Dog Friendly Gardens

Anyone who really knows me, knows there’s not a lot of love lost between me and canines.  I know that makes me slightly less than human…I’m sorry – but it’s the truth.  I’m lucky that I have many dear, dear friends who do have wonderful dog/human relationships and from them I am learning about unconditional love, wet kisses and off-leash dog parks.

I figure I’m a good dog “auntie”.  So I was looking forward to writing my Angie’s List Magazine article for this month’s “Pet Issue” because I had the perfect subject.  My good friend Mary Gutierrez, editor and publisher of Northwest Garden News is my garden “dogma” guru!  It was such fun to interview her about life in the garden with Diego – her 90# Doberman (perennial) puppy!!!  Here’s the story and some wonderful photos:

FRAGILE SOUTH AFRICAN blooming bulbs don’t stand a chance against 90 pounds of adolescent canine. Diego, a 2-year-old wildly active and loving Doberman, is constant companion and gardening buddy to his owner, Mary Gutierrez. Gutierrez, editor and publisher of Northwest Garden News, is a passionate plants person and a devoted animal lover. Her understanding of Diego’s temperament is critical to the success of their shared garden kingdom.

Gutierrez describes her Seattle garden as “dog friendly” rather than “dog proof.” Beds of flowering perennials and mixed shrub borders are densely filled with plants, many of which she receives to grow as a part of her job. Pathways and open space around the perimeter of the yard allow Diego to patrol his turf and visit through the wire fence with Sasha, the dog next door. “If I put up a solid barricade, the two dogs would try to dig under it or chew through it,” Gutierrez says.

Pack animals by nature, dogs prefer company. An unsupervised dog in the yard poses a danger to himself and the garden alike. Boredom and loneliness lead to digging, chewing and other stress-related behaviors, which we humans too often misinterpret as deliberately destructive.

Regular exercise and engagement are essential. Gutierrez is free to putter with plants as Diego busies himself trolling the perimeter, protecting them from neighborhood children, birds and squirrels. “It’s the nature of a Doberman,” she says.

Different breeds are inclined to specific behaviors. Terriers are diggers, hardwired to track down scent and delighting in soft dirt. “Smart owners with a dedicated digger will try to channel that drive rather than thwart it,” Gutierrez says. “Train a dog to dig in a specific area by burying favorite toys and treats as a reward. Deterrents such as like noisemakers or sprinklers can be used to keep them from digging in other areas.”

Gutierrez favors resilient woody shrubs and uses low wood trellises to protect newly established plantings. A strategically placed birdbath gently redirects any potential trampling.

Chewing dogs may suffer minor indigestion or skin irritation around the mouth if they tangle with toxic plants. Although most don’t ingest enough plant material to pose a serious health risk, some dogs will eat just about anything and need to be watched carefully. Even turf grass can cause an upset stomach. Diego isn’t prone to gnawing plants; however, he is fond of ripe berries and often grazes through the blackberry patch. Given this behavior, Gutierrez carefully removes any potentially toxic berry from the entire garden.

Those delicate Watsonia, Sparaxis, Lachenalia and other South African bulbs? They reside in containers – high on a shelf in the greenhouse safely out of reach of you-know-who.

Tagged as: angie's list, dogs, Northwest Garden News, pets, writing