The Best Methods to Keep Dogs Out of Your Yard

They may be adorable furry friends to some, but to others, dogs can be a bit more troublesome. If you're wondering how to keep dogs out of your yard without causing any harm, there are several ways to go about it. From DIY repellents and lawn ornaments to specialty fertilizers and plants, there are many options to keep dogs away from your property. Keep reading to learn several methods that can help keep dogs at bay.

Why You Should Keep Dogs Off Your Lawn

Keeping dogs out of your yard goes beyond just wanting to avoid having to pick up unexpected dog poop. Dog urine can damage grass and other plants. Plus, some dogs might dig in your yard, as well as chew on or otherwise damage landscaping. If you're not a pet owner yourself, you may have some plants in your landscape that are toxic to dogs. And if you have an edible garden, damage from a dog or dog waste might cause you to lose your crops.

DIY Repellent Sprays

There are several smells that will keep dogs away from your yard, but some products—both DIY and commercial—can be problematic. Do not use any type of pepper as a dog repellent, as it can be harmful to the dog if they inhale it. A good DIY dog repellent spray is one that is safe for the dogs and low cost for you.

• Pro: Easy to make on your own with ingredients at home.
• Con: Ingredients may be harmful to dogs and other animals.

Vinegar

You can use vinegar to keep dogs away from your lawn by spraying it around the perimeter of the area you want to be canine-free. Dogs don't like the strong smell of vinegar and thus will be deterred by it.

Using white vinegar is typically the most inexpensive option, but any vinegar will do. You can use it straight or dilute it down to as much as a 50-50 vinegar-water solution in a spray bottle. However, do note that to protect your plants, stick to using it along sidewalks or pathways. Reapply when you can no longer smell it.

• Pro: Vinegar can help to neutralize urine odors, so passing dogs won't be compelled to mark over where another dog had previously peed.
• Con: Sufficient amounts of vinegar can kill vegetation, including lawn grass. Some people use vinegar as a natural weed killer.

Oranges and Other Citrus Fruits

Dogs also dislike the smell of citrus. So you can use citrus essential oils or even the peels as a dog repellent. If you want to avoid peels, lightly spritz citrus essential oil where you want to repel dogs instead. But don't get too heavy-handed with it, as citrus can be somewhat toxic to dogs. The goal is for the scent to be present without providing enough for the dog to ingest.

• Pro: Can make for good compost to help your garden.
• Con: Peels can be unsightly when scattered in your front yard, and might attract other critters such as rodents.

Commercial Dog Repellents

Store-bought dog repellents can get pricey because they need to be reapplied often. These products also might contain harsh chemicals. So read the labels carefully to make sure they are safe to use around your home.

Dog Repellent Sprays

There are numerous dog repellent sprays on the market. Many are meant to protect humans from dog attacks, but others are suited for yards and contain scents that dogs don't like. These dog repellents come in both granule and spray forms.

• Pro: Easily available to ready to use.
• Con: Might contain harsh chemicals.

Critter Ridder

Critter Ridder is an organic dog repellent put out by the maker of 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 canines find offensive. Havahart also offers Cat & Dog Granular Animal Repellent. One major selling point of this product is that it is supposed to be long-lasting (up to 60 days).

• Pro: Organic option
• Con: Users say it is not strong enough to ward off animals and needs to be frequently reapplied.

Liquid Fence

Liquid Fence works on a different principle from many other dog repellents. It depends on the fact that dogs seek out areas with familiar smells to do their business. Liquid Fence masks those smells. So instead of repulsing dogs with offensive odors, this product removes the welcoming odors and helps to keep dogs from peeing and pooping in your yard. Be sure to get the Liquid Fence specially formulated for dogs.

• Pro: Odorless once dried.
• Con: Can be harmful if swallowed.

Plant-Based Fertilizer

Certain types of fertilizers can actually attract dogs, especially ones that contain bone meal, fish, and blood. The smells of these products can bring in curious canines who might be interested in eating the fertilizer.

