Dog Repellent For Yards

You’ve poured time, money, and hard work into having a beautiful lawn. The last thing you want is for your property to lose curb appeal with unsightly brown spots, messy holes, and animal droppings.

Dogs are common culprits of turfgrass damage, whether they’re strays or on seemingly harmless leashed walks. No matter what type of pup is trespassing on your property, you can take steps to repel it and maintain mess-free, green grass.

Commercial Dog Repellents

Store-bought dog repellents can get pricey because they need to be reapplied often. Its also expected that these products may contain harsh chemicals to make them more effective. Read the labels carefully to make sure they are safe to use around your home, especially if you have small children.

Dog Repellant Sprays

There are numerous dog repellent sprays on the market. Many are made to protect humans from dog attacks, but others better suited for yards make use of the fact that dogs dislike the smell of citrus, pepper, and even citronella. But unlike with actual orange peels, sprinkling or spraying citrusy repellents in the front yard will not create an eyesore. These dog repellents come in both granule and spray form.

Critter Ridder is an organic dog repellent put out by the same brain trust behind Havahart traps (humane traps used to relocate live animals). Available in both granules and sprays, Critter Ridder works as a dog repellent because it gives off a smell of black pepper, which our canine friends find offensive. Havahart also offers Cat & Dog Granular Animal Repellent. The selling point of this product is that it is supposed to be long-lasting (up to 60 days).

Liquid Fence works on a different principle. This dog repellent depends on the fact that dogs seek out areas with familiar smells in which to do their business. Liquid Fence masks those smells. So instead of repulsing dogs with offensive odors, this product removes the welcoming odors and discourages them from conducting any business in your yard. Be sure to get the Liquid Fence specially formulated for dogs.

DIY Repellant Sprays

Some dog repellant products, commercial or DIY, can be problematic. For example, dogs may hate the smell of any type of pepper, but sprinkling it on the ground can burn a pets skin and mouth, and the rain will wash it away quickly, requiring frequent reapplication, anyhow. Other products sprinkled, poured, or sprayed on the ground tend to diminish in their effectiveness after a rain. A good dog repellant is safe and low-cost for pets, no matter how many times reapplication is necessary. Luckily, there are a couple of DIY options.

Use water combined with either ammonia or vinegar as a homemade spray. These ingredients are readily available and inexpensive products right off the kitchen shelf, saving you a trip to the home improvement center. All you need to do is combine in a clean spray bottle a 50/50 solution of ammonia or vinegar (white or even apple cider vinegar will do) and water, then spray areas from which youd like to deter dogs.

Neither ammonia nor vinegar should be sprayed directly onto any lawn grass or landscape plants that you care about, as sufficient amounts will kill vegetation. Ammonia and vinegar are best used as dog repellents for around the perimeter of your property, forming a stinky, invisible barrier that keeps dogs away.

Do not mix vinegar and ammonia. Use the ingredients separately. Though its not dangerous to mix them, vinegar and ammonia neutralize each other when combined, resulting in an ineffective solution of saltwater.

FAQ

How can I keep my neighbor’s dog out of my yard?

Ammonia and vinegar are best used as dog repellents for around the perimeter of your property, forming a stinky, invisible barrier that keeps dogs away.

What can I put down to keep dogs from pooping in my yard?

9 ways to keep your neighbor’s dog from pooping in your yard
  1. Use dog-repelling scents. …
  2. Put up a barrier around your yard. …
  3. Install motion-activated lawn sprinklers. …
  4. Buy an ultrasonic repelling device. …
  5. Get a poop bag dispenser. …
  6. Talk to your neighbor (calmly) …
  7. Put up signs. …
  8. Install security cameras.