Using organic fertilizers is a great way to be green and give your plants a slow-release source of nutrients. However, some of the – ahem – more “fragrant” fertilizer ingredients just seem to call out your dog’s name. If you have a dog who likes to roll around in strong aromas, or worse, has a gourmand’s taste for such things, there are a few things you can do to prevent the issue and keep your fertilizer where it belongs.

• Make sure you thoroughly water the area you fertilized. Water will dilute the scent.
• Cover any place you fertilize with dirt or mulch so it isn’t as accessible or as smelly.
• Avoid blood, fish and bone meal, which are exceptionally attractive to dogs and can make them sick if eaten in quantity. Instead, go for plant-based fertilizing agents (a few veganic fertilizing options here).
• Guilt trip the dog. From a gardening forum: “Since I caught her in the act I was able to shame her by over reacting showing how it hurt my feelings. You end up looking like a fool being so dramatic, but it works for me.  She has left my boxes alone since, that was 3 years ago. (I reacted to a previous dog, 25 yrs ago, that chewed an item of mine. After I fake cried and had an over-reacting drama scene how my item was ruined, he never chewed anything again.)  Might try it, and hopefully the neighbors are not watching.”
• Lay chicken wire on the soil surface to prevent digging, and use liquid organics instead of granular (you can soak organic granular fertilizers for a day and then strain them to create a liquid fertilizer). This way, there is nothing left on top of the soil to snuffle or eat.

If your dog does roll in fertilizer, you can hose him off with the hose and a bucket of soapy water or a mixture of white vinegar and water. If outside bathing isn’t feasible, you can use a waterless shampoo such as Bio-groom until you can get him into the tub.

Further reading here:

All about single-ingredient organic fertilizers

How to create your own custom fertilizer blend