How to Make Dog Repellent for Mulch

It is gross, but true: Dogs love mulch. If you cannot keep your own pet or someone else's out of your freshly mulched garden or lawn island area, then you are probably desperate to get some type of repellent in place that will not hurt the dogs but discourage them from digging up your garden. Fortunately, there are several natural ways that you can make mulch much less fun for a dog.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Hot chile sauce
• Spray bottle
• Cayenne pepper
• Coffee grounds
• Sweet gum tree gumballs
• Large paper bag
• Pencil

1. Mix hot chile sauce and water together to make a repellent spray. Spray this on the ground around your plants and it will discourage your dog from chewing the mulch. However, do not spray it on the leaves of your plants. Do not use this repellent if you have cats, because it can get in cats' eyes when they wash.

2. Mix cayenne pepper and dry, unbrewed coffee grounds in a paper bag. Poke some holes in the bottom of the bag with a pencil and then sprinkle the mixture on dry mulch. You will have to re-treat the area after a rain.

3. Spread a carpet of sweetgum balls in the area you are trying to protect. This can make it uncomfortable for dogs to dig or walk in the mulched area.

Tips & Warnings

• With any type of dog repellent for mulch, you will have to take the traits of the dogs into question. Some dogs love things that others will not touch, so you may have to do some experimenting.

References

• Types of natural animal repellents.