# Pulling up plants



## Goldengal9 (Apr 18, 2012)

I'm having a similar problem with zoey only it's the grass. Anytime she is left alone ( not really alone just when someone runs into the house for something or even down the other end of the yard) she pull a mouthful of grass up by the roots and the starts digging in the bare space it left.


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## caseypooh (Dec 30, 2010)

Goldengal9 said:


> I'm having a similar problem with zoey only it's the grass. Anytime she is left alone ( not really alone just when someone runs into the house for something or even down the other end of the yard) she pull a mouthful of grass up by the roots and the starts digging in the bare space it left.


Oh my gosh! I guess there isn't anything we can do except say no when we can. I'm with Jessie too but it's the minute I go get tea or something. We don't really have any grass left. I have been spraying bitter apple on the plants when we go out there. I was thinking of putting lots of balls out there to keep her attention on them. I read about a sand box for dogs too. My neighbor said to sprinkle a little cayenne pepper around them but I'm worried about it harming her.


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## lgnutah (Feb 26, 2007)

I had to smile when I saw your thread title, and that it was in the puppies forum.....cause that is exactly what Brooks did when he was little (luckily they grow out of it). I think they smell your scent on the plants, realize you were digging in the soil, so want to get that thing that you were holding and dig it out!
My solution: I just stopped planting any new plants in any area Brooks had access to until he got older. (Probably not the idea you were hoping to hear)


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## caseypooh (Dec 30, 2010)

lgnutah said:


> I had to smile when I saw your thread title, and that it was in the puppies forum.....cause that is exactly what Brooks did when he was little (luckily they grow out of it). I think they smell your scent on the plants, realize you were digging in the soil, so want to get that thing that you were holding and dig it out!
> My solution: I just stopped planting any new plants in any area Brooks had access to until he got older. (Probably not the idea you were hoping to hear)


I can wait too, she really does look happy tossing them around. They are liriopes.


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## Max's Dad (Apr 23, 2012)

When Max was a puppy, about 4 to 6 months old, we had just planted our backyard. About 100 plants in all. A long , narrow flower bed along the side fence and a square planter next to the patio. Max pulled out 40 to 50 plants. There was no stopping him. And a got quite good at it. The square planter is now grass. 

He has left the plants alone for over a year now. We are thinking about adding a few new plants soon . . .


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## caseypooh (Dec 30, 2010)

Max's Dad said:


> When Max was a puppy, about 4 to 6 months old, we had just planted our backyard. About 100 plants in all. A long , narrow flower bed along the side fence and a square planter next to the patio. Max pulled out 40 to 50 plants. There was no stopping him. And a got quite good at it. The square planter is now grass.
> 
> He has left the plants alone for over a year now. We are thinking about adding a few new plants soon . . .


That is so funny, he is smiling in his picture. He looks like he is so happy. You will have to let me know how the next round turns out!


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## GoldensGirl (Aug 2, 2010)

When you're planting where a pup might pull things up, it's wise to check for plant toxicity: ASPCA | Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants. A lot of common plants are dangerous for our fur people.

I write this in sad memory of my beloved Sabrina, who once pulled up a lot of recently-planted azaleas. She also dug up bulbs that I planted, little knowing that some of them were dangerous for dogs. When she was diagnosed with kidney disease, I was left agonizing over the possibility that I had endangered her and contributed to the disease that stole her from me. I hope that nobody else lives through that nightmare.


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## caseypooh (Dec 30, 2010)

GoldensGirl said:


> When you're planting where a pup might pull things up, it's wise to check for plant toxicity: ASPCA | Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants. A lot of common plants are dangerous for our fur people.
> 
> I write this in sad memory of my beloved Sabrina, who once pulled up a lot of recently-planted azaleas. She also dug up bulbs that I planted, little knowing that some of them were dangerous for dogs. When she was diagnosed with kidney disease, I was left agonizing over the possibility that I had endangered her and contributed to the disease that stole her from me. I hope that nobody else lives through that nightmare.


Lucy, you are right. I have researched and researched plants. There isn't that many that are safe for our dogs and cats. We have to be so careful. Try not to be hard on yourself about your loved Sabrina, we can only protect them so much. We can only do the best we can.


