Hello!

How do I stop my dog destroying our garden? “My dog is stripping the plants bare! Wondering if any other mums have had a dog who literally strips their palm trees bare? Frond by frond, he tears them apart until there is nothing left.  He has lots of chew toys and goes for walks so not sure what to do.  Any hints or tips?  These are big palms that cost hundreds so I’m not keen on them being destroyed!”


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  • Interesting to read the answers !


  • I would loosely wrap the base of the tree with chicken wire so that your dog cannot get to it.


  • Try more exercise and more toys kongs with peanut butter etc but my dog did the same thankfully it passed after she turned one but she ate the clothesline boat wiring all the outdoor furniture and the bbq cover and weirdly pulled each frond off the plant and stacked them next to it before chewing the trunks I tried white pepper anti dog sprays but nothing really worked ….good luck


  • You may not like what I did but here it is. My mix cattle dog was eating everything after an ant bit her. I bought wire from the hardware store and closed off the areas I didn’t want destroyed. There are all different sort of fencing you can use. Make sure its strong and you can put some smaller bushes or pot plants around to make it look better. Or walk around with any spray can and spray in dogs direction every time they go near the plants. Show the dog the can and then leave a few empty cans near the plants until the habit has been broken. Also you could buy a dog muzzle and put it on the dog every time it eats a plant, make sure the dog knows the connection. They do learn eventually. Be patient and never hit a dog, the worst thing to do. love you all Lyn.


  • Maybe the dog likes the texture. Dogs do love to chew and finding toys with the same texture can help. Protecting plants with mesh may help too. Dogs love to play and need plenty of exercise – it does help to exhaust them!


  • Great answers! Really interesting comments read on this!


  • Try a dog whisperer!! They are really good!!


  • I’d love to know. Our dogs do the same, thanks for asking this question


  • dogs apparently don’t like to dig near their own poo so that might help. also a big marrow bone might help too especially if a pup is teething. and chew don’t don’t prevent boredom – ask at the petstore for a challenge game


  • there are some good comments here


  • We had this same problem with our beagle when he was a puppy we had to re-do our garden twice because of it but then I discovered that he hated to go anywhere near his own poo so I would use it to put around the trees he would chew on and this stopped eventually he just realised that it is a no go zone so I was able to stop putting the poo there I also have heard that dogs who do this May be having some anxiety and chewing helps them to release that maybe give him I nice big bone


  • I would spray the trees with a mixture of chilli powder and dish wash liquid. This will deter the dog from going anywhere near these trees. You could section off a run for the dog away from the garden behind the house maybe until the puppy phase has gone.


  • I was going to suggest just what Ann has suggested….planting Cacti and pickly plants that your Dog wont want to go near


  • Might seem a bit mean, but I planted a row of prickly plants where the do was attacking, one prick of the nose and she shot backwards and never went there again!


  • Some good advice there below.


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