Help your dog burn off some of his impulses to chew with chew toys before taking him outside. That will make him less frantic to search for something to chew on in your or your neighbors’ gardens. Puppies and younger dogs especially love to chew, so you’ll want to keep an eagle eye on them around mulch.
Since my dogs were constantly ill, I had to keep an eye on them. Later, I saw that they were eating the compost mulch I had put in the backyard. I therefore had to figure out how to break this new habit.
The simplest way to prevent a dog from eating mulch is through training. The aroma of the mulch is the primary factor driving dogs to eat it. When a dog eats mulch, it would probably get sick. Why? Dogs can’t digest wood chip mulch.
This article goes into great detail on how to prevent your dog from eating mulch. Additionally, it discusses which mulches are harmful for pets and why dogs eat certain types of mulch.
What Is the Problem with Mulch?
Mulch can come with a wide variety of issues for your dog, which is why it is so important for you to try and keep your dog from chewing and eating it as much as possible.
The fact that the wood chips in mulch are not intended for dogs to eat is one of the biggest risks it presents. You may encounter a number of issues depending on the size of the wood chips.
Smaller wood chips have the threat of causing an intestinal blockage, perforations, and other similar problems. Not to mention that a dog’s stomach is not designed to break down pure wood like that.
No matter how big the wood piece is, swallowing and eating it can cause indigestion, intestinal distress, and discomfort in your dog.
The danger increases as the size of the wood pieces. They have a much higher likelihood of getting stuck somewhere in your dog’s digestive tract, and they also have a higher likelihood of getting stuck in the dog’s windpipe.
You should take all reasonable precautions to keep your dog away from any particularly large wood chips in any mulch that your dog has shown an interest in.
Mulch can contain mold because of how moist it is. In addition to containing mold, it may also contain leftover pesticides. Both of these can make your dog throw up, have diarrhea, tremble, have seizures, and more.
The same toxins that make chocolate dangerous for dogs are also present in cocoa bean mulch, giving it a higher propensity to develop mold.
Mulch has a lot of drawbacks, so you’ll want to do everything in your power to keep your dog as far away from the mulch as you can. You might be able to train your dog to lose interest in mulch if it is younger and more receptive to training and learning commands.
Otherwise, you will just need to warn the dog away from mulch while you go for your daily walks.
Why Is Eating Mulch So Bad?
Understanding why your dog should avoid eating mulch is crucial in the beginning. The possibility exists that your dog could become seriously ill if it decides to eat mulch.
Various sizes and types of mulch are available, but many people choose to use wood chips instead. Your garden will have a nicer aesthetic with the addition of wood chips.
The wood chips probably appeal to your dogs as well because they smell good. Dogs enjoy chewing on wood chips because they believe it is a good feeling for their gums.
You might find that a little strange, but dogs perceive the world in a different way than people do. Although you are aware that dogs enjoy wood chips, you should concentrate on the reasons why it’s crucial to keep your dogs away from them.
It’s possible that a dog who consumes wood chips could become seriously ill. Even though the dog will probably vomit, things could get much worse.
In some cases, dogs have had intestinal blockage issues due to eating wood chips. Wood chips can also carry different types of mold that could make your dog ill.
Wood chips may contain trace amounts of pesticides that are dangerous to your pets if you spray your garden area to kill bugs. It’s obvious why feeding your dog wood chips is bad, and you should make an effort to keep your dog from doing this.
1 – Block the Dog From Having Access to the Wood Chips
Making an effort to prevent your dog from accessing the wood chips is one of the best things you can do. There are actually many approaches you can take, but no matter what you decide to do, it won’t be that difficult.
You could install some low fencing (like this) that will keep the wood chips from being readily accessible. This will make it so that your dogs would have to go out of their way to get to the wood chips.
Some people will construct a barrier between the garden area and the areas where the dogs can roam outdoors in order to make the wood chips completely inaccessible. You might be able to control where your dog stays in the yard so that there are no wood chips present at all.
