Create a safe and stimulating garden for your dog

Your dog enriches your life, so why not return the favour and create an environment that’s safe and stimulating for him to play in?

1. CHOOSE YOUR PLANTS WISELY

Most dogs love to have a good romp in the garden, and this is often at the expense of your gardening efforts. They don’t mean to destroy all your gorgeous flowers and plants, but dogs will be dogs! As an added issue with dogs playing in the garden, there are many plants out there that could make your four-legged friend ill. Here are some tips and tricks to keep your garden dog friendly — and your blood from boiling:

• Create clearly defined paths and areas for your dog to play: Planting low-growing hedges and robust shrubs creates natural paths and dedicated areas your dog wants to play in and enjoy.

• Plant hardy ground cover and sturdy border plants: Adding dog-proof plants like this helps guide your dog to preferable play areas and creates aesthetic variation in your garden. Sturdier options are excellent for protecting your more delicate plants from curious paws.

• Select dog-friendly plants: When it comes to plants, even the most innocuous ones can be dangerous to your dog. Do your research, or get help from your local nursery to choose safe varieties.

• Secure your veggie garden: We’re sure you’ve noticed your dog’s unwavering dedication to obtaining a free snack. Fencing off your veggie garden or getting creative with raised beds and hanging pots is always a good option. That way, your efforts have a considerably better chance of making it to the table.

• Include textural stimulation: Varied textures stimulate your dog’s paws and add to their playtime experience. Consider incorporating a mixture of mowed grass, long grass, pet-friendly artificial grass and hardy ground cover. When opting for long grass areas, check for ticks regularly, and use your preferred tick repellent.

2. SAFETY FIRST

Dogs are curious, determined, and athletic. They seemingly love to put themselves headlong into dangerous situations. It is always a good idea to clean up your garden to prevent curiosity from getting the better of them. Here are some things to be mindful of when creating a safe space for your canine pal:

• Use non-harmful organic pesticides: Pesty, pestering pests! Yes, we loathe them, too, especially when they decide to snack on our beautiful plants and undermine our efforts to sculpt a gorgeous landscape. Just be careful that your dog doesn’t end up as a casualty of the war on bugs. Stick to non-harmful organic pesticides and diatomaceous earth that will prevent him from getting sick when eating plants or playing in your garden.

• Get creative when dealing with rodents: Rodenticide can have devastating consequences on the ecological environment. There are many ethical options for handling rodents, including the following:

• Owl boxes: Encourage owls into the area by providing a place for them to live.

• Rat buckets: You can trap rats in buckets and donate them to owl sanctuaries.

• Cats: Assuming your dog doesn’t mind, appoint a resident cat or two to eradicate your rodent problem.

• Clean-up: Make areas where rodents would love to nest or feed your first priority forcing the unwanted pests to move elsewhere.

• Make a safe place for your dog to play: Dogs love to explore their surroundings, and this includes digging and jumping up onto things. Remove secure objects that could injure your pet and cover or fence off your swimming pool. Double-check your garden for debris or glass that may have been dumped or buried in the past, and always secure your perimeter fence to prevent escape into the great wide world.

3. CREATE A CANINE PLAYGROUND

All dogs, no matter their size, need to play and exercise. Sure, a daily walk will do the trick, but why not take it a step or two further and construct their very own playground. It provides your canine with extra stimulation and exercise and taps into his problem-solving capabilities. The best part is you and he will have extra bonding time in a really fantastic environment.

There’s no need to go OTT when building obstacles for your friend, all you need is a bit of creative ingenuity. Start with these simple obstacles to get your pooch started:

• Hurdles

• Ramps

• Tunnels

• Balancing beams

Once your dog has the hang of it, you can always expand his horizons. Start slow, use positive reinforcement, and scale the playground to your dog’s size and capabilities. If you need more obstacle ideas or want to take it to the next level, visit your local canine agility centre. Who knows, he might be the next canine superstar.

WRAPPING UP

Putting these three simple concepts into practice will not only keep your dog safe in your garden but your garden safe from your dog - perhaps the most important benefit is protecting your dog from a vehement scolding. There’s a passionate and protective gardener in all of us, and the last thing your dog wants is to unleash that person. He will love tackling the obstacles you created for him, all the while showing you who the best boy really is. Enjoy every moment you spend with your pooch in your new dog-friendly garden.