Need to Spanielproof my veg patch - any ides please

[Happymouse]

I tried Spanielproofing my vegetable patch with canes and string last year. It looked a sorry sight but was better than no barrier at all. Any ides for a cheap easy to erect alternative would be very welcome. Many thanks

[John]

Hello Happymouse
One thing you could try would be a roll of electric netting for stock control though its not cheap - you wouldn't need an electric fencing unit. It comes in 50 metre rolls for about £60+. Its available in different meshes, probably the poultry one would do for dogs. Its very quick and easy to put up and take down as the supporting spikes just push into the ground.
A cheaper alternative along the same lines would be to get a bundle of plastic electric fencing spikes (about £1 each spike). These have hooks every 6in or so apart up the spike so its easy to run loads of garden twine between them to create a temporary barrier. Your local farm stores (eg Countrywide) would have all this sort of stuff.

John

[peter]

My beautiful little avatar, has been trained to understand the word "Off", it usually works and she trots around the allotments after squirrells avoiding any bare soil. After a quick inspection she then parks herself to look down her nose at any dogs outside the fence and doze.

Poor girl encountered an electric fence for the first time last year.

Headed away from me she reacted as though I had completely lost it and shot her a la Rumsfeld, and hurtled past the fence towards the far end of the field. I managed to get her to calm down and head back. As she went to go under the fence a repeat performance ensued, this took longer to resolve and she was really worried that she was being told off for something and had to be coaxed under the wire.

The sheep were highly amused .


Pig wire, the six inch square stuff is dog proof, provided they do not jump too well. Ordinary chicken wire is taller.

[Laurie, Old severn bridge]

hi, i've two Border Terrors , i'm continualy telling them "off" and they have finaly got it... and point where you want them to go then praise, then after a while they actually use the paths its great. the praise bit is the most important and maybe a biscuit...

[Tigger]

I've got a Brittany - a bit like a Springer on speed, having had a Springer last time. I've trained her (and predecessors)to stick to the paths between the raised beds. She does eat some of the fruit straight from the bushes and the occasional lettuce or tomato, but that's a small price to pay.

[earthstar]

I've got three Border Terriers.They tend to keep away from the veggies because they are much more interested in sniffing around the compost heap looking for rats.