Another vote for border collies. Rocky knows to stay off the beds and even if he does stray on there he manages to pick his way through without doing any damage.
My mum's dog on the other hand is a steamroller in dog form. if she catches a smell she quarters the ground until everything is flat, if you shout at her and she panics and runs in circles. She flattened a whole bed of onions very thoroughly until I fenced her out of the kitchen garden. Now she glares at me and chews my nice gate until I throw her ball.
If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
My Shi Tzu is an expert "rearranger of seed beds" and also makes a very good job of turning the compost heap. Over the path! To keep him away from my runner beans on their wigwams I used 4 lengths of clear corrugated plastic, set lengthways and held in place with pairs of bamboo canes set in a square around the plants. It works well and lets light through so I will be enclosing the whole of the veg. patch next year. He also has a penchant for burying his business, burying my treasures at the same time but I feel I can hardly chastise him for that. His favourite resting place is on top of a large clump of primrose plants, next to the pond. He looks so cute I leave it to him.
B8 thats EXACTLY what I was going to saying, Purpleallium, that doesnt work, we have a Border Collie and a Phalene,( you will probably have to look that one up) picket fence and gate to veg plot, he was sneaking thru the slats, so Hubby put chicken wire all over the far side, fence AND gate, the other day I heard what sounded blood curdling, I rushed out, expecting to find a seriously injured, bleeding dog, yeah, bleeding dog alright, he had managed somehow to get into the veg plot, but couldnt get back out!!!
I have my perfect lady retriever then we brought in a friend for her. He has eaten clematis (from the stem)several roses and taught her how to dig. of course it’s never their fault, it’s mine for leaving them!!!
Weeds are flowers, too, once you get to know them.” A A Milne
I have a B. Collie cross and she also knows not to walk on the beds or veg garden, even the pug manages 90% of the time. Neither are permitted to dig and they don't even try.
Now the cat.. she wipes out a good 20% of everything.. GRRRR Not sure her mouse murdering skills cancel that out!
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of course it’s never their fault, it’s mine for leaving them!!!
A A Milne