How can I deter my puppy from digging in my perennial garden?

Question:

We have a new puppy who is digging in our perennial garden. What can we do to deter her from digging in garden and lawn?

Answer:

Abi Griffith, Horticulture Community Education Assistant

Puppies!  Good thing they are so cute because they are a lot of work! I’m including an article about creating pet safe gardens and some things they suggest include creating barriers around certain areas of your landscape with temporary fencing to keep your dog out, or even creating a “dig area” for your dog. This dogscaping article may be of interest to you as well.  Puppies usually don’t make great choices when unsupervised, so for this first part of their life, you may need to be more vigilant to distract them away from digging or get them interested in a chew toy or ball instead!