When the Dog's Away the Bears Will Play!
June 24, 2023 10:34 AM Subscribe
Help us find a way to convince the local critters that Lily the dog lives on. Lily passed on last November. For 15 years she methodically patrolled and marked our property located in the woods in rural Vermont. She once chased a bear down our driveway. This spring and summer, a bear has knocked over our compost container twice, a deer has eaten the blossoms on our perennial phlox, and birds (vireos) have nested in the light on our front porch. Is there a way to convince critters that dog still lives here? I'm not interested in repelling critters but rather convincing them that it's not in their best interest to hang around here. I don't want to use coyote urine or anything similar. Any ideas?
Response by poster: We have thought of getting another dog, but we are taking at least a one year hiatus before we get one. They are a lot of work.
posted by Xurando at 2:38 PM on June 24, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by Xurando at 2:38 PM on June 24, 2023 [3 favorites]
Seconding it’s time for a new dog. Having said that, I’m in southern Vermont and I have a neighborhood bear that I swear comes to visit multiple times weekly just to annoy my 3 dogs.
posted by yes I said yes I will Yes at 2:39 PM on June 24, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by yes I said yes I will Yes at 2:39 PM on June 24, 2023 [1 favorite]
Do you know anyone who could bring their dog to visit sometimes?
posted by Redstart at 3:01 PM on June 24, 2023 [4 favorites]
posted by Redstart at 3:01 PM on June 24, 2023 [4 favorites]
I understand the desire to take a hiatus. Been there.
BUT-- I highly reccomend getting another dog, even just a 'foster'; there are plenty of older, mellow pooches who are very little work, who are closed up in kennels when they could be out peeing in your yard and barking at bears.
You'd get your critter repellent, the dog gets, at the very least, a nice place to stay while looking for a forever home, and often the rescue will pay for vet bills etc, so the financial part isn't as bad.
You can look at it as a good way to honor Lily; a year is nothing to humans, but it's a long time in the life of a dog. It can make a huge difference, for both of you. Sending love and wags.
posted by The otter lady at 5:54 PM on June 24, 2023 [3 favorites]
BUT-- I highly reccomend getting another dog, even just a 'foster'; there are plenty of older, mellow pooches who are very little work, who are closed up in kennels when they could be out peeing in your yard and barking at bears.
You'd get your critter repellent, the dog gets, at the very least, a nice place to stay while looking for a forever home, and often the rescue will pay for vet bills etc, so the financial part isn't as bad.
You can look at it as a good way to honor Lily; a year is nothing to humans, but it's a long time in the life of a dog. It can make a huge difference, for both of you. Sending love and wags.
posted by The otter lady at 5:54 PM on June 24, 2023 [3 favorites]
Best answer: OK, what you want is something doing the work of a dog but taking less work than a dog.
Oh man, I hear you about it being a lot of work (especially if you get a puppy). You've probably exhausted yourselves on dog stuff recently, with the other one needing care.
Enter: technology.
I think some kind of artificial movement or simulation of a predator/scary animal is what the world has to offer. Maybe a motion activated speaker (I bought a novelty version of this for cheap), mirrors that move in the breeze, motion activated sprinklers -- all the critter-and-varmint-deterring tech the world has to offer.
I mean: yes you have the inflatable hawk/owl; classic scarecrow; the classical music that is known to deter certain human teenagers; large TV screens in the window; pleasant-but-intense scents (these are alleged to work on insects/spiders, but maybe there's a non-urine variant that will work for you); the "picture of a hearty rival" approach; and collie- or goat- rental depending on your issue (Canada geese or rat-concealing high grass).
Something along those lines?
posted by amtho at 8:16 PM on June 24, 2023
Oh man, I hear you about it being a lot of work (especially if you get a puppy). You've probably exhausted yourselves on dog stuff recently, with the other one needing care.
Enter: technology.
I think some kind of artificial movement or simulation of a predator/scary animal is what the world has to offer. Maybe a motion activated speaker (I bought a novelty version of this for cheap), mirrors that move in the breeze, motion activated sprinklers -- all the critter-and-varmint-deterring tech the world has to offer.
I mean: yes you have the inflatable hawk/owl; classic scarecrow; the classical music that is known to deter certain human teenagers; large TV screens in the window; pleasant-but-intense scents (these are alleged to work on insects/spiders, but maybe there's a non-urine variant that will work for you); the "picture of a hearty rival" approach; and collie- or goat- rental depending on your issue (Canada geese or rat-concealing high grass).
Something along those lines?
posted by amtho at 8:16 PM on June 24, 2023
Motion activated speakers or sprinklers might help with the deer.
Where my parents live in Western NC, outdoor compost is just not allowed because of bears. No birdfeeders, either, and all trash in bear proof containers. I would imagine you could compost in a bear proof container of some sort. Human habituated bears that associate people with food are no joke, and often the only solution to that problem is relocation or euthanasia.
I think it's unlikely that anything is going to keep birds from nesting in your yard--they were most likely doing so when you had a dog as well.
posted by hydropsyche at 4:47 AM on June 25, 2023
Where my parents live in Western NC, outdoor compost is just not allowed because of bears. No birdfeeders, either, and all trash in bear proof containers. I would imagine you could compost in a bear proof container of some sort. Human habituated bears that associate people with food are no joke, and often the only solution to that problem is relocation or euthanasia.
I think it's unlikely that anything is going to keep birds from nesting in your yard--they were most likely doing so when you had a dog as well.
posted by hydropsyche at 4:47 AM on June 25, 2023
I read somewhere that bears hate the smell of ammonia so I splashed it on the outside of our trash containers and by our front door, since we have had bears walk up our front steps and across our porch on their way to a neighbor's trash containers. So far, so good, no bears dumping our trash or trying to get in the front door (yet!).
posted by Lynsey at 10:55 AM on June 25, 2023
posted by Lynsey at 10:55 AM on June 25, 2023
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just in case you only need a little nudge to change your thinking, and your heart can handle it,
this sounds a lot like an ideal situation for the right, new-to-you, but mature, joyfully rambling, dog.
posted by amtho at 1:07 PM on June 24, 2023 [7 favorites]