the perimeter of his property to stop his cat and dog from wandering to other people's property. Unfortunately, no one bothered to ask the old man what he was using.

Anyway, I'm sure it was a home remedy that would be a big help to me. I've tried the commercial products, but I haven't had any success.
Charlie

Dogs Hate Mothballs

I have had good luck with mothballs. Dogs hate the smell. I put them around trees and in the flowerbeds.
Dawn in Severn, MD

Discourage Them with Potatoes

Semi-rotting potatoes discourage dogs from coming around.
Amy

A Gardener's Approach

You can use cayenne and red pepper mix. The strong smell deters them. I have seen the exact recipe on several gardening websites.
Amy

Claim Victory with Vinegar

I read that if you spray the edge of your yard with vinegar, it would deter dogs/cats from coming into your yard. After a few weeks, they will remember that awful smell and bypass your yard. You have to re-spray after a rain.
Linda

Give Ammonia a Try

I know that you can use Ammonia on your trash to keep nosey dogs out. Perhaps it would help keep the neighborhood animals away. I'm not sure if this is completely "harmless." Surely the animals won't lick at something that smells that putrid.
C

Spice Up Their Lives

I have heard that Cayenne Pepper works. I haven't tried this myself, as I don't have dogs or neighbor's dogs that do this type of damage. Apparently, you simply sprinkle the Cayenne Pepper around the area they have gone and they won't return to the same spot. To deter them from doing so in the first place, you could sprinkle a border of Cayenne Pepper to prevent them from crossing onto your lawn.
Chris

Send Them Sneezing

I have used ground black pepper to keep dogs, cats and skunks away from my house and garden. One sniff of the pepper will send them running off sneezing. Next time, they will leave without marking your property.
Dean

A Unique Message

This will sound strange, but adult male human urine has hormones in it that repels other mammals. It makes use of the fact that males mark territory with urine. Such marking is taken as a "do not trespass" message. It will also deter rabbits, deer, etc. And odds are very high that the older man you knew was well aware of this fact but was too embarrassed to share his "secret."
Debbie

Spray the Critters

You might try a motion-activated sprinkler that sprays with full garden hose pressure. It's called the Scarecrow. Do an Internet search with the words "scarecrow," "spray," and "motion" and you will find several online places that sell it.

I'm assuming you've tried talking with the owners if you can identify them. I think it's very irresponsible of them and gives pet owners a bad reputation. They should have fenced yards for their pets.
Diane

Call the Dog Catcher

Isn't there a leash law where you live? Call the dog catcher. Why should you have to put potentially harmful chemicals in your yard? It is the dog owner's responsibility to control their animal.

I have three dogs. They don't roam around to kill other peoples' grass, get in the trash, or possibly bite someone.
Gregg

A Tried and True Remedy

I've got a tried and true remedy for dogs using your lawn as their personal privy. Fill gallon jugs with water. Place them around the perimeter of your yard, every 3' or so. Your neighbors will ask you what the jugs are for and you can tell them that you're sick and tired of dogs messing up your yard and you heard that this would do the trick. It worked for me.
Joanne in California

Spray Listerine on Lawn

You can spray Listerine on the lawn or bitter apple. Listerine works better as some dogs actually like bitter apple. You can buy generic or store brand since the name brand is expensive.
Kathy

"Dog-B-Gone" Tonic

According to Jerry Baker, "America's Master Gardener," in his book Green Grass Magic, if a dog urinates on your lawn, water it immediately to dilute the urine and minimize the damage. He also gives a recipe for his "Dog-B-Gone Tonic" which contains:

2 cloves garlic
2 small onions
1 jalapeno pepper
1 T. cayenne pepper
1 T. Tabasco sauce
1 T. chili powder
1 T. liquid dish soap
1 qt. warm water

Chop up the garlic and onions and combine all ingredients. Let it sit for 24 hours, strain through cheesecloth, and then sprinkle on the areas that you want dogs to keep away from.
Karen

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