We’ve had a few beautiful days, perfect for gardening. I love to poke around in the dirt, plant seeds, tend to the plants. Lila seems to like it too. She’s been helping me garden. But her idea of gardening is different from mine. She also likes to dig, but she digs where I’ve already planted. She prefers to eat the flowers, not look at them. She thinks watering the plants is a great game, perfect for trying to eat the sprinkler as the water comes out.
My garden wasn’t designed for a puppy. I moved in here ten years ago with an eleven year old dog. Katie loved it here. For five years. She’d sit on the big rock by my entry stairs and bark all day. That is, until she went deaf. Then she stopped barking. Lila, on the other hand, is only six months old and thinks the world is her playpen. There are meandering paths through my garden areas. I wasn’t sure how I was going to keep her away from the plants. (I gave Lila a big knuckle bone and that helps somewhat.) It seemed impossible to fence off the vegetable garden. But I found some small, portable wire fencing at Canadian Tire that works well. Lila respects these borders as long as a flower doesn’t extend over the fence, especially if it is a daffodil. This will take some work. But I think it can happen. I’m scheduled to be on an artists’ garden tour June 25. That’s good inspiration to make it work.
I remember planting a clematis and sitting back proudly viewing my new plant.....in dashed Fancy (our corgi) at the tender age of 4 months and she snatched the plant right out of the ground! She tore off with me hot on her heels. I grabbed her shouting NO! (Reflex action on my part.) She was so surprised she dropped the plant and I hustled her into the house "bitching" at her all the way. I went outside to re-plant and then went back to see Fancy. She looked questioningly at me and I made peace with her. We went outside again and I watched her. She cautiously went near the plant and I told her in a very low tone not to touch it. She looked at me and that was it. It was left alone from then on. Other plants? I'd just anticipate her interest and tell her to leave it alone. Eventually, she left all plants alone. I wish you similar success.
Posted by: notdotdot at May 16, 2006 12:01 PMCame across your blog as a link from Ronni Bennet. I like the look of your dog - what breed is she? I have a six month old cairn terrier who adores digging. No use for the garden, but might help with the builders when they come to do an extension next month.
Posted by: Freda at May 16, 2006 12:58 PMLila is a Portuguese Water Dog, Freda. So far she hasn't been digging too extensively (yet), except once around two globe cedars. And then she lay down in the cool dirt between the bushes. Of course I filled it in later, which seemed fine to her (so far). I'm planning on getting her a sandbox and also a wading pool.
She does seem to listen when I tell her not to eat the flowers. But there are so many temptations in the way my garden is laid out, it will be interesting as the summer progresses to see what happens.
Posted by: Leya at May 17, 2006 07:40 PM