Help Needed! Destroying Landscaping!!!!

[Walter323]

So lately Walter has decided to start destroying the landscaping shrubs and digging in the grass(turning it into mud and making a mess). I can never catch him in the act to scold him, what do I do?

I'm not real worried about this landscaping because it is god awful ugly and we are replacing it all this summer, but I don't want him to be in the habit of wrecking the new stuff when it goes in.

So I guess I have two questions:
1: Is there anything I can do to get him to stop chewing on it, or do I have to watch him non stop when he is outside to make sure he doesn't ( yes i know that sounds bad and I'm being lazy but Walter likes to hang out outside and watch people and hang out)

2. Any ideas for new plants to put in this summer that he won't try and destroy

thanks for any help

 

[2BullyMama]

When Banks was a puppy she beyond loved tearing into the grass/mud... now she likes to eat the grass, but not really dig any longer.

You can work eith Walter on days when you are out with him... use a squirt bottle with water and whenever he goes near the landscaping - squirt in face with a firm NO.

 

[BruceP]

Having a bully is much like having a young child and if its a young bully its like having an infant. Watch them constantly until they can learn what is right and wrong. I think maybe [MENTION=2]desertskybulldogs[/MENTION] has the best bully-proof gardens. Perhaps she will post a pic for you.

 

[Vicaroo1000]

I have to agree with these guys. In order to modify behavior, you have to be able to disagree --- and precisely so -- with the behaviors you DON'T want. That is going to take some effort from you by watching Walter and disagreeing with the behaviors you don't want (as [MENTION=2894]2BullyMama[/MENTION] and [MENTION=1034]BruceP[/MENTION] said) -- and then providing an alternative (a behavior you DO want). How about a nice new Nylabone to chew when he's outside "people watching" so he's motivated to leave the shrubbery alone?

Is Walter a puppy? Bo used to chew the crap out of one of the two rose bushes I have in the dog's yard --- but he's not into that anymore. Maybe Bo grew out of it? My dog yard is fenced but I still do not leave them outside and unsupervised for extended periods of time -- for many reasons.

The other thing is this: Both Bea and Bo get PLENTY of exercise and leadership too - and because of this, I believe they're too tired -- and fulfilled as dogs -- to need to entertain themselves by being destructive. It's winter and it's rainy, windy, crappy - but as Cesar puts it, "Dogs gotta travel". Its in their DNA.

 

[Sherry]

when mine where pups, I use to put fence around the special plants