Keeping the 'kids' out of the mulch.....

[vgaffney83]

Does anyone know of a safe and effective way to keep the pups out of the mulch in the backyard (besides fencing)? They used to use the grass as a bathroom which is fine but since we've added the mulch they go in there. This itself is not the issue, it's when they 'wipe their feet' and throw the bark everywhere! Any suggestions welcome.

[Soushiruiuma]

There are these phermone posts that are supposed to attract dogs to only go in one spot. My neighbor has one, I don't think either of her dogs are attracted to it, though. Perhaps there is a more effective product that is similar?

[Karlin]

Why not work to train them to go in a specific area? You could have it be one corner where you do want them to go -- might be better than randomly using the lawn as this slowly kills the lawn and you'll end up with urine burns etc.

Rather than leaving them to go out on their own and choosing a place, you could do this by going back to taking them out to where you want them to go and reward and praise as when you first started housetraining. Otherwise your only effective approach really, is management: eg preventing them from accessing the area where the mulch is (a fence or some other barrier). I am sure you know about the dangers of cocoa mulch and that isn't what's being used. Once they start going in one area they tend to go back to it (eg the mulch right now!) so if you can get them to use a place you refer that should imprint as the new place.