Correct or deter unwanted behaviors with one of these high-quality dog repellents.
By Savannah Sher | Published Jul 22, 2022 9:34 AM
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Dogs bring endless joy to our lives, but they can also be menaces. Whether it’s because they’re marking furniture, trampling flower beds, or digging up carefully tended plants, sometimes a dog repellent is a necessity. Shopping for the best dog repellent can quickly become overwhelming because so many options are available at a wide range of prices. Keep reading to learn which features to look for when shopping for the best deterrent for dogs as well as the key considerations.
Learn our tips for choosing the best option, and explore our curated choices for the best repellent for dogs.
Dog Pepper Spray Vs Citronella Spray: My Experience
I’ve sprayed dogs with pepper spray when being chased by street dogs in Mexico. The effect on the dogs was instantaneous and intense.
The dogs were clearly miserable, and though they backed off, they actually seemed more upset than before. Reflecting back, I worry that they’ll now be more aggressive towards other joggers.
As for myself, I got a bit of blow-back on myself, causing me to cough for the rest of the run. Residue from the canister also got onto my hands and clothes, making my whole body burn until well after my jog had ended.
Additionally, the pepper spray only sprayed about 5 feet, meaning I couldn’t keep the dog at a distance that felt comfortable.
It was pretty terrible, especially the realization that spraying a dog with pepper spray got me a worse result (as far as my own pain and the pain for the dog) when citronella spray probably would have done the trick.
When I’ve used citronella spray, the dogs generally stop short and look scared, but they don’t have the intense pain reaction.
While pepper spray might be warranted in some scenarios, I have never had a dog keep coming after me after being sprayed with citronella spray – and I’ve sprayed a lot of dogs between my thousands of miles of walking and jogging and my years working with aggressive dogs.
In my experience, citronella spray has:
Now that I’ve convinced you on the merits of citronella spray over pepper spray, let’s talk about product recommendations!
Dog Repellent Plants
A natural plant barrier can be effective to keep dogs away from your yard. Specifically, prickly or thorny plants can do well to deter dogs—especially in hedge form or otherwise planted close together. Some dogs also dont like to walk on ground cover plants, especially vining ground covers that would be cumbersome to walk through.
✅ Top 5 Best Dog Repellent Sprays In 2022
When dogs are allowed to roam off-leash (or on very long leashes) they can do damage to your landscape. The need for effective dog repellents is clear to those who have had to clean up a neighbors dogs poop, for example. Fortunately, there are several ways to keep stray dogs off your lawn that wont harm the dogs. You can use home remedies for dog repellent, as well as commercial products. Theyre fairly inexpensive and easy to set up. But some, such as the scents that will keep dogs away, must be reapplied on a regular basis.
If youre struggling with how to keep dogs away from your yard, here are some methods that can help.