9 Dog-Friendly Gardening Tips: Keep Your Pets Happy Without Ruining Your Garden!
Having your dogs all over your garden can be disastrous. Dog-loving gardeners know this best!
But as much as we love our pets and want them playing in the yard, it’s too risky to have them ruin the plants and vegetables that we’ve worked so hard on.
There’s good news, though! You can combine your love for dogs and gardening simply by making your garden more pet-friendly.
Practical tips such as growing plants in containers, fencing your garden, and paving pathways all help in creating a much safer environment for your beloved dogs and plants.
A well-trained pet will also lessen the chances of a ruined garden, so see to it that your furry pal knows how to behave himself whenever he’s out in the yard.
For more pet-friendly gardening tips, be sure to check out this list below so you can keep both your dogs and your garden plants safe and happy!
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9 Tips for Gardening with Your Dogs
1. Start Young
The earlier you start training your dog the better. Old dogs can learn new tricks, but if you have a puppy, begin training as soon as you bring it home. Let it know right away what parts of the garden are off limits. And don’t assume puppies can’t learn. Even puppies as young as six weeks old can master basic commands.
2. Don’t Leave Your Dog Alone
If you want a perfect lawn or garden, don’t just shove your dog out the back door while you are at work. Dogs require exercise and get bored easily. Left alone, they quickly find ways to amuse themselves — and that may mean digging up your favorite plants or tearing out your sod.
3. Teach Your Dog Obedience
Take your dog to an obedience class so it understands basic commands such as sit, stay, and down. Larger dogs, especially, make better gardening partners if they know how to hang out without causing trouble or getting in the way. Find a local obedience class and enroll your dog as soon as you adopt it.
4. Latch Your Gates
To keep your dog from getting out of your yard, make sure your garden gates have strong latches. A gate lock will prevent it from being left open by delivery people or neighborhood children.
5. Use a Fence
When all else fails, protect your beds and borders with a low fence. Here, a low picket fence was all that was required to keep this bouncy bruiser at bay. You’ll be surprised at how even the most meager fence can be a visual barrier for your dog. Check your fence once a month to be sure your pet hasn’t dug an escape route or gnawed a hole through a hidden corner.
6. Pave Pathways
Keep feet and paws dry by paving your garden paths with brick or gravel. Plus, most dogs will quickly learn to stay on the paths so your lawn and garden soil won’t become packed down. Mulched paths work well, too, but avoid using cocoa bean hulls as they can make your dog sick if it eats this mulch.
7. Try Container Gardening
If all else fails, plant your favorite flowers and vegetables in containers. Most plants do well in large pots or planters, and they’ll be less likely to be trampled by pounding paws. Here, a beautiful assortment of summer bulbs bloom safe from the owner’s sheltie.
8. Play with Your Dog
Dogs need physical and mental stimulation each day. So carve out time to give your dog a long walk or playtime each day. Active breeds like this Border collie can cause a lot of damage to your beds and borders if they are bored. Walk your dog for 45 minutes every day to keep it fit and happy.
9. Have Fun
And finally, enjoy your dog and don’t get too upset if your dog knocks over a pot or kills a plant. Remember, plants grow back, but your relationship with your dog can be a lot more rewarding!
Article Source: Better Homes and Gardens