Protecting Your Yard From Pets

Here in the States, boy do we love our pets. We treat them like members of our family. We also love our yards, those summer havens for outdoor BBQs and games of catch. Unfortunately, owning a pet and keeping your yard beautiful simultaneously can sometimes feel impossible.
Our furry friends often unintentionally wreak havoc on our laws and gardens. Following are some tips that can help keep your yard a relaxing and beautiful outdoor sanctuary for both you and your pets.

Give Up Some Grass

You might want to think about giving up a bit of the grass in your yard in favor of hardscape. Grass and plant life can be quite sensitive to the acids in urine, especially over the long run.  Since few of us have the time or inclination to stand watch with the garden hose and rinse away urine every time our pet tinkles, it’s best to design areas into your yard that are plant-free and full of nonporous surfaces for easy cleanup.

Thwart Digging

If your pet is the type who just l-o-v-e-s to dig, you’ll want to make certain that you keep digging-prone areas safe. Use fencing around sandy or soft soil areas to keep your pet out. If there are spots that you notice your pet repeatedly returning to, bury a brick just beneath the surface of the soil to make it unsavory for digging.

Eliminate “Fire Hydrant” Targets and Hazards

Keep statuary to a minimum or small and low to the ground. What we see as a decorative birdbath can look like a snack shop full of tasty little morsels (a.k.a. birds) to your hunting-prone cats or the perfect fire hydrant for your dog. Tall statues can also be easily knocked into (and over) by pets. Needless to say, statuary can prove less decorative, and more dangerous, for your yard and furry friends. Opt for smaller decorations that are heavy and unmovable and make certain that statuary is properly anchored.

Utilize Fences

Many pets can’t resist chewing or scratching at delicate foliage and plants, so keep them safe behind fences. A length of chicken wire around saplings or garden beds can help keep the pets out.

Avoid Planting at the Property Line

Animals are territorial and like to roam the property lines/mark their territory. Avoid planting landscaping right against the fence line where they like to roam.

Plant Stakes in Your Flower Beds

To keep little paws out of your flowerbeds and gardens where they can easily crush delicate plants, try driving thin stakes into the ground at tight intervals. It’ll make them unpleasant places for your pet to roam around in.

Lay Cedar Chips Around Trees

Lining around trees with cedar chips can have two benefits. First, it can prevent muddy spots in your yard, which could easily be tracked into your house by pets. Secondly, cedar is a natural repellant for fleas and can help keep pests out of your yard.

Consider an Electric Fence

If your yard is large enough, consider utilizing an underground electric fence around a central area to demarcate a doggie play area and then limit any planting to the no-dog zone around it.

Reconsider Your Foliage

Plant the types of foliage that have nature-given defenses against pets. Think evergreens, thorny bushes, or pungent plants like sage or rosemary. Just make sure to avoid plants that are toxic to pets.

Use Pet-Safe Landscape Products

Finally, be very careful of what pesticides and fertilizers you use in your lawn and garden. If you utilize a lawn service company, make certain that you give them the head’s up about your pets. If you’re a DIY-er, check all labels and be sure that the ingredients are pet safe.

Adria Saracino is a blogger, marketer, and home improvement enthusiast. She writes for Embrace pet insurance. When not writing about pets and dog insurance, you can find her writing about style at her personal fashion blog, The Emerald Closet.

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