Dog Digs Up Fruit Tree

[Mr. Clean]

My dog has dug up this jackfruit tree twice.  Any recommendations on how to get him to stop?

[cbss_daviefl]

How big of a dog?  I have a beagle so I just put a plastic mesh on the ground under the mulch with a few anchors to secure it in place.  I have a sapodilla that she was always breaking branches on, as if it didn't grow slowly enough, so I put 30 inch wire mesh fence around it.

[Sleepdoc]

I have 9 mango trees in a "danger zone" where my dogs spend a lot of time.  Not only do I have to protect them from digging, but I also have to protect them from full body slams of 100lbs of muscle.  My dogs wrestle in the area, an when they are going at it, they have disregard for heir surroundings...

I drive 3-4 5 foot steel sign posts into the rocky soil, and surround them with wire "fencing" of different sorts.  It's a lot of work, but I haven't lost a tree yet

[mangomandan]

Once I followed someone's garden tip, and mixed dry dog food in with the soil when I planted a muscadine vine. A few days later an armadillo dug it all up.  (my dogs ignored the kibble, on the other hand)
Later a gopher turtle dug it up again. The next year rabbits attacked it.           It's still alive, though.

Maybe that fabric that is supposed to prevent weeds?  Anchored down?

[KarenRei]

Never had to do it, but I could pretty much guarantee that your dog isn't going to get through chickenwire if you anchor it around your tree under the mulch.  Just leave enough space that you won't strangle your tree.

I've never known anyone to do it for trees before, but I've known a number of people who swear by it for keeping animals from digging up their bulbs.

[Mr. Clean]

My dog is a 60+ pound lab and has high energy.  I will consider the suggestions, thank you.  I have 40 fruit trees, so it would be a lot of effort to do it to all of them.

[Sleepdoc]

Here's a nice pic of my setup a couple of years ago..

[Xeno]

Wrap it up in chicken wire or a stronger type of wire. Lowes or Home Depot may carry cattle wire. $5-25 a roll. Or lay cardboard/newspaper near the trunk of the tree. Throw all of its poop on top of the cardboard. Your dog will most likely keep away.

[Felipe]

No joke: I urinate at the base of the plants. As far as I have seen, they do not dig where they smell my 'authority' 

...I know you are Mr. Clean, but keep in mind it's also an excellent natural fertilizer 

[Tropicalgrower89]

No joke: I urinate at the base of the plants. As far as I have seen, they do not dig where they smell my 'authority' 

...I know you are Mr. Clean, but keep in mind it's also an excellent natural fertilizer 

Human piss is good for trees?

[natsgarden123]

That dog was supposed to chase away pesty animals... irony at work here...

My sister had the same problem-she sprayed the trees with the Bitter Apple no-chew stuff, made for housebreaking-within a week or two, the dogs left it all alone. .., sor

[Pancrazio]

Human piss is good for trees?

Actually yes, if you diluite it 1:10.
It is the cheapest nitrogen fertilizer you can think of.

[KarenRei]

I don't know, I'd be worried about salt buildup from using urine as fertilizer.

[Pancrazio]

It really depends on the frequency/quantity of your rain.
In a desert, i would avoid.
In Florida, i wouldn't expect any real issue (keeping things to a reasonable level, of course).

[Felipe]

I think urine could be dangerous for plants in pots, but not for plants in ground if you apply once in a while.

[fruitlovers]

I don't know, I'd be worried about salt buildup from using urine as fertilizer.

Depends on what you are eating and size of the tree. If you are eating pretzels all the time, like Harry and friends then you could be right!  But even with a high salt diet you're not going to damage a large mature tree. A tiny plant just planted tree is not going to appreciate the liquid pretzels! 
Urine = mostly urea, which is quite good for plants. There is no need to dilute it, can be applied directly to large trees.

[Jackfruitwhisperer69]

I don't have much problems with my dogs. The only problem is the chicken that luv to bath in ''fresh soil''. I just place shade net(1m x1m) around the plant...they just ignore it. 

