Another culprit are mice. They too like to eat a green diet. They will mow down your seedlings before your plants have a chance to grow. Sometimes they just like to taste a plant and might not bother them again. The worse scenario is that they like your garden plants so much that they will build a nest and make a family. If left unattended, they could also attack your fruit trees. They will encircle your small trees while eating the bark. When they are finished with their circle of doom your trees with the damage will likely die.
Rats can also be a problem. They are illegal residents that probably came from a field. They seek security inside a garden fence where they can grow a colony of happy baby rats. They too will eat anything that's available. They like a varied vegetable diet. Rats can extend their bodies upward and reach up high into your garden plants where they will begin to mow them down.
Squirrels can also be a big problem. They can scale up your apple trees and eat all the fruit. They will choose the largest, and choicest apple and then only take one bite before discarding it. They are so fast that the only way to know if they are a nuisance is to catch one running away with your best apple.
Young rabbits can also enter through the perimeter of your garden fence. They too love to nibble continuously. Grow some alfalfa and perhaps they will leave the good stuff or your healthy garden plants alone.
Solution to Mice and Rats:
Mice and rats love peanut butter (use for bait). Set some traps out and you will catch them. Don't feel so bad. They lived a good life by eating your choicest plants. All good things must come to an end. A trap is quick and an effective way to kill them.
Consider using a scarecrow. I know of a gardener who puts a radio in a waterproof container while hanging it on her scarecrow. At night when the critters (in her case she has a visiting raccoon) began to eat her corn they see the figure and hear its voice and run fearfully away. I think scarecrows will also work on squirrels. Squirrels are usually skittish unless you tamed some.
Whatever yo do, do not feed the wildlife. You do not want to attract animals into your garden habitat.
Use a two fence system. One for your garden and one for the dogs.
The best solution in keeping away critters is to have chickens or other grazing foul roaming your yard. They will alarm you when intruders arrive and might also keep them out. Just make sure you have a dog proof fence and that they are unable to enter your garden.
I had this idea once for having a fence made out of chicken wire around my garden fence. In the enclosure around the garden fence would contain chickens. You must also put chicken wire on top of the chicken enclosure in order to guard against hawks or predator birds. This is a moat idea: instead of guarding your castle with water, you guard your garden with chickens. They will eat most bugs trying to enter your garden and perhaps ward off other critters.
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