Landscaping That's Dog Friendly

If you have a dog, you know how destructive they can be in the garden.  There are ways to have both a nice garden and a safe place for your dog to play.

Safety First

Your dog’s safety should come first.  You probably got your house after it was landscaped.  Check all the plants in your garden, at least the part the dog is allowed in, against the list of toxic plants kept by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) on their website.  Remove the toxic plants you find or move them to an area the dog cannot reach.

Plants with thorns can seriously injure a dog, especially if one hits an eye.  Keep the roses and holly in the front yard where they won’t hurt your dog.

Be careful of what mulch you use in your landscape.  Cocoa mulch is made from the empty hulls of the plant we get chocolate from.  It contains the same compounds that are toxic to dogs in chocolate, so don’t use it where the dog can eat it. 

Fertilizers and pesticides are potentially poisonous to your dog.  Keep them in a locked shed or garage where dogs can’t reach them.  Follow the label directions when using these chemicals.  Many say not to let children or pets in the treated area until it dries, or for a certain number of hours.  Make sure you follow those instructions, or your dog can become very ill or even die.

If you have a compost bin, make sure it is secure, and the dog cannot get in it.  Eating old vegetables and other scraps can make the dog very sick.

Keep fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes out of the dog’s area as much as possible.  Keep the turfgrass mown so these animals don’t hide there.  Empty and clean birdbaths weekly to keep mosquitoes from reproducing in them.  Use heartworm preventatives and tick and flea medication to keep your dog safe.

Some Detective Work

Now that you know the plants in your yard will not hurt your dog, you are ready to start planning your landscape.  First, draw the space on some graph paper to scale.  Put a piece of tracing paper over the drawing.  Add elements you want in your garden to the tracing paper, so your scale drawing stays fresh.  If you change your mind, you can quickly put a fresh piece of tracing paper down and start over.

Paths For Patrol

The area next to the fence is probably already a path your dog takes during his daily play time.  Consider the three feet or so out from the fence as an area for a path.  Mark other paths your dog has made.  Make them about three feet wide.  Either leave them in grass or put hardwood mulch, paver stones, or pebbles (not sharp rocks) down to keep them from being muddy in the rain.

Provide Shade

Never leave a dog outside without an area of shade to escape the heat of the sun.  A plant like a lilac shrub has enough room under it for a dog to lay down in the shade.  An umbrella, canopy, or covered patio are all good places for your pet to retreat from the sun if you do not have trees in the yard.  Put mulch or other soft material down there so the dog has something comfortable to lay on.  Don’t use fabric, like a blanket, because it stays wet after rain and who wants to lay on wet fabric?

Provide Water

Dogs should always have access to water that is a safe temperature.  A water feature that the dog can drink from will also attract bees, other pollinators, and some small wildlife.  Birds will appreciate the water feature, too.  Moving water will keep mosquitoes from laying their eggs there.  Make sure you clean birdbaths weekly so they do not get nasty and full of mosquito larva. 

If you do not have room for a water feature, make sure you place a fresh bowl of water where it is in the shade.  Otherwise, the water may be too hot for the dog to comfortably drink.

Raised Beds

To keep the dog out of your flowers, use raised beds or short fences.  A small two feet tall wire fence can tell the dog to stay out of those areas.  Work with the dog so he understands anything within the wire fence is off limits.  Use the same kind of fencing throughout the garden to make it easier for the dog.

Densely Planted Areas

If you have delicate plants, surround them with sturdy shrubs or perennials such as purple fountain grass to make it harder for your dog to lay on them.  If the dog has a designated sunny area to lie in as well as a shady area, they will be less likely to make a nest in your landscape beds.

Play Area

Sketch in a play area for your dog to run and chase a ball in.  Keep this in turf grass or a ground cover that can handle lots of traffic.  Dogs need exercise and a designated play area makes it easier for the dog to get their exercise without trampling your plants.

Digging Pit

Dogs like to dig.  Making a digging pit can give the dog someplace to dig without damaging your garden.  Dig a four-foot square area out and fill it with children’s play sand.  Bury bones, chew toys, and treats just under the surface of the sand.  Praise your dog when he digs them up.  He will soon get the idea that this is where he can dig without getting in trouble.  Continue to bury toys and chew things in the pit to keep it fun for your dog.

Area For Elimination

If you want to be sure you will continue to enjoy the yard where the dog plays, make a designated elimination area.  Find a place that you want your dog to use as a bathroom and dig the grass out of it.  Fill the area with pea gravel – nothing sharp.  Put your dog on his leash and take him to the area.  Tell him to go potty and reward him for doing so.  After he has done his business, let him off leash to play.  Do this for a week and the dog should be pretty reliable about only using that area to eliminate.  Pick up solid waste immediately.  Once a week spray the pea gravel well to wash the urine into the ground where it won’t smell.

Plant Recommendations

The staff at Garden Plants Nursery are very knowledgeable about the plants we sell.  Give us a call at 931.692.7325 if you want to know if a specific plant is safe and sturdy enough for your dogscape.