How to Stop a Dog from Eating Plants

Some dogs will even eat cactus.

You may be sick of teeth marks in your tiger lilies, bites out of your begonias and chunks of cactus being torn away because the dog likes to dine on them. You can stop dogs from eating plants with a lot of monitoring and a few simple steps.

Things You'll Need

• Water
• Cayenne pepper or other deterrent

Instructions

1. Mist the plants lightly with water to dampen the surface.

2. Sprinkle the plants with very generous amounts of cayenne pepper. If this doesn’t do the trick, try Tabasco or a store-bought anti-chewing product sold at pet stores.

3. Use the cayenne or other deterrent daily until the dog gets the hint. Reinforce the hint by saying "No!" when you see your dog heading toward the plant.

4. If it’s still not working, either move the plant to a higher location or place chicken wire or decorative iron caging around it. Upside down tomato cages will work outdoors.

Tips & Warnings

• Cayenne pepper is good because it’s cheap and easy to see when it’s on the plant.

• Stock up on cheap cayenne at your dollar store or at bulk spice warehouses.