Mulch ! Stop the madness ! !

[Yvonne N]

I'm sure many have experienced my challenge...my puppy loves to run around in the morning - getting soaking wet by the dew - and then play/lay in the mulch. He is covered. Oh, and yes he does like to chew it too. Some one recommended sprinkling chili powder / pepper to stop the chewing. Has anyone tried this? Is it safe?

[Sally]

Duncan used to have a mulch fettish but as he got older it just kinda lost its appeal to him. He has however discovered how to dig in the dirt and roll around in that. But at least the chewing on mulch is no longer an issue. (i was always afraid he'd swallow a piece and hurt himself.)

[Yvonne N]

Yes, this is a big worry too. Astro mostly just chews and runs around like a crazy dog, but I'm also worried about him choking.

[Lynda Kamrath]

Of course you all know about chocolate mulch. It is poisonous to dogs. As long as they are experimenting with other than chocolate mulch, they will probably be fine. And as with all experimentation, it does pass. But my dogs have never stopped the search for kitty almond rocas in the garden and yard. I sure wish they would get over that!

[Tammy & Gracie]

I don't have the mulch problem, correction, since Gracie came to live with us, we have decided NOT to mulch the backyard anymore....She would eat and dig it up. Anyway, she does dig holes occasionally. I shake powdered red pepper in them and she will not dig there anymore. It obviously does not scar her, eventaually she will dig again somewhere else.

[Holly Southall]

That is good advice. Angel had two standard holes she digs in the mulch bed. Our neighbors switched to crushed rock instead of muclh and they say it helps with their labs. We fill the holes up in the beds and she digs the same ones back. Now we just leave them and she doesn't dig anywhere else. But I may try the Red Pepper. Too funny

[Michele Barton]

I don't have mulch, but Gus loves to tear up dead grass and eat it, dirt and all. I don't know about the chili powder, but if Astro starts eating the mulch, don't be surprised if his poops turn into mud pies. Happens all the time with Gus, so pumpkin has become a regular part of his diet. Are we having fun yet?!

[Yvonne N]

Lots of fun! Gotta go get on the scale. Smile.

[Nina, Phil, Harlow & Lacey]

What type of mulch are you using? Harlow loved to chew the pine bark nuggets that are so popular in the south. We have recently switched to cypress mulch and she seems to be leaving it alone.

[Betsy D.]

Cimmy loves the mulch, also. I have to say that I am getting tired of fishing around in her mouth for the mulch. My greatest fear is the thought of her getting it stuck in her throat. I have so much mulch that there is no way I could sprinkle enough of anything on it to prevent her from chewing it. I just hope that she grows out of it like others have. I am, though, resigned to the fact that she will probably always like it because our Goldens always did and so do the dogs next door. Sigh!!! I hope something will work for Astro!

[Kai Doodle (Kathy & Keith)]

Kai is a mulch eater as well. I worry because my brother had a Weimaraner who ate mulch and got a splinter stuck in his throat, took surgery to remove it. I like the idea of the chili powder. I have been using bitter apple but I think Kai is beginning to think it's a treat. He also likes to strip the leaves off of the ferns, anyone have any ideas for stopping that?

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

Peri was a nightmare about this until recently. I had to constantly fish them out - too afraid of choking! Could she be growing out of this fettish?

[s a r a h&h a r p e r]

When i saw the title of this post i started laughing! Harper has an OBSESSION with mulch...in fact, i'm sure our neighbors think we use the term "drop it" instead of "go potty" for her bathroom breaks!!