# Garden stone deterrent advice please!



## Helsbelles (Jul 19, 2013)

Hi, we've had our adorable little bundle for a week now, she seems to have the chewing stones obsession and I do make her drop them but I'm really worried she may be swallowing the smaller ones. The problem is my garden is covered in small stones on EVERY border and ALL OVER the rockeries!!! eeek! 

We can't really fence them off and there are so many ..everywhere!...I don't think it's an option to clear them all, it would mean major work and completely re doing the whole garden ...not feasible in the short-term.

Can anyone therefore advise on deterrents instead....I've read about bitter apple to use on indoor furnishings but would this work outside? I'm thinking the rain would wash it off!? do they do very large sizes to spray in the garden? Is it ok to spray bitter apple in the garden? Or is there some other solutions??

I obviously watch her closely when she's in the garden but longer term when shes an adult this isn't really practical....Help!!

(If removing them is the only option then of course I will do anything to protect our beautiful pooch, but I'd like to explore all options first.)

Thanks


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## tessybear (May 1, 2011)

They soon grow out of that stage, you just have to be very vigilant and watch them the whole time. Dexter ate everything he could in my garden, snails, plants, grass, flowers, stones. I was constantly removing things from his mouth. It was exhausting but it will soon pass. Have plenty of toys to distract him when he is outside, good luck!


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## RuthMill (Jun 30, 2012)

She will grow out of it. Just keep reinforcing that she isn't allowed and give her lots of other distractions. Small balls and things that she can safely carry in her mouth, both of mine love to carry little balls (like mini king balls) in their mouths. 

You can also get netting. It's quite inexpensive and you would just lay it over all of the areas. I understand it may take a bit of effort but for peace of mind if you can't be with her at all times outside?


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## AliAlfie (Jul 29, 2013)

tessybear said:


> They soon grow out of that stage, you just have to be very vigilant and watch them the whole time. Dexter ate everything he could in my garden, snails, plants, grass, flowers, stones. I was constantly removing things from his mouth. It was exhausting but it will soon pass. Have plenty of toys to distract him when he is outside, good luck!


Thanks, that's really helpful to know it will pass, as our two are the same, (Alfie is the worst!) and its the stones that worry me the most. We are constantly taking 'something' out of their mouths, be it grass, moss, shells, stones, etc. and its the stones that worry me too.


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## Helsbelles (Jul 19, 2013)

Thanks for the tips, I'm a little less worried now. I always watch her while in the garden, will get some more balls today to keep in garden and consider netting too,

Thanks again


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## RangerC (Jan 23, 2013)

Barney did the same when we first had him but the phase passed so quickly I never got around to posting what to do about it. He does still go for larger pieces of bark clippings though but will run off if I say leave it because he just knows he's not supposed to have it.


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## Sue T (Aug 1, 2012)

Hi. My girl is 12 months old and even now puts stones, twigs and leaves in her mouth despite the "leave it" command. I think we have progressed from puppy stage to teenage rebellion because she does know its wrong. We therefore do not allow her in the garden area where the hazards are, and she is for the time being restricted to the patio. I would also be careful as to what outdoor plants you have also as some can be toxic to dogs.


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## jos (Feb 9, 2012)

I have no chance - ted is nearly two and a half and he still picks up stones and every other thing he can find.....he tries to eat tissue, chews his blankets and tennis balls. But only when we are there with him, when he's on his own in the house he doesn't chew/eat anything - just attention seeking I think
But he plays with tones more than eats them, he throws them around and pounces on them, quite cute really


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## Helsbelles (Jul 19, 2013)

Luckily she's not all that interested in the bushes, we don't have many outdoor plants but may trim bushes back any way to be safe. She picks up fallen leaves and she has eaten grass from the first day we had her and my experience from a previous dog thought she might have upset tum and want to be sick but hasn't yet. 

I do watch her constantly in the garden as also trying to train her to do business in one spot so treat her is she does so (she's kind of getting the idea already which after a week impresses me...clever girl!)

On a side note I'm really surprised at how quickly she is learning the training for sit, lie down and roll over, if she sees it's training time she will instantly lie down and even rolled over on her back before I said anything and that was 24hrs after showing her it the first time!!...I'm hoping it's not just beginners luck! roud:


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## MillieC (Aug 18, 2013)

Hi,
Just read the thread about stones in the garden - do you still have the problem? My little girl Millie does all the things that have been talked about, she's 19 weeks now and she finds stones to play with rather than eat! We recently re-turfed part of the garden, to get rid of the stone problem but just caused another problem. The new turf had been treated with liquid manure and was quite long - thinking we had been very clever covering up the stones Millie thought the new turf was great to tear up and eat! We had to stand guard every time we let her into the garden - it was all very difficult, in sheer desperation we bought some temporary fencing which seems to have done the trick although I have seen Millie trying to climb over............when do they start to settle down!! 
Good luck - let me know how it's all going.
Julie


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## Lexi&Beemer (May 5, 2013)

So I gave up on the grass. It's all spotty now. They've gotten better about the rocks.


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## Helsbelles (Jul 19, 2013)

MillieC, sorry for late reply our little tinker has been keeping me very busy!! 

Well after close observation she does only seem to be playing with the stones and then dropping them but I do pries a few out when I can get hold of her! 

I also thought I was being clever the other day hacking down a bush that had suspicious looking berries on (not sure if they were poisonous to dogs but Rosie was taking an interest so their fate was sealed). Anyhow after hacking said bush down I then realised the bush now had pointy sticky up very strong stems like daggers coming out of the ground so was then worried Rosie may run into them and injure herself!! I had to therefore then find a strong plastic box to place over them!...our garden is looking less attractive by the day.

The clever little girl is starting to do her business in the right place in the garden so at least the grass may be saved lol adn she is a joy to be around, can't imagine our house without Rosie in it any more


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