With the ASPCA estimating about 75 million owned dogs in the United States, there’s no doubt that we love our furry friends! Unfortunately, not all dogs are the product of loving homes. Wild or stray dogs that roam freely can prey on livestock or family pets, become a danger to people or cause extensive damage to your property. Some may even carry the dreaded rabies virus.
Solve Your Stray Dog Problems
Feral dogs live wherever there is habitat and a food source, most commonly in parks, under abandoned buildings and in rural wooded areas. These roving Rovers generally patrol at night and during the early morning hours.
So, what can you do about nuisance dogs that invade your property? Many areas offer trap, neuter, and adopt programs or trap, neuter, and release programs to help control the stray dog population. Your local humane league, SPCA, veterinarian, or similar organization will be happy to give you additional information about these programs and methods.
When trapping, make sure to use a live animal cage large enough to hold the dog. To entice the dog into entering the trap, use a “mouth-watering” treat like dog food, any beef product, raw chicken, or sardines. You could also light up your BBQ and cook something very fatty – bacon, tripe, or hamburger, for example, to try and bring the dog to you. Then just place a piece in the trap. The dog will find it difficult to resist something that tasty!
Once you catch the dog, be careful with it! Unfamiliar dogs may be frightened and could be dangerous to handle. Make sure to check in with your local animal control authorities or your local animal shelter for information on what to do with the animal.
A Guide To Prevent Strays From Coming to Your Yard
To avoid the potential dangers of handling and trapping a dog, a better option might be repelling the animal. There tons of myths and home-remedy tricks on the internet – like using garlic, chili pepper, olive oil, or ammonia and vinegar-soaked cotton balls. However, these methods aren’t fool-proof and can be a total hit-or-miss.
A better, more effective way to keep dogs away is by using specially made dog repellent. The following are ways that you can take to ensure that your yard is protected from wandering dogs:
- Apply a liquid or granular-based repellent around the perimeter of your yard that targets a dog’s keenly developed sense of smell and taste. You can also use this spray on plants and flowers to keep the dogs away without causing any damage to the plant itself.
- Spray Liquid repellent to protect larger areas and provide vertical protection. You can use both liquid and granular combined to ensure protection and keep stray dogs away for good.
- Implement Critter Ridder® Motion-Activated Animal Repellent & Sprinkler, which works by releasing a sudden jet of water. The spray, along with the tic-tic-tic sound when activated, is sure to keep dogs off your property. It not only works actively to keep dogs away, but also creates a behavior habit in which they will want to avoid your property instead of getting sprayed.
Keep Strays Away Form Your Yard
When it comes to dogs, they can become a part of your family. However, if they aren’t, you certainly don’t want them digging in your yard or causing problems for your own pets. Tell us how you keep stray dogs away or how you’ve helped strays on our Facebook Page. Make sure to sign up for our e-newsletter to get exclusive tips on trapping animals and the latest deals.
