Making a Pet-Friendly Backyard with Ease
Every Pet owner knows that dogs are social beings who love the outdoors. Even if they spend plenty of time inside, they will claim your backyard! They need some time to be outdoors, spend their energy, explore and indulge their instincts.
Therefore, your backyard needs to be a safe spot for them where they can run, play, nap, and enjoy both sunshine and rain. You need to create a safe environment where no harm will come from wild animals or harmful plants. Moreover, you need to make it hard for them to leave that safety and explore the realm beyond the setup boundaries.
Luckily, none of this means that you need to choose between a happy dog and a beautiful backyard. With a few smaller changes and clever hacks, you can have a safe backyard for your dogs that also looks comfortable and inviting.
Opt for a ground cover that is dog-friendly
Most backyards have plenty of lawn grass, but with dogs present, there might be many brown spots in places they urinate. You can prevent this by regularly cleaning the grass with water, or you could train your dog to do its business in a designated spot.
Another solution is to opt for an alternative ground cover such as durable grass blends and clover, or artificial turfs, or you might leave an area without grass and cover it with mulch or gravel lawns for increased dog-friendliness.
Fence up
Dogs are active animals and they need space to roam, run and rest. The best option is to have a fenced backyard that will provide a safe place for them and relieve you of worry that they might run away, get attacked by another dog, or even get stolen.
With a dog-friendly fence put up, your pet will be able to run and do zoomies, stretch their legs and enjoy their freedom, but they still might have the desire to go beyond. This is why it often happens that they start digging underneath.
To prevent your dog from digging, install a fence that’s tall enough, possibly tilted, with a smooth surface and with a wire or large rocks buried at the bottom. They will still have the space they need but you’ll rest assured they won’t run away.
Read More: Top 12 Tips for Keeping Dogs Safe in the Garden
A Digging Sandbox
Digging is a natural behavior for dogs but no homeowner wants unsightly holes all over the place. However, if you want to have both an intact backyard and a dog that is happy and free, you can put a sandbox which will be their digging spot. And to put this up is really easy since you just need a hole and a plastic swimming pool that you will feel with sand. Also, add their toys in there to invite them to get to the sandbox and you can even bury a few so they can have fun digging them out.
If it happened that the dog has already dug a few holes in your yard, fix them by placing wire a few inches deep and covering it with soil. Sprinkle some grass seed on top and add water daily until the grass starts growing. This is an effective way to prevent new holes.
Have a Water Feature
Dogs love water and having a water feature is practically a must if you have a dog. Similar to the sandbox, you can use the same type of a small plastic pool that you can set up in a shaded spot for your pooch to enjoy during hot summer days.
Alternatively, you can add a small fountain or even a stream with flowing water. It will be a thing of interest for your dog as well as a way to cool down. However, you still need to think of their safety, so make your water feature steep sides or create a ramp that will enable them to get in and out quickly and easily.
Provide a Sheltered Spot
If your dog loves spending a lot of time outside, you must have proper shelter for them. Your dog needs a safe spot with shade and a sturdy shelter from the elements. You can do this in a lot of different ways – place the doggie beds under a tall tree if you have it; stretch a tarp to create a shelter from the sun and rain, or make a proper house for them that is ideal for the entire year.
By creating a pet-friendly backyard and incorporating some of these ideas, you’ll be able to create a fun and appealing outdoor space for yourself and a safe place for your furry best friend to enjoy. In the end, it all adds up to one big happy family and your dog will show appreciation by being your devoted sidekick!
