8 Definite No No’s For A Garden With Dogs

Would you like a garden that is beautiful and safe for your dog at the same time? These 8 tips will help…

Gardens are a really great space for a pet to poop and pee in private, as well as being an ideal place for burning energy in between walks during the day.

Dogs can also cause chaos in a garden with the things they do, not to mention the harm they can come to in a garden that isn’t setup ideally for their safety.

To help you get your garden perfect for your whole family, including the pooch, here are 8 definite no no’s for your outdoor space:

1.   No Thorny Plants

Thorny plants are a bad idea when you have dogs because the thorns and stems can shed, leaving a nasty little injury causing issue in your garden. To avoid this problem, avoid thorny plants altogether or plant them in raised beds the dog can’t reach.

2.   No Weak Plants

Dogs can be boisterous in the garden, potentially damaging plants, especially tender types that don’t take much damage to destroy. Try to avoid delicate plants and instead opt for sturdy, large plants that can withstand a few kicks and brushes daily.

3.   No Toxic Plants

There are many plants that could hurt or even kill your dog if consumed. For their safety, it makes sense to avoid planting those kinds of plants altogether. You can find an extended list of plants poisonous to dogs here.

4.   No Holey Fences

Dogs will find a way to escape out of curiosity, not out of disloyalty to you. To avoid your pooch getting out and getting lost, or worse, make sure your garden is totally secure, checking fences regularly, especially after storms.

5.   No Toxic Pesticides

We might hate pests like slugs and whitefly, but it isn’t worth your dog getting hurt using pesticides to rid your garden of them. Slug pellets and many other garden chemicals are really bad for pets, wildlife and the environment so avoid them and instead choose pest-friendly options, companion gardening or barrier pest control.

6.   No Open Shed

The shed should be well organised, with any large tools and furniture in a storage unit, and the rest of the shed decluttered and boxed up. For your dogs sake the shed should also be locked at all times to avoid them getting in and getting paint, chemicals or other harmful liquids on themselves.

7.   No Harmful Mulch

You may not know that some garden mulches can be really bad for dogs, such as cocoa bean mulch. So when it comes to feeding vitamins to your garden, try using leaf or bark mulch instead.

8.   No Pee Spots

We all know garden furniture can get damaged by the weather in winter, but did you know that your dog can pick garden furniture as their safe space to pee? One quick spray and the furniture can become their pee spot throughout winter, without you knowing until spring comes and there’s a funky smell when you sit down in the sunshine for the first time. Try to avoid this happening by storing your furniture in a self storage unit over winter. You should also keep an eye out for other ‘favourite’ spots of your pets so you can act accordingly before it becomes a regular issue.

With the tips above you can have a garden that looks beautiful whilst also keeping your beloved pet pooch safe when they spend time outside.