If you have a dog at home, dog-friendly backyard landscaping ideas might be just what you need to inspire your backyard upgrade. Are you concerned about your pet’s safety around plants? Do you want to protect the condition of your garden? Or, do you just want to make your dog feel more comfortable playing in the yard?
Regardless of your reasoning, there are plenty of options that work for any circumstance. Here are some great tips and ideas for creating a dog-friendly outdoor environment at home:
A lawn might seem like the perfect environment for a dog, but both their digging and droppings can mean trouble for the health of the yard. If you want a more sustainable backyard your pups will also benefit from, consider replacing your lawn with any number of dog-friendly grass alternatives.
For the same lush feel without the maintenance, try planting dog-friendly ground covers like Irish moss, creeping thyme or clover. These hardy ground covers feel soft under your dog’s paws, but can stand up to rough play and pet urine.
Plus, they’re much more environmentally friendly than grass lawns because they require almost zero watering once established.
Another aspect of dog-friendly landscaping is keeping your pooch safe from toxic or dangerous plants. If you love fragrant, vibrant flowers, good news: you can plant fuchsias, sunflowers, snapdragons, nasturtiums and magnolia bushes without worrying about your pet’s safety.
If you’re more interested in tall greenery, maiden grass makes an extremely durable pet safe option for your backyard landscape. Your dog will love romping around in the long, rustling leaves - meanwhile, you can rest easy knowing they won’t get sick if they happen to take a bite.
If you want to create a dog-friendly landscape at home, prioritize replacing your lawn with a mat-like ground cover and choosing plants carefully to keep your four-legged friends healthy. If you remember these key tips, both you and your dog will enjoy the benefits of a dog-friendly yard.
Eddie Brissett is a native of Newburyport, Massachusetts where he attended Newburyport High School. He graduated from Fitchburg State College (FSC) with both a B.S. in Business Administration and an MBA in the late 1990s. He also played basketball at FSC.
In 2004, his real estate dream began when he purchased his first property- a condo. Working primarily in financial services for nearly 15 years, he transitioned into real estate full-time in 2013. He was the Condo Board Chairman (2005-2018) of the Rich Street Condo Association. He credits his parents and mainly his mom as among the biggest influences in his life. As a licensed real estate agent in several states, he serves buyers, sellers, renters, and landlords throughout the commonwealth of Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Florida.
"From an early age, I learned the value of hard work and standing by your word from my parents. These traits along with teamwork were reinforced from some tough sports coaches that I played for."
He enjoys spending his free time with family, friends, hiking, watching Boston sports teams, and is an accomplished billiards player.