How do I stop my dogs from destroying my plants?

You can keep your indoor plants away from your dogs by placing them on a platform. Training your dogs to listen to the “stop” command using treats is also best. Giving your dogs an alternative activity can also lessen their drive to dig and zoom around, which can help them control their urges.

Why do dogs destroy plants?

Being a plant and animal lover can sometimes be stressful and challenging. Especially if you have hyperactive dogs that love running around.

A destroyed plant bed or two is typical in most households with animals and pets.

However, you can’t entirely blame your pup for this - it’s just a part of who they are!

They love digging around and burying items like their ancestors when they try to hide and preserve their food.

There are several more reasons why your dog seemingly loves to kill your plants. Here are a few more:

They are curious

Curiosity kills the… plant.

Dogs are smart creatures that love adventures. These can go from running around the park to digging on your sofa to look at the foam inside.

This might also be the case when your dog destroys your plants.

The smell and texture of the plants and the soil might have piqued their interest! After all, they learn about their environment mainly by using their noses.

They have a high prey drive

Another reason why dogs dig around the garden or even in indoor plant boxes is because of their predatory instinct.

Whenever dogs hear insects and other critters in garden boxes, they love to investigate and see if the animals making the sounds are edible.

This behavior can be traced back to their ancestors, who used to hunt for food.

They are looking for attention

Have you been extra busy at work lately?

This might be why your pup has been extra destructive, too!

As much as we want to stay with our dogs all day, this isn’t possible, especially for people with long working hours.

However, if you continually give little attention to your pup, they’ll try to catch your attention by doing things that make you react.

Examples of these are:

• Chewing on your footwear.
• Constantly vocalizing and howling.
• Being physically close to you and nudging you.
• Jumping on your sofa and other places where they’re not allowed.

How to stop dogs from destroying plants?

Giving your dogs ample exercise and mental stimulation can drastically improve their behavior at home.

If your pup has a healthy way to spend their energy, you’ll be sure to see changes and won’t have to protect your plants from them.

You can also start to train them to listen to the “stop” command so you can call them out and make them drop whatever it is they’re doing. Remember only to use positive reinforcements through praises and treats - it’s the best way to train your dogs without destroying your relationship with them!