How to Plant a Dog-Friendly Garden

You can have the attractive backyard of your dreams—one that you and your dogs can enjoy together. Dog-friendly gardens allow dogs to be dogs while their owners can enjoy healthy green lawns, colorful flowers, and thriving fruit and vegetable gardens. Pet-friendly landscaping uses an organic approach to gardening that’s safer and healthier for our families and dog friends.

Dogs are known for lying down in your favorite flower bed.

Dog-Friendly Plants

Planting dog-friendly plants is an essential component of creating your dog-friendly garden. Dog-friendly plants are hardy and non-toxic yet beautiful. They stand up to your dog’s daily rigors and bounce back from abuse. Many woody shrubs tolerate aggressive pruning and stand up to most canine activities. The majority of these species don’t mind the soil compaction created by heavy paw traffic and generally coexist well with dogs and children.

Here are five recommended shrubs for dog-friendly gardens:

1. Red-Twig Dogwood
2. Smoke Tree
3. Forsythia
4. Spiraea
5. Lilac

Another must in a dog-friendly garden is a tough ground cover. These low-growing powerhouses tolerate stepping, rolling, and turning while providing color and texture to a garden setting.

Here are five recommended ground covers for a dog-friendly backyard:

1. Elfin Thyme
2. Irish Moss
3. Miniature Stonecrop
4. Labrador Violet
5. Snow in Summer

Landscaping Essentials

There are certain key elements to consider when planning a dog-friendly yard. Observe your dog’s behavior and personality traits. Where does your dog like to patrol? Go potty? Lounge? Dig? Run and play? Incorporate all of these into your dog-friendly landscape design.

A bored dog can exhibit nuisance barking or digging and chewing in inappropriate areas. Make sure your pup gets plenty of exercise—a tired, happy dog is a well-behaved dog. For a more enjoyable outdoor lifestyle for you and your best friend, invest a little time in behavior modification. Your pet needs a dedicated owner willing to show him the way.

Here are four elements to consider when creating a dog-friendly yard:

1. Designated Potty Area: To limit the aesthetic impact on your lawn, encourage your pet to eliminate in the same area each time. For boy dogs, some plants and shrubs are more forgiving, such as flowering woody shrubs like spirea, viburnum, shrub roses, and weigela. Watering down the area also helps eliminate brown spots.
2. Exercise Area: Most canines love to run and frolic. For a champion sprinter or frisbee catcher, make sure to include an open area of turf to indulge your pup’s need for play.
3. Shade: A spot to keep cool is a must for dogs that enjoy time in the garden. Your furry friend needs a place to escape from the hot sun, so a shady area is a vital element of a dog-friendly landscape. Perfect spot to take a nap!
4. Water: Dogs need fresh water to keep hydrated and cool off. It’s very important to provide a source of cool, fresh water they can drink when the need arises.

Source: How to Plant a Dog-Friendly Garden – Dengarden