5 Ways to Make Your Yard a Dog-Friendly Paradise

It’s no secret that dogs need plenty of space to roam and run and typically need anywhere from 30-45 minutes of exercise each day. While heading to the local dog park or taking your four-legged friend for a walk is fun, it’s not always convenient or feasible. So, the backyard can serve as the perfect place for your dog to get some exercise and burn off some energy. 

However, if your backyard isn’t prepared for your pup, you might start to see things like dug-up flower beds, holes in the grass, or even a sick dog from eating something they shouldn’t. Thankfully, there are things you can do to make your yard a dog-friendly paradise. As a dog owner, it’s normal to want to spoil your furry friend. Having a backyard paradise for them to run around is a great way to do that. Let’s cover a few tips you can use to turn your yard into a “pawsome” experience for your pooch. 

Keep Your Yard Free From Pests

There are countless health benefits that often come with owning a dog, including reduced stress, lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol, and boosted mental health. It’s only natural that you want to keep your four-legged friend as happy and healthy as they make you. When they’re outside, one of the best ways to do that is to protect them from things like fleas and ticks. You can achieve this by keeping your lawn mowed, shrubbery trimmed, and keeping other wildlife from entering your yard with things like a privacy fence. Make sure to brush your four-legged friend before they enter the house, and consider putting them on a flea and tick preventative to keep them safe, especially if they love spending a lot of time outdoors. 

Keep Things Clean

Whether you have a designated area in your yard or want to give your dog free roam over all of it, it’s essential for their safety to keep things clean. Clear debris as often as possible, and consider doing frequent “checks” to ensure there’s nothing in your yard that could injure your dog if they stepped on it and nothing they could ingest that might make them sick. 

If you’ve recently done any construction or home upgrades, you might want to sweep the yard with a metal detector to find hard-to-spot screws, nails, or other hardware that could harm your pup’s paws. 

Let Them Dig

Some dogs seem to be natural diggers more than others. If you know your pooch loves to dig and you’re tired of seeing holes in your yard, give them a place to get that behavior out of their system!

A sandbox is a great option. It will protect your yard and garden, and you’ll know exactly where your dog is digging, so you don’t have to worry about them getting into any foreign substances that could harm them. You can buy a pre-built box or create a digging area of your own. As a bonus, keep the sand moist in the summer. It will be a great spot for your dog to cool down when spending a lot of time in the sun. 

Choose the Right Plants

There’s nothing more relaxing and fulfilling than a beautiful landscape. Choosing shrubs and bushes, investing in native plants, and creating a bountiful garden are fantastic ways to spruce up your yard, boost curb appeal, and live sustainably. However, if your dog is spending time in your yard, it’s important to choose safe plants. Ideally, they won’t be ingesting anything, but there’s always that chance. For example, if you have a garden in your backyard, keep the following tips in mind to ensure it’s pet-friendly: 

• Avoid plants known to be poisonous to dogs
• Use fencing
• Choose a pet-friendly mulch that doesn’t create mold growth
• Keep your pet away from compost
• Be careful with chemicals and insecticides

If you’re growing an herb/vegetable garden, it’s worth looking into the produce you’re planting. Your dog-friendly garden shouldn’t contain any vegetables that could be toxic to your four-legged friend.

Give Them Access to Fresh Water

Giving your dog plenty of fresh water seems like a no-brainer, but when they’re playing around outside, or you’re just relaxing, and they’re out there with you, it’s easy to forget just how much water they might need. 

Having a large bowl of fresh water accessible is the easiest way to keep them hydrated. You can get fancy with a water fountain hooked up to your house, but the important thing is ensuring the water is clean, cool, and replenished frequently. 

Letting your dog spend as much time outside as possible will help them burn off extra energy and get the exercise they need. Creating a pet-friendly backyard doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Keep these ideas in mind and make the necessary adjustments to your yard. You’ll love watching your dog live its best life whenever it goes outside.