Your spawn of Satan is adorable! We have a 4 year old lab and a two year old lab. They are pretty good with established plants but can have a hard time smashing babies with their big labby feet so I surround new plants with rocks and that has saved many lives!

Have fun with puppy-they grow up so fast!

Ken, that was my best idea-train, train, train. Had not thought of using the bitter apple outside, though. That is brilliant! Of course, I expect nothing less from you! Thanks.

oursteelers, you are so right! Sam is at least part lab, but his legs seem long-maybe there is some pointer in there. Then, his markings echo our border collie mix. We lost her son on December 9th, 11 days after Sam arrived. Anyway, every lab I have had or known seems to stay a puppy for almost the it entire life. I think we have years of fun ahead.

ETA:. Yep, training him to use one spot in the yard is something I have never done, but always thought would be oh-so-nice!

For once, Ken's post doesn't include the phrase "throw it out on the driveway". Haha. But in all seriousness, I really liked your post, Ken. I too think it can be done. My uncle swears by a similar method that includes a deterrent plus positive reinforcement.

cyn, if you do think you want to do some fencing, my step mom uses some tall decorative fencing to keep the deer out of specific areas that doesn't seem too offensive. I'm sure she got it at Home Depot.

What an adorable face! He looks like he will be lots of fun to have around. Your garden pics do look so nice, I hope you can train him to be gentle on the landscape.

My dogs haven't really been diggers, but I did learn than even a non-digger will dig if I used bone meal in any planting holes. So don't tempt Sam with any of that stuff.

I saw a show and a woman with a beautiful garden had several dogs and she said "if you put in paths the dogs will use it"..love your garden and your dog..

We have a "digger" but since our yard isn't fenced, she isn't allowed outside without a leash--we walk her several times a day. Our Great Pyrenees would probably dig enormous holes if she was outside and wander off too. Other breeds are perhaps trainable. Her big feet do tend to squash plants so I do feel your pain. Your puppy is adorable.

Thanks everyone. He is a cutie and much bigger than that picture when he was about 14 pounds. He is now over 30 lbs and is 5 months old tomorrow (just our guess judging from teeth etc. and first vet visit at the end of November). I used to call our mother/son pair the galloping gardeners. I suspect that will apply to Sam as well. I am going to start training this week! He has already "pruned" an oakleaf hydrangea and is working on a magnolia and vitex agnus! I will pick up some Bitter Apple when I get pill pockets for our old girl.

Miles, a Pyrenees? We had a newf when I was kid-they are such loves, those big dogs.

Sandyslopes, here, it is the chipmunks that ours seem to smell. Thanks for the reminder about bone meal. I don't usually use it because of all the critters in the woods, but we are about to lose those woods to development this spring. So sad and irritated about that.

popmama, I had though about low decorative fencing as a visual reminder, but prefer the natural look. Still, may add a piece or two at the end of the deck where the walled garden stops-too easy for them to just step right into the garden. The chicken wire had them walking on the top of the wall to another area and I hoped that would be ingrained enough that it would continue once the wire was down. Ha. Didn't take long for them to go back to cutting through.

nicholsworth, I agree! I need to create more obvious paths. Maybe I will make a flagstone stepping stone path for them to the cypress where they like to lie in the summer heat. Thanks for the idea!!

Cynthia

Yes a Great Pyrenees, Maggie weighs about 125 pounds and is a super sweet bundle of white fluffy fur and big chocolate eyes--she's absolutely oblivious to where she's walking. One of our indoor cats "prunes" any houseplants, the more expensive ones are of course much more enticing--my orchids are kept in a glass enclosure and we have shelves with plastic over them on 3 sides to prevent further nibbling. A relative's Giant Schnauzer used to dig up the entire yard--he even tried to excavate a giant pine tree. At the time we had a German Shepherd who used to visit the Schnauzer and cheer him on--never got her feet dirty but just sat and wagged her tail when he was busy digging.