[Mr. Clean]

No joke: I urinate at the base of the plants. As far as I have seen, they do not dig where they smell my 'authority' 

...I know you are Mr. Clean, but keep in mind it's also an excellent natural fertilizer 

Thanks.  I have the "supplies" to impliemenet this immediately, so I'll try it.

[BMc]

They tend to avoid their own faeces. If the tree is young and you arent taking fruit from it, then you could place a few around the tree. My dogs used to dig up many plants as they love to eat poultry manure. A few of their droppings scattered around the base stops them from uprooting a newly planted tree.

Urine is said to build up acidity levels if applied directly too frequently. Supposed to be better applied diluted - as a seaweed tonic is best mixed in water and applied, rather than poured onto the soil, then watered in.

[Felipe]

BMc, I cannot confirm that. Rather the opposite: I've seen dogs eating other poo.. but urine ist the natural mark for dogs! They mark their territory with urine, so what I do is communicate in dogs language and it seems it really works

[SWRancher]

A good deterent...boot in the rear when caught digging up a tree. 

[BENDERSGROVE]

dog could be grubbing,my dogs do simular stuff whem rainy season comes around and they smell those grubs. cayene pepper around the trees has worked fine for us,one good whiff and he wont dig there anymore.

[Felipe]

A good deterent...boot in the rear when caught digging up a tree.

Tony, first you have to catch them... LOL

[forumfool]

Somebody loaned me some "x-pens" that stand up on there own and go around the young trees nicely.



I also use 2x4 PVC mesh with small t-posts along my berries. Both work well.




Check this info out too... digging is a natural behavior for dogs. You might want to create a designated area for it (make a sandbox or dirtbox, bury his favorite toys in it, let him have at it....)

http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/dogs/tips/digging.html

[fruitlovers]

Here's a nice pic of my setup a couple of years ago..

That looks good. But T-posts are a bit of overkill and much more expensive than using a few shorter pieces of rebar. I use 3 pieces of rebar inside hog wire cage. If you put the rebar on the inside of the cage there is no need to wire it, and you can easily remove the cage for weeding and fertilizing, or later for reusing the cage somewhere else. I use this setup for giving plants some protection and shade when small, but same will work for keeping dogs out. For keeping dog out you can use any kind of cheap wire, including chicken wire, probably cheapest. Might be good to give the dog a dog run area to do what he pleases. They need to get their ya yas out by digging and such.

[BMc]

A good deterent...boot in the rear when caught digging up a tree.

I must admit that once my old german sheppard dug up a rather important tree and destroyed it. I held the dog in the hole and 'buried' her. Of course, it was a mock burial, but she didnt like it and seemingly got the message that digging holes was not nice as she never dug up a tree again.

[gnappi]

My dog has dug up this jackfruit tree twice.  Any recommendations on how to get him to stop?

I have a sweetheart lychee and a 60+ pound dog that bowls everything over when we play fetch the stick. I added a circle of garden wall stones around it, problem solved.

[Mr. Clean]

I thank everyone for their suggestions and advice.  An update...I tried the urine technique.  It seems to work so far (2 days).  I used an empty bottle to collect a sample and then poured it on the trees.  It's been raining periodically...any idea how often I need to re-apply my "authority" to my trees to keep it properly marked, without killing the tree? 

[fruitlovers]

I thank everyone for their suggestions and advice.  An update...I tried the urine technique.  It seems to work so far (2 days).  I used an empty bottle to collect a sample and then poured it on the trees.  It's been raining periodically...any idea how often I need to re-apply my "authority" to my trees to keep it properly marked, without killing the tree?

Will depend on how much it rains and how often? Anyway you don't need to apply the urine right next to the tree. You can make a circle around the tree away from its root system. Dogs have very keen olfactory systems and will definiteky pick up on it even after a light rain shower.