You probably consider your pet as your best friend, and if you don’t have children, you probably feel the same level of love and attachment as a parent has with their child. Even though you have developed these feelings, there are likely things your pet does that are problematic. A significant issue for many pet owners is the damage they cause to their furniture and belongings, which also extends outdoors and includes their garden furniture.
The damage to the garden furniture might be caused by chewing, scratching, or dirt transferred onto surfaces if the pet jumps on the items in question. No matter how persistent your training and despite your best efforts, you might find yourself at a roadblock and need to find another solution to stop the damage your pets are inflicting on your wooden garden furniture.
Here we take a look at several preventative measures and how you can keep your wooden garden furniture safe from the damaging actions of your pets.
Stop Chewing With Scents & Flavoured Sprays
Some dogs have a tendency to chew wooden garden furniture, and if you have a dog that has developed this habit, it can be hard to train it out with words or actions. Scents and flavoured sprays can be used on your garden furniture, such as a bitter apple spray, without causing harm to your dog or the furniture that is under attack.
Many of the scents available are undetectable by humans, so there is no risk of creating an aroma that will stop you from enjoying your outdoor space.
If you are welcoming a puppy into your home and garden, it pays dividends to train your new arrival as to what it is acceptable to chew. The most effective training technique is simply to give the puppy a chew toy whenever they begin to chew something of yours. As you help your puppy create an association with chewable toys, remember to keep a selection of them laid out in your home and garden.
Put A Scratching Post Nearby
Cats love to scratch, and it is a necessary action that keeps their claws in good condition for climbing. As scratching is literally part of their DNA, you are unlikely to be able to stop their desire to scratch.
If your garden space is a little more concrete jungle than country landscape and devoid of trees that cats would scratch in the wild, then a scratching post provides an excellent alternative. Whenever you see your feline friend go to scratch your garden furniture, place them on the scratching post, and it won’t take long before this is their go-to place to scratch.
You can further deter cats from using your garden furniture as their personal property by spraying it with a peppermint oil concoction.
Cover Your Garden Furniture When You’re Not Using It
If all else fails, you can protect your garden furniture by covering it while not in use. A good-fitting cover will keep muddy paw prints off the areas where you or your family and friends sit. A cover can also deter dogs from chewing your wooden garden furniture and stop cats from using chairs and table legs as a scratching post.
If your problem is only mud and dirt being brought up onto surfaces when your pet jumps onto your garden furniture, you could consider purchasing an outdoor basket or bed. An outdoor bed creates a space just for them, which is comfortable and dry. It helps to be aware of the weather and place the bed in the shade on hot days and in the sun over the cooler months.
When you choose a cover for your garden furniture, it may need a tie at the bottom to prevent it from blowing away. If your garden is particularly exposed, you may even need to place a couple of bricks or blocks on the bottom of the cover to keep it in place. Furthermore, you should pick a cover that still allows air circulation, which is crucial for avoiding problems such as mildew.
If you are renovating your garden space and replacing pet-damaged furniture, check out our garden picnic bench, chairs, and garden coffee tables, or contact our team for more information.