National Dog Day is just around the corner, and what better way to celebrate than by giving your furry friend a garden they can truly enjoy? Creating a dog-friendly garden is about so much more than just making a safe space for your pet. It’s also about ensuring your outdoor space remains beautiful and functional.
Here, we’ll explain how to create a dog-friendly garden, making your space safe, healthy, and enjoyable for your canine companion. From secure boundaries to dog-safe plants and easily accessible water sources, we’ve got you covered.
Designing a Play Area
Create a dedicated play space.
Keeping your dog happy and active is crucial to its health, and it can also keep your garden neat and tidy. Use mulch or artificial grass to create a soft, durable surface where your dog can run and play.
Use interactive toys.
Incorporate interactive toys like tug ropes and balls to keep your dog entertained. You could also add agility equipment like tunnels and hoops to give your dog a physical challenge, keeping it healthy and happy.
Give a thought to a rest area.
Ensuring that there are shaded areas where your dog can rest is a great way to make your garden dog-friendly. A small doghouse or a shaded canopy can provide a much-needed break from the sun.
Creating Safe Boundaries
Make sure you’ve got safe fencing.
A top tip for creating a dog-friendly garden is prioritising your pet’s safety. One of the first steps is to ensure that your garden has secure boundaries. Many breeds of dogs are naturally inquisitive and might leap at the opportunity to explore the world beyond the garden without understanding the potential dangers.
To help prevent this, high fencing is a must – especially if your dog is a known jumper! Ideally, fences should be six feet (that’s just under two metres) to prevent even the most adventurous dogs from escaping.
Double-check your gate security.
Some dogs are skilled escapologists when it comes to making it out of the garden gate. Ensure your gates are always locked and cannot be easily opened by a clever canine. Adding a self-closing mechanism or a double gate system can provide extra security.
Avoid Plants That Are Harmful to Dogs
Staying on pet-safe ways to make your garden dog-friendly, it’s important to make sure that your garden plants are safe. Many garden plants in the UK can be toxic to them, posing significant health risks if ingested.
Plants that are Toxic for Dogs
Foxglove: All parts of this plant contain cardiac glycosides, which, if ingested, can affect the heart. If a dog eats these, it can result in drooling, vomiting, and severe cardiac problems.
Yew: Much of this plant can be highly toxic. If a dog ingests it, they might experience similar symptoms to Foxglove, as well as difficulty breathing and tremor.
Rhododendron and Azalea: These plants contain grayatoxins, which can lead to vomiting, diarrhoea, drooling, and lethargy. In more extreme cases, they can cause cardiac issues, low blood pressure and even coma.
Daffodils: The bulbs of this plant are the most toxic part, containing lycorine. Symptoms might include vomiting, abdominal pain, and, in extreme cases, low blood pressure.
Autumn Crocus: Contains colchicine, which is highly toxic and can cause severe gastrointestinal distress, kidney and liver damage, respiratory failure, and bone marrow suppression.
Use Pet-Friendly Pest Control
Many pesticides are harmful to pets. If you need to use it to keep your garden free from insects, then avoid using chemical pesticides. This is something we’ve spoken about in more detail in the past.
Providing Water Sources
Keeping your dog hydrated is crucial.
Making sure your dog has access to water is essential, especially during the hot summer months. Your dog must have easily accessible freshwater, which can be incorporated in a few different ways.
Try a water fountain.
A water fountain can be a fun and functional addition to your garden. Not only do they provide a constant source of fresh water, but they are also a great play feature for your dog, keeping it happy and engaged.
Put together a DIY water station.
If a fountain isn’t practical for you, consider setting up a simple water station in your garden. Large, heavy bowls or even plant pots that can’t be easily tipped over are a practical solution.
Looking for a Robust Hose Connector to Keep Your Dog Hydrated?
Keep your dog hydrated with our user-friendly, UK-made connectors crafted from robust, UV-stabilised premium-grade plastics. With Qwickhose®, you can say goodbye to the frustrations of standard hosepipe connectors.
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You can find out more about our hose connectors here or by getting in touch with our team.
