bonsaiTALK Community - View Single Post - Help! Dog Attacked Japanese Maple!

Thanks for advice. I didn't come down too hard on Lucy (my pup). She's a cockapoo-- notorious for being very sensitive and frightened easily-- not agood thing! I found out early not to be too harsh on her, even if it were warrented, simply because her "fear" overwhelms her-- making the punishment pointless because she'd be scared silly. Usually a very stern look is all that I need to give her now. With the raising of one brow, she cowers submissively and begs for forgiveness-- poor thing. But really I knew what she'd do with plants that I'e touched at some point-- she'd eat them! So it was my fault, too, that I did not put the plant behind the invisible dog fence (it begins to beep if she's too close and if she gets closer she gets a startling zap). The fence has worked to protect all the other trees, garden beds and keep her from running into the street.

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Originally Posted by susieq

Very annoying when our puppy dogs do things like that. But that's just a puppy for you. He/she would probably do the same thing tomorrow and not even give it a thought....... The stories I could tell you ....but I won't right here.....

If your dog or anything else should up root or bare root a plant and leave it high and dry again, you might put the plant and roots in a bowl of water to soak for a few minutes or so to re hydrate them before repotting. I would also suggest the addition of something like "Super Thrive" to the water.
After repotting, use the water in the bowl to soak the soil of the pot for the initial first watering. Good luck with your maple. It probably just got it's first trunk chop. I would also trim off any ragged end left by the attack as that would allow moisture to escape the plant and it would have trouble healing over if ragged and torn.

Don't be too hard on your puppy, they are like two year old kids until they are adults.
Best of luck
susieq