One of the biggest challenges of being a dog owner is having a lawn and landscape that can benefit you and your canine. You have to do a balancing act between what you want and what having a dog entails. Make several adjustments to ensure that your dog can play in your outdoor space without making a huge, costly mess.
Landscaping with dogs entails some compromises. But this does not mean that your yard should become a wasteland of beaten paths and mud holes. Experts in landscaping in Champaign Illinois and across the globe discuss the following elements that will make your lawn and landscape dog-friendly.
1. Flowing water
If you let your pet roam in your yard, plenty of fresh water is essential to ensure proper hydration at all times. Add a water feature that your canine can easily access. For instance, you can have a splash fountain, stream, or pond.
Another option is to have a pool. Not only will your dog enjoy taking dips and swimming laps, but you and your family can dive into it as well to have fun and cool down during hot, humid days.
But before installing a swimming pool, make sure to perform a safety check first. You may need to add accessible shallow steps or a sloping side so your pet can get out with ease whenever he needs to.
2. Shade and shelter
Your dog can get sunburned and even suffer from heatstroke when exposed to too much heat. Huge trees can provide shelter and fresh air, but if you don’t have such in your yard, consider stretching shade cloths or overhead tarps over your dog’s play area.
If there’s sufficient space, adding a doghouse is a better option. For dog houses, you have plenty of great options these days — from plastic boxes to wooden ones. You can even build one if you want.
3. Play space
Dogs need exercise, too. Creating a play pen in your yard is an excellent idea to keep your canine from looking for trouble. Make sure to give him enough space for running and chasing. Moreover, you can use hard-scaping and plants to create obstacles, tunnels, and balance beams that’ll keep your pet entertained.
4. Fence
Dogs do best with boundaries. Make sure to have your backyard fully fenced so your pet can run freely and to keep him safe. Though a chain-link fence is an easy choice, this is not an attractive option. It would be best to use fencing materials that match your yard style. You can opt for wire and posts for a rustic style or horizontal boards for a modern look.
Whatever you choose, ensure that it is strong enough to contain your canine. Most importantly, it should be designed with your pup in mind so your curious dog won’t get stuck in it or escape.
5. Digging pit
Digging is one annoying dog behavior. But instead of discouraging him or getting angry with your pet, give your canine a digging area. Designate a digging pit in your landscape, filled with soft soil and sand, and topped with wood mulch. Your dog would be happy to bury treats and bones here, so give him a little encouragement and train him to dig only in this area.
6. Path
Dogs love to patrol, so providing pathways to explore will entertain your canine. For instance, you can install stone walkways over your pet’s existing path. This will make your dog happy and your yard look better.
7. Safe plants
Plant selection is crucial when creating a pet-friendly landscape. Plants like catnip are beneficial to your canine. Adding a patch of healthy greens will help promote the digestive health of your dog.
But certain plants can be poisonous to your dog, such as lilies, azaleas, and mums. To ensure that your yard only has safe plants in it, check with your vet and ascertain which plants can irritate or are toxic to your canine.
8. Toxin-free landscaping
Your lawn and landscape need regular care and maintenance to ensure that everything in your yard grows healthily. For example, mulch is excellent for your garden, but don’t use cocoa mulch as this can cause terrible reactions in your canine in case it is accidentally ingested.
Baits for pests like rats and snails can be fatal, too, so place these only in areas which your dog can’t access.
Keeping the grass healthy may entail using chemical controls to prevent weeds and pests from overthrowing your yard. But a healthy lawn is useless when the lawn care solutions you use are toxic to your pet. So make sure that all your efforts in making your outdoor space safe and healthy will also benefit not only you, but also your pet.
It can be challenging to make your yard pet-friendly, but it’s not impossible.
Knowing the elements that will make it healthy for your dog is essential to avoid costly and fatal mistakes. More importantly, seek help from experts in lawn care in Savoy, Illinois for tips about making your yard healthy for your dog and guaranteeing the best results.
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