Dogs love the great outdoors, and for good reason.
Whenever your canine is at a park or any green space, you allow him to breathe fresh air. At the same time, you give him a break from exposure to indoor air toxins and harsh chemicals present in your cleaning products, plastic containers, carpets, and other household items.
Additionally, letting your pup stay and play outdoors allows his body to get vitamin D naturally – a nutrient that is crucial for keeping him healthy and happy.
When your dog gets regular outdoor play, you help him exercise, which allows him to maintain a healthy weight and strengthen his bones and muscles.
Regular exercise also helps stimulate your dog’s brain, enabling him to reduce his boredom, anxiety, loneliness, and depression.
The Perfect Outdoor Space for Your Pup
Parks are the ideal outdoor playground for your canine pet. The wide green space gives your pup plenty of running and playing area. Moreover, the fresh air, natural sunlight, and numerous plants enable your dog to experience the health benefits of being outside.
Your lawn can also be the perfect outdoor playground for your pet because dogs enjoy playing around any water fountain for outdoor. With the right essential dog supplies, including fetch, rope and tug, and interactive toys, you can keep your pup entertained and happy for hours in your yard.
With a suitable dog house, your front or backyard can also double as your pet’s home.
However, before you leave your pup or let him play on your lawn, you must ensure it is safe and conducive to his health and well-being.
Various hazards for dogs lurk in outdoor spaces, particularly landscaped ones. Certain plants are poisonous and can cause health issues in canines.
Fertilisers and mulches can also pose hazards to your pup.
If your home is not enclosed, your dog is also likely to run away, which can cause him to get lost or hurt.
Since your lawn or garden can be dangerous for dogs, you will do well to make some changes to make it safer and more suitable for your pup.
Below are six tips for creating a friendly outdoor space for your dog:
- Secure your lawn.
If you don’t have a gate and fences yet, have high, self-closing ones installed as soon as possible. These features will help you keep your pet safe in your home.
Also, consider lining the fences with an underground border, such as chicken wire, to prevent your pet from escaping by tunnelling under your barriers.
If you already have enclosures, inspect those thoroughly. Ensure the borders at the base are secure. Have underground barriers installed as well to prevent your pet from escaping through a tunnel he might make.
Make sure the gates close completely or the locks are still working and won’t open easily with a slight push.
If you don’t want to enclose your property, buy a good-quality exercise pen suitable for your pet, which you can use outdoors.
- Evaluate your current plant collection.
A dog-friendly lawn is free of toxic plants. As such, the first thing you have to do is to make sure your yard is safe is to find out if you have any foliage that is harmful to your pet.
Aconite, buttercup, chrysanthemum, daffodil, hydrangea, oak, and yew are some of the plants that are toxic to dogs. Tomatoes and vegetables that belong to the allium family, such as garlic and onions, are also harmful to pups.
If you have any of them, remove them from your yard.
Make sure to remove these plants completely, including the roots, to prevent regrowth. Also, avoid using chemical plant or weed killers since these products are also toxic to dogs; pull out weeds manually.
- Grow dog-friendly plants.
Making your outdoor space safe for your dog does not mean leaving it plant-free. There are foliage varieties that are not dangerous for your canine.
Examples of these are camellia, coral bells, fuchsia, garden marigolds, magnolia bushes, pansies, and sunflowers.
Dill, rosemary, and thyme are some edible plants you can grow in your garden since they are safe for dogs.
However, choose plants that do not have long, sharp thorns or pointed leaves since they can still hurt your pet.
- Cultivate border plants or install barriers.
Protect your delicate plants from your pet’s frequent urination or trampling by surrounding them with tough, thick dog-friendly shrubs and other border shrubberies and hardy ground covers.
Another option is to erect smaller decorative fences, piled rocks, and other signal barriers that will stop your dog from getting near your flowering plants.
If you have a vegetable garden, you may have to enclose them with a chicken wire fence or other types of barrier to prevent your pet from snacking on and trampling them.
- Opt for raised beds and container plants.
Container plants and raised beds are smart ideas for pet owners with dogs that love to dig or tend to get a little wild outdoors.
Elevating your plants and garden bed can restrict your dog’s access to them.
Use sturdy containers, such as horse troughs or large pots, to fully protect your plants. You will also do well to put them in hanging baskets or plant shelves to prevent your pet from reaching them.
Protect your raised beds further by surrounding them with chicken wire or a natural barrier to prevent your dog from digging and trampling on the plants.
- Create dog-friendly perimeter paths and a play area.
Finally, ensure your dog loves your outdoor space by creating features solely for their fun and use.
Create perimeter paths for your dog to make them feel that they have a job to do on the lawn. This feature instils in your dog the idea that it is his job to patrol the border and keep squirrels and rodents away from your garden.
Opt for small cedar chips or pea gravel for these pathways since they are softer on your pet’s paws.
Make sure your pet has a designated play area, which should include a digging spot.
Use rocks, stones, and logs to create obstacles for your pet. For his dig spot, simply loosen the soil in a bare area or cover it with unused dirt where your pet can unleash his digging energy.
With the right design and man-made and natural features, your pup will be safe and love every minute he spends in your outdoor space.
Infographic provided by Reeds Ferry Sheds, a provider of many kinds of shed stylesAUTHOR BIO:
Farah Al-Khojai is the Managing Partner of Pet’s Delight. A passionate entrepreneur, Farah holds a Bsc in Government from the London School of Economics. She is always on the lookout for new opportunities to develop and grow the pet and equestrian retail and wholesale market in the UAE and beyond, and is proud to be at the helm of the first and the largest pet care provider in the market representing world-class brands including Orijen, Applaws, Hunter, Savic, Flamingo, Ruffwear and Rogz.