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## Max's Dad (Apr 23, 2012)

caseypooh said:


> Well, I thought I might try and put some plants in along our patio in the backyard. Does anyone have any good ideas to keep Jessie from pulling them up? She knows the leave-it command but these are like telling me not to eat a cookie. She was having a ball this morning!
> 
> Thank you for any ideas!


By the way, in our yard, along the fence, there is a 3 foot high retaining wall. It protected the plants until Max was big enough to jump up over it. We tried protecting the planter by the patio with a couple of different small fences. Neither was a match for a determined puppy. 

And yes, Max is a very happy dog.


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## GoldensGirl (Aug 2, 2010)

Living in an area with a lot of deer, I have seen gardeners cover newly planted beds with a plastic mesh. The openings are large enough that the plants can grow through the mesh and small enough that it is almost impossible for an animal to uproot the plants. I think places like Home Depot sell these products and landscaping shops are sure to.


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## eslucky (May 10, 2012)

My puppy Daisy does the same thing but she is getting a little bit better. She will even go after the bottom leaves and flowers on the rose bushes. She is improving but has a long way to go.

Her favorite was a sunflower plant (checked non-poisonous). You can see in the pic below the torn up leaves. After it bloomed I just pulled it up. It wasn't worth arguing with her about


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## GoldenMum (Mar 15, 2010)

My neighbor used to laugh as he watched me garden, he'd say "You'll never have any flowers!" Bonnie and Clyde used to grab plants, and then play tug of war with them. By about 3, we had lovely flowers!


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## ms_summer (Mar 23, 2012)

I honestly gave up on my yard the minute we brought Summer home... my yard was BEAUTIFUL (!!!) and she destroyed it all. not even the best treat in the world kept my girl away from the plants... so now i decided that we only putting new stuff there after she is one and a half. she'll have to entertain herself with the trees and the boring grass now (although she has been destroying the grass now too!!!! ugh!)


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## Goldengal9 (Apr 18, 2012)

Zoey has at least getting better with flowers on walks....or maybe we just do better at keeping her away from them. She didn't even slow down or stop to sniff at them. Just bit them off on her way by. Which of course made me panic and grab them from her mouth....


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## lgnutah (Feb 26, 2007)

GoldensGirl said:


> I write this in sad memory of my beloved Sabrina, who once pulled up a lot of recently-planted azaleas. She also dug up bulbs that I planted, little knowing that some of them were dangerous for dogs. When she was diagnosed with kidney disease, I was left agonizing over the possibility that I had endangered her and contributed to the disease that stole her from me. I hope that nobody else lives through that nightmare.



There is no way to be sure if it was the plants. I have azaleas all over my property (if you live in the southeast, you have azaleas) and when Brooks was a puppy he chewed them down to the ground.


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## Aspen's Mom (May 15, 2012)

I planted a bunch of new Hostas and Astillbes this year...Aspen has destroyed them all. We are lucky enough to have a doggie door, so when she digs up the plants, she brings them (and the root balls!) INSIDE to play with. Not so much fun to clean up! I'm giving up on planting anything in the back yard until she's more mature. My front yard looks fabulous, however!


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## caseypooh (Dec 30, 2010)

These stories are so funny, thank you everybody. I know I'm not the only gardener out there now, I know I am giggled at by our neighbors!


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## wmag (Mar 17, 2011)

Kasey loves to eat my plants! I have decided to pull everything up in the backyard because I am tired of pulling everything out of her mouth. She is really great with me putting my hand in her mouth all the time at least! I just have to find time to dig everything and part of me is still hoping she will stop! For now I take bitter apple outside and spray everything and that works until the next day when I have to spray all over again!


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## dezymond (May 3, 2012)

I bought about $80 worth of fencing to keep Maverick out of my bushes. That lasted a month, he figured out how to go around and well let's say one plant has seen better days. Mine is 4mo old, so I'll see if he grows out of this phase, but for now, those are his plants.


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## McCleskey (Jun 22, 2016)

Liriope??? Oh my gosh! My border collie is ripping mine up too! I replanted one five times. After she pulled it up the 6th time, I planted it out front. Now she has focused in on another one. I'm so frustrated.


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## Ksdenton (Mar 17, 2013)

I'm so happy to read this. We need to plant some things in both our front and back yards. Guess I'll keep putting off the backyard. 
Chase likes to dog holes. He acts like he hears something underground and he has to find it. I've never believed him and he hasn't found it yet.


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