A Watchdog's Garden

A large family dog and an avid gardener don’t necessarily make for a peaceful team in any backyard, but there are ways of establishing a truce that can be lived with.

- Anna Celliers

If you want to know why your dog barks incessantly or howls for hours and then chews anything and everything when left alone in the yard, do the following experiment: shut yourself up in your garden without tools, a book, a radio, a friend, or your cellphone. Place a bowl of dry, ant-infested food and warm, slimy water next to you. After about 15 minutes, you’ll also start howling or wrecking something.

Gardeners often complain about their ‘wrecking ball’ dogs, which dig up everything and damage their plants. The answer to this problem is not always an easy one. But consider this: why would you allow your pet (which is part of the family) to be naughty and a nuisance if your kids aren’t allowed to jump on the beds, have bad table manners, play in the lounge, or disturb the neighborhood with their loud music? Could it be that they only want to be loved, to get your attention, to be disciplined when needed, and have a routine to live by?

What applies to family members should apply to pets too. They can be taught social behavior and discipline with the help of puppy classes, dog trainers, dog therapists, and handbooks and websites about this subject. Our job is to dole out lots of attention and love, and to garden with animal-friendly principles in mind, if we expect protection and peaceful garden companionship in return.

A SPECIAL SPACE FOR ALL