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Dogs..............

Last post 24-04-2009 1:44 AM by SheilaW. 30 replies.

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  • 08/02/2008 10:12 PM
    In reply to
    • Beebee
    • Warwickshire
    • 29 Jan 2008
    • 176
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    Oh my what beautiful dogs. My Kai is not too bad really, he does keep off my borders when told and I can live with the brown patches 'cos love the dog. My intention is to extend the borders any way and get rid of most of the lawn. Tell me any tips to cope with well meaning friends who bring their dogs, sometimes 3 a time, to visit. One for you Plantman!! How do I tactfully say please don't. Isn't it wonderful seeing the bulbs peeping through? I'm in Warwickshire and have snowdrops, min daffs and crocus so far. We moved to this garden last May so am really looking forward to this Spring. I must have planted about 300 bulbs and am eagerly awaiting the tulips, both early and late. Enjoy the weather this weekend everyone, looks fine pretty well everywhere I think.

  • 10/02/2008 05:25 PM
    In reply to
    • Plantman
    • North Yorkshire
    • 30 Jan 2008
    • 276
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    It sounds like your human visitors come to see you, rather than the dogs coming to see you. Most of my canine visitors actually come over to see me, and so look for me, get their fuss, do as I tell them and then leave without too mush fuss. If they start to wonder off because us adults are talking (therefore ignoring them) I just talk to them and they come back. This does mean that you are forever fussing them. Better that than a bed of flat Daffodils.. The only guaranteed way keep a dog, and still prevent those nasty brown patches in the lawn, is to do away with either the dog or the lawn. I got rid of my lawn and allow the dogs to visit. Most of my garden is pretty dog proof anyway. Mainly down to shrubs and trees and not too many delicates around, there's little damage they can do. In the veg garden, that's a totally different matter. Mine is at the far end of the garden. I try to keep them away from that area if can. The local pussycats like the freshly dug soil. I have left a large area of soft soil/peat/compost near where most of them come in and they do seem to do their business there. It's just where I tip my used compost and empty my pots. I sieve it and spread the good stuff on the veg garden the following year very carefully. Happy gardening and dog walking. Plantman

  • 14/02/2008 10:00 PM
    In reply to
    • Bog Myrtle
    • Southern Turkey
    • 07 Feb 2007
    • 346
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    Gorgeous dogs, Sue!! Plantsman, I have to agree with you about dogs and veggie gardens - we have six dogs (yes, I know...) and while most of the garden is pretty well dog-proof, if they possibly can they'll lie down in any freshly-dug-and-newly-sown-with expensive-seed veggie bed; which of course does germination no good at all. Training seems to be like water off a duck's back, so we put large branches of thorny shrubs over all the seed beds until the seeds are well up, which seems to work. We don't have lawns (too hot, not enough water), so other than that the only harm they do is to dig the odd hole under the shrubs to make comfy places to lie down in the shade, which probably is quite good for the shrub rooting systems anyway. Their other favourite place to lie down is in the beds of thyme which border the main drive - I suppose it's soft and cool, and it does make them smell good! The thyme is pretty sad-looking by the end of a winter with them all lying on it, but come the spring, it seems to come away again. Very forgiving plant, thyme! It's a choice you make - I'd hate to be without my dogs, so you just have to be philosophical about flattened lavender bushes and crushed thyme.

  • 15/02/2008 11:04 AM
    In reply to
    • miranda
    • Oxfordshire
    • 17 Nov 2004
    • 2,976
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    What lovely images you paint of your dogs, Bog Myrtle. I can see them in my mind's eye, stretched out, blinking sleepily, on their pillows of thyme. [Edited on 15/02/2008]

  • 16/02/2008 06:55 PM
    In reply to
    • Bog Myrtle
    • Southern Turkey
    • 07 Feb 2007
    • 346
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    Gosh Miranga, I think you must be psychic - blinking sleepily is their main pastime! This is Bran :[IMG]http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj262/Owlsland/braninthyme2592x1944.jpg[/IMG]

  • 16/02/2008 06:58 PM
    In reply to
    • Bog Myrtle
    • Southern Turkey
    • 07 Feb 2007
    • 346
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    Sorry Miranda, eyesight's going! And this is Tommy Hoca . [IMG]http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj262/Owlsland/tommyhoca2048x1536.jpg[/IMG]

  • 17/02/2008 03:08 PM
    In reply to
    • miranda
    • Oxfordshire
    • 17 Nov 2004
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    What lovely looking dogs, Bog Myrtle! They look so contented. I do like to see happy looking dogs.

