At the top of the list? Citrus. Most dogs can't stand the taste and smell of oranges, lemons, and grapefruit. Here's why — plus, how to use their dislike of citrus to your advantage.
Use Repellents
Something that is generally very effective is vinegar – dogs seem to hate the pungent, acrid smell of vinegar, and its application in a few strategic locations may do the job. Another popular – although sometimes controversial – option is cayenne pepper or strong chili powder.
Do dogs hate the taste of vinegar? It is a good thing to use for cooking or cleaning, but it means another thing to dogs. Vinegar is one of the things that just seem to drive dogs away. It has an acrid smell that is not particularly appealing to humans, but it is a natural smell which your dogs definitely won't like.
Many dogs have sound phobias to loud noises like fireworks, thunderstorms, gunshots, and firecrackers. There is even research that suggests noise phobias can be inherited. According to Dr. Klein, herding breeds are particularly sensitive to noise phobias, perhaps because they are so attuned to their environment.
You can use vinegar to keep dogs away from your lawn by spraying it around the perimeter of the area you want to be canine-free. Dogs don't like the strong smell of vinegar and thus will be deterred by it.
Citrus. The citrus smell is arguably the best dog repellent there is. You do not have to do a lot. Simply peel an orange or a lemon next to your dog and you will observe it leaving the spot immediately.
"If you were to look at a dog's olfactory lobe compared to a human, it's huge in a dog. It's because their sense of smell is so highly developed. Problems in that area of the brain can cause altered smell. So, tumors of the brain, strokes, head trauma, injury can all impact the sense of smell."
One of the gentlest pet-safe essential oils, lavender oil could quickly become your dog's new BFF (and yours). It can not only quiet a nervous and agitated pooch, but also help them sleep better - and can even cheer up a depressed pet.
At the top of the list? Citrus. Most dogs can't stand the taste and smell of oranges, lemons, and grapefruit. Here's why — plus, how to use their dislike of citrus to your advantage.
Taste deterrents take advantage of your pet's dislike of bitter and spicy flavors by using those sensations to discourage chewing. Bitter apple sprays and spicy or hot sprays are commonly used deterrents.
Common household spices that dogs hate the smell of include cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, cardamom, mustard, and cayenne pepper.
The Root of the Behavior
The majority of dogs dislike any type of citrus smell including oranges. The real issue is that the smell is just very unpleasant to a dog. This is much like how you just do not like certain smells. If you really think about it, what smells do you dislike?
Key takeaway. Dogs sniff people's crotches because of the sweat glands, also known as apocrine glands, that are located there. Sniffing these glands gives a dog information about a person such as their age, sex, mood, and mating probability.
Chili powder can ruin a dogs sense of smell if they consume too much of it. The capsaicin in chili powder can irritate a dogs nose and make it difficult for them to smell. If a dog ingests a large amount of chili powder, it can also cause vomiting and diarrhea. If the dog is irritated, it will stay away from the area.
Dogs can sense when someone is a bad or good person. Your dog may not know the moral decisions a person has made, but he can pick up on signs of nervousness, fear, anger, and danger. Dogs notice specific things about humans that even other humans are not aware of.
But even though your dog can smell eucalyptus — whether it's from the tree itself or through an essential oil diffuser — it doesn't mean they should. Eucalyptus is actually toxic to dogs (and humans) when ingested, and it can cause also irritation when applied to the skin.
Because of their heightened sense of smell, dogs are easily attracted to the strong odor produced by bleach. Inhaling an excessive amount of bleach can cause several side effects for dogs, namely kidney damage, aspiration pneumonia, and blood serum changes.
Peppermint is toxic to dogs and understandably so, dogs don't like it.
Many store-bought dog repellents are made with apple cider vinegar, which you can use to make your own homemade solution for a fraction of the cost. To make a strong solution, mix one cup of white vinegar with two cups apple cider vinegar. Place it in a spray bottle and mist any desired areas, indoors or out.
Most dogs are averse to peppery scents, like black pepper and cayenne pepper, which is why some people use them as canine deterrents.
Rosemary, lavender, lemongrass, and lemon thyme are all known to deter animal visitors. Witz suggests planting additional marigolds or calendula (commonly known as pot marigold, although the two plants are not related) around your plants. Dogs usually find the pungent odor of marigolds unpleasant.