How to Landscape Your Dog-Friendly Garden?

How to Landscape Your Dog-Friendly Garden?

Having a dog and a garden has always been a winning combination for every dog owner. Your landscape can easily make your furry friend well-exercised, happy, and safe. But simply having a yard is not enough to achieve this dream. You need to make sure it has all pet-friendly amenities your pooch loves and needs. Some think that having a dog means sacrificing the visual and organizational appeal of a garden. But if you landscape to meet your dog’s needs, both you and your pet will be better for it.

Creating a Dog-Friendly Garden

• Setting the Boundaries

You can turn your garden into a safe haven for your dog, but everything outside it is out of your control when it comes to your pet’s safety. Dogs, like all other domesticated animals, need boundaries. So the first step is to employ dog proof fencing. You don’t have to go for a chain-link fence, you can choose the material that corresponds to your landscape style – picket fence, posts, sleek horizontal boards, etc. Whichever you choose, make sure the design doesn’t allow your curious friend to get stuck between the boards and that it’s sturdy enough to keep them contained. You should also consider installing dog windows as the opportunity to observe beyond the fence will discourage the desire to jump it or dig a way out.

• Keeping the Toxins at Bay

Chemical controls such as weed killers and pesticides can be extremely harmful not just to your dog, but also your family and the planet. So stick to organic fertilizers, ideally plant-based ones. You should also avoid some landscaping materials such as cocoa mulch since your dog will have the same negative reaction as they would to eating chocolate.

It’s also very important to pay attention to your plant selection. Many don’t know that some common varieties are toxic to dogs. Some of them will irritate the dog, while some could pose greater harm. So always do your research before planting.

If you need to use baits for pests such as rats or snails, you need to make sure your dog can’t get them. These traps can prove to be fatal and dogs simply love getting at something you’re trying to hide.

• Shady Sanctuary

Dogs do adore the sun, but they can also suffer from heatstroke and get sunburnt. If you don’t have large trees to provide shade in your garden, you need to stretch shade cloths or overhead tarps over part of the area that’ll be your pet’s shady sanctuary. A doghouse is definitely a plus, and you can even make it yourself.

• Making a Splash

Some dogs love making a splash in the pool and those that don’t still like having a drink while they’re outside. That’s why plenty of fresh water is essential. It’s a perfect opportunity to add a water feature such as a small pond, stream, or splash fountain that both you and your pet will enjoy.  Just make sure that the pond has a smooth transition at the entry and exit in the form of shallow steps or gentle slope so your dog can access it safely.

• Run, Chase, Patrol

An unexercised dog will always look for trouble so you need to provide him with a designated space as large as possible to run and chase. Dogs simply adore patrolling since they perceive it as a kind of duty, so you need to provide them with paths where they can perform it. It will be enough to sacrifice just a few feet along the fence to create a perimeter path. In case they’ve already created their own routes through the garden your only choice is to turn them into proper pathways since trying to redirect them is a Sisyphean task.

Make sure the landscaping materials on these designated spots are comfortable – easy to walk on, not clinging to fur, and unable to get too hot. Smooth rocks, pebbles, flagstone, brick, and concrete are your best choices.

• Their Territory

When nature calls you don’t want your dog relieving themselves on your flower beds or lawn. That’s why you need to designate one corner of your garden as a toilet area and train them to do it there and nowhere else. You need to use materials that are cleaned easily and that your furry friend will like, such as pea gravel, cedar chips, flagstone, or bricks.

These landscape tips are everything you need for a dog-friendly garden, but customization based on your dog’s breed will get you even further. Dogs have different behaviors and different personalities. Some love chewing while others like digging. Some are born as fence breakers and escape artists while others are born patrollers. Paying attention to these traits will make the whole job a lot easier.

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