  • 17/02/2008 05:33 PM
    In reply to
    • Bog Myrtle
    • Southern Turkey
    • 07 Feb 2007
    • 346
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    Me too, Miranda. Mind you, our lot should be contented, they hardly do a paw's turn! Just so's the others don't get jealous that their pictures aren't up - these are Sweep and Dusty, amongst the daisies - [IMG]http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj262/Owlsland/sweepdusty.jpg[/IMG] and the others, on the alert! [IMG]http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj262/Owlsland/ThedogsJune1200x900.jpg[/IMG]

  • 17/02/2008 06:27 PM
    In reply to
    • Plantman
    • North Yorkshire
    • 30 Jan 2008
    • 276
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    Lovely to see so many great looking dogs. I thought this was a gardening forum ?? Plantman.

  • 17/02/2008 06:59 PM
    In reply to
    • sue1002
    • Ipswich, Suffolk
    • 06 Sep 2005
    • 5,200
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    Beautiful dogs Bog Myrtle, they all look so happy in your garden. Do they dig up any of your veggies? Our old dog Sam used to dig up a carrot, bring it indoors to eat it, leave the tops behind and go and dig another one, he only ever dug up one at a time.

    sue1002
  • 17/02/2008 08:43 PM
    In reply to
    • Bog Myrtle
    • Southern Turkey
    • 07 Feb 2007
    • 346
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    No Sue, I think they're too lazy to dig up carrots! If we get molehills, which we do from time to time, they dig frantically in those (and achieve nothing!) The most damage they do in the veggie beds is to scrabble in any newly sown areas, to make themselves somewhere comfy to lie in. This is less than ideal for germination.... (Yes Plantsman, you're quite right, it [i]is[/i] a gardening forum, sorry!)

  • 18/02/2008 10:25 AM
    In reply to
    • Digger
    • Northern UK
    • 18 Jul 2005
    • 4,743
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    My dogs (three of them) are devils at times, Sally assistance dog does the hole digging in the lawn, but she needs doggy time for when she isn't working, and a few holes are unsightly but a small price to pay in comparison to the help she gives me, she does enjoy digging. Richard is too old and fat (like me) to do any serious mischief, and Piper the patterdale confines her digging and rooting about to the compost heap and under the potting shed. When dogs are working dogs and being used as such it's important that they get free time, there are lovely photos of some really nice dogs and if i was pushed i would give up the garden before I gave up my dogs. If I didn't have Sally I would be in trouble,in fact I would go as far as saying that I cannot manage without her,sometimes she does dig the soft soil in the beds but stops when I tell her to.

    digger Devil
  • 18/02/2008 10:59 AM
    In reply to
    • sue1002
    • Ipswich, Suffolk
    • 06 Sep 2005
    • 5,200
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    So you trained Sally to dig your flower beds for you then eh digger? and you're not fat unless of course you've put on a lot of weight since we met at Chelsea last year.

    sue1002
  • 18/02/2008 11:53 AM
    In reply to
    • miranda
    • Oxfordshire
    • 17 Nov 2004
    • 2,976
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    Digger's fishing for compliments, maybe, Sue ;-) We actually tried to teach our dog to dig, because he was brought up in a concrete jungle and we thought he might enjoy it when he had the opportunity to have a go, but he never took it up. The only thing he ever scatted at was his bedding. Same as digger, I'd rather put up with a few holes and have a slightly less tidy garden than not have a dog about.

  • 18/02/2008 12:47 PM
    In reply to
    • Digger
    • Northern UK
    • 18 Jul 2005
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    [b]Posted by:[/b] miranda Digger's fishing for compliments, maybe, Sue ;-)
    Not really, Due to my lack of physical activity i perhaps weigh a little more than i should. It would be good if sally would dig planting holes for me:-) but for some reason she will dig right where I don't need it!Richards stitches are okay and his ankle is healing well,Yesterday we took him with us to go and see the new horse,he prefers a ride in the car to going for a walk.

    digger Devil