Doggone Etiquette —

Doggone Gardening

By Bardi McLennan

A Word to the Dog:           

The weather must be as confusing to you dogs as it is to your people, but for the record, it is spring and that means you – and your people – are outdoors. Have you tried your paws at gardening yet? If so, be careful. Your version of digging in the garden may not exactly fit what anyone in your family has in mind. Unless you’ve been given a special spot in which to do it, your best bet is to leave the digging to them. That goes for the plants, too. But wait, let’s have a look at the things you CAN do in the garden and even be told how clever you are!

A Word to the Dog’s Owner:            

Dogs are somewhat like people in yet another way: some are avid gardeners, and some are definitely not. If you enjoy working the land, whether to grow veggies, flowers or just grass and an occasional bush, there are things you can teach Rufus to do. There’s the age-old trick of getting the dog to carry your tools, but he needs to be taught which tools are permissible and just how they are to be carried, not chewed to bits. The safety feature is to be sure he knows and obeys the “drop it” command as well as the more friendly, “give it.”

With all the wind we’ve had all spring, how about teaching the dog to pick up branches? Here again, we’re into teaching two things – to pick up a branch and then where to drop it. Once Rufus catches onto this game, the size of the branch is the least of your worries. No matter if Rufus is Labrador or a Scottie, he’ll very likely tackle whatever piece of the tree he spots on the ground and will promptly figure out whether to carry it, or just tug it.                                

Any of the retriever breeds that instinctively carry things gently in their mouths, or any similar dog with what is called a “soft” mouth, can be a big help in lugging the garden hose from one spot to another. To avoid the possibility of the hose being pierced by a tooth, get Rufus to carry the sprinkler attachment or nozzle. Obviously, be sure to turn the water off before asking for this assistance! Of course, your particular dog may prefer to stretch out on the deck and watch all the activity. So be it.                    

While all the spring start-up gardening is going on, remember that this is the optimum period during which to teach the dog he must keep his distance from the flower beds. Decide on one word that you can use – in a serious warning voice – every time he approaches a forbidden spot. “Flowers” is an easy one to say with a scowl and negative tone. Just remember not to include, “Aren’t these flowers pretty?” when you’re chatting with the dog or you’ll have one very perplexed pooch. Watch out for other words you may use. For example, if you have taught Rufus to “go pee” you might want to be cautious when referring to your favorite patch of peonies! All this can indeed amount to doggerel.

There are a few precautions to take when gardening with dogs. Keep the stinging insects away from the dog as well as from yourself. Watch out for snakes, especially if you don’t know one variety from another. Better to find out later it was only a garter snake, than to discover too late it poisoned your dog. A final safeguard: check the fence!

Until next time – BE GOOD!

- Bardi

Bardi McLennan bred, trained and showed Welsh Terriers for 30 years, during which time she wrote a monthly column on canine behavior in Dog Fancy Magazine. In addition to contributing to numerous dog publications, she has written 15 books on dogs, the latest being Rescue Me!, which received the ASPCA Humane Issues Award in 2008.