Landscaping Keeping Your Fur Family Member In Mind

Having a dog-friendly landscaped back yard, is something your fur baby will love you for. When thinking about landscaping ideas, you may want to think about what will make your dog happy too.

A dog-friendly yard should have two things: 1) a space where the lawn and garden are protected from dog-related damage, and 2) a space where your dog can have fun!

Here are some dog friendly ideas for your backyard. 1. A Doggy splash pool. Summers are hot, but they get extra hot when you are covered in thick fur. Just get a cheep plastic kiddie pool that is hard plastic and let little Spot or big Rover...have a cool down spot.

2. Think about planting flea-repelling plants. Yes, there are some out there, such as Catnip Marigolds Rosemary and Sage. Use cedar chips as mulch for even more potency.

3. Sandbox for digging. One way dogs damage lawns is by digging holes all over the place. Try digging a pit in the lawn about 8-12 inches deep. Mix a bag of fast setting concrete according to directions. When the concrete is ready, line the bottom and sides of the pit with a thin layer. Poke a few holes in the concrete for drainage. Fill the pit with playground sand, which you can find a hardware stores.

4. Dogs are territorial animals, and they like to patrol their territory. Think about building your dog's own walking path out of pavers or pea gravel and teach her/him to walk there instead of on your grass.

5. A dog window. If you have a solid fence around your backyard, you can make it more interesting for your dog by adding a dog window. Have a small section covered with plastic that lets your dog see the world beyond the backyard, while staying safe in the fence.

6. Agility Course. Have your own mini dog park in your backyard. Incorporate jumps, tunnels, balance beams and other fun elements into your back yard landscaping.

7. Plenty of shade. So important, dogs need shady spots to relax and cool down, especially in the summer. Providing more shade could eliminate your dog digging holes to get into, to cool down.

Have fun creating dog landscaping ideas in your back yard. Fido and Fluffy are sure to reward you with plenty of wagging tails and wet kisses.