To avoid unintentionally drawing dogs to your lawn, try switching to a plant-based fertilizer. Its smells shouldn't be as appealing to canines.

• Pro: An organic option to use for gardening.
• Con: Quick-release options can be too rich for your lawn and plants and lead to plant burn.

Dog Repellent Plants

A natural plant barrier can be effective in keeping dogs away from your yard. Specifically, prickly or thorny plants can do well to deter dogs—especially in hedge form or otherwise planted close together. Some dogs also don't like to walk on ground cover plants, especially vining ground covers that would be cumbersome to walk through. 

Freshly planted or harvested thyme, rosemary, mint, and basil have been known to repel dogs. The intense aroma that these herbs emit is due to a high concentration of oil that dogs are not fond of and will likely stay away from, so consider adding these to your yard as well.

• Pro: Organic option, but prickly varieties can cause injury to curious dogs.
• Con: Require upkeep and maintenance, which can be a burden for those who don't have the time or want to care for plants.

Dog Repellent Gadgets

Most gadgets that repel dogs will also repel other types of wildlife, including cats, deer, rabbits, and raccoons. They are typically safe and quiet, and they use little electricity to do the job. Beware, though, that motion-activated gadgets can set off any time they sense motion, even human movement. So you might not want to use them in high-traffic areas for people.

Scarecrow Sprinklers

Unlike dog repellents that come in powder, granule, or spray (liquid) form, no reapplication is required with gadgets like motion-activated scarecrow sprinklers. These can be found under many brand names, such as Orbit, Havahart, and Hoont. Just hook the scarecrow sprinkler up to your garden hose, and let its motion-activated sprinkler mechanism do the work to scare dogs away.

Another advantage of this product is that there is no need to take separate control measures against each of the various types of pests that might infiltrate your yard. Scarecrow sprinklers will repel stray cats and garden pests just as surely as they will keep dogs away from your yard.

• Pro: Motion-activated and can repel other animals.
• Con: Can be considered an eyesore for some people.

Yard Gard

Yard Gard is a safe, silent, and electronic dog repellent. Like scarecrow sprinklers, it is effective against other pests, as well. But unlike a scarecrow sprinkler, you have a choice of two modes. You can continually blast would-be pests 24/7 or allow its motion-activated mechanism to alert it when pests approach.

This dog repellent works by emitting sonic and ultrasonic sound waves that canines find offensive (but humans can't hear). Mount it on an outdoor storage shed, tree, or fence near where stray dogs tend to roam. The units typically have a plug or run on batteries.

• Pro: Quiet
• Con: Needs to be mounted and cannot be concealed.

Put Up a Fence

While putting up a fence is usually a considerable expense, it can offer multiple benefits. Not only do fences provide privacy and curb appeal, but they also can keep stray dogs out of your yard and away from your landscaping.

• Pro: The best physical option to keep animals out of your yard.
• Con: Expensive

Here are a few relatively affordable options for fencing that can keep stray dogs off your lawn:

• For a rustic yard, erect a chain-link fence accented with painted horizontal wood boards.
• For less public areas of your yard, consider mesh or hardware cloth containment fencing, which is also often used to keep deer out of yards.
• For your front yard, you might only need a short picket fence that is just restrictive enough to keep curious canines off your property. You also can put short landscape fencing directly around plants you want to protect.

Work With Neighbors

If you’re trying to keep your neighbor’s dog out of your yard, the best scenario would be for them to understand your concerns and work with you. They might not realize that their dog roaming in your yard is a problem, so your first step is to bring it up in a non-accusatory manner. You can say that you have plants or use lawn chemicals that are toxic to dogs as encouragement for your neighbor to keep their dog on their own property. Or if you have children, your own pets, or allergies, you can bring those up as reasons for the dog to remain on its own property.

If your neighbor still isn’t cooperating, it’s time to check your local ordinances to determine the rules for loose pets and not picking up after pets. Take photos and/or videos of the dog when it’s breaking any of these ordinances, and report it to your local authorities. Issuing the dog’s owner a ticket is a common punishment for breaking such ordinances.