If the dogs need to exercise, for example, you could use fencing to make a space in your backyard where they can play. The dogs won’t be able to venture outside of that confinement, so they won’t be consuming wood chips when they do so.
While it’s true that you’ll have to spend some money if you choose this course, it usually won’t be prohibitively expensive. If you visit several hardware stores, you can find fencing at affordable prices.
You could devise a novel way to prevent your dogs from accessing the wood chips as well. If using fencing doesn’t appeal to you, you might be able to think outside the box and come up with an idea that is ideal for your situation.
It is possible to train dogs very well so that they will behave and avoid getting into trouble. Have you considered training your dog to stop doing things that it isn’t supposed to?
You could attempt to teach your dog to avoid objects that it shouldn’t enter using conventional training techniques. The same kind of training that people use to prevent dogs from getting into the trash can also be used to keep dogs out of garden areas.
Of course, not everyone is going to be an excellent dog trainer. You might struggle with this because you have no idea how to go about doing it.
You could enroll your dog in a training facility or hire a specialist to assist with the training of your dog. If your dog exhibits other behavioral problems, it might be a good idea to look into this.
Since hiring a dog trainer can be quite expensive, this might not be feasible for everyone. If you want to try training a dog by yourself, keep in mind that it will be easier if you start when they are still puppies.
If you take your dog for a walk in your yard, you could try distracting it to prevent it from trying to grab mulch. When you walk your dog, it would be a good idea to try to steer it clear of the mulch as well.
If you really try, you can easily divert dogs with other things. To keep dogs busy, some people even carry chew toys and similar items.
It will help if you give the dog something to chew on other than mulch. Your dog will probably choose its preferred chew toy over the wood chips.
Additionally, if you are directly in front of your dog, you can stop it if it tries to eat wood chips. If you’re this vigilant, you’ll be able to prevent anything bad from happening.
When you let your dogs out in the yard unattended, the issue gets worse. This is when the aforementioned dog training will be useful, but it might just be best to keep an eye on your dogs in the yard.
Sprays that act as repellents are available to prevent dogs from attempting to approach wood chips. You can apply substances to the mulch to alter its flavor.
To prevent dogs and other animals from attempting to eat it, you can find a nontoxic spray that works wonders. Dogs won’t enjoy the taste of the wood chips at all due to the spray’s extremely potent flavor.
The sprays won’t harm your wood chips in any way, and even if your dog does try to put a wood chip in its mouth, they won’t hurt it. If you’re willing to spend the time to spray your mulch, this might be the ideal solution to your issue.
Some people have created DIY mulch sprays that perform admirably. You could create a spray by combining vinegar and water that will deter dogs from wanting to eat the mulch.
Even a citrus spray will deter your dogs from consuming the mulch. If you dislike the overpowering vinegar smell, it might be preferable to using a vinegar spray.
FAQ
What happens if my dog eats mulch?
Any kind of mulch might contain pesticides or molds that are toxic to dogs if consumed. Mold can grow on cocoa bean mulch, and other types of mulch may have molds like penitrem A and roquefortine that can cause nausea, diarrhea, tremors, or seizures. A more severe toxic reaction could even be fatal.
What deters dogs from eating mulch?
- Spray It With Citrus. Experts tell us that dogs dislike the smell of citrus.
- Use Cayenne Pepper. …
- Add Vinegar. …
- Try Ammonia, If You Can Stomach It. …
- Place Posts in the Beds. …
- Add Paths. …
- Add Wire. …
- Create a Fence Barrier.
How do I stop my dog from eating bark chips?
Use disincentives – tell them “no” as they approach or begin eating wood. When they approach the wood, shake a can of coins over their heads. If they manage to get their hands on a piece, put them in their “bad room” and ignore them for a while. Reward them with treats for good behavior.
Why does my dog eat mulch and dirt?
Dogs eat dirt for a number of reasons. Boredom, stress, or the simple smell of something delicious mixed in the mud could all be contributing factors to the desire to eat the soil. But according to the American Kennel Club (AKC), it could also be a sign of a underlying medical condition or a lack of adequate nutrition.