Is Your Dog Destroying Your Yard?

Having beautiful landscaping and a family dog are not always compatible. Even small dogs can dig big holes, destroy flowerbeds and leave dead spots on the grass from urination. Although you can work on dog training for some issues, it may be a better investment to work on making your landscaping more compatible to having a dog. Consider these landscaping options for making your yard dog-friendly and easier to maintain. 

Grass Options

The larger the dog you have, the larger the yellow spots which can form on your lawn where the grass has died due to contact with urine. There are a few options to resolve this issue. You can train your dog to use only a certain area of the yard which is not covered by grass to perform their elimination. Another option is choosing heartier grasses which are resistant to stress like dog urine. The final option is to choose to not have a lawn at all, and landscape  in the xeriscape design which uses rocks and minimal plants. This option is also a strong choice for water conservationists, and can be ideally suited to drought-prone areas where heavy watering is a strain on water resources. 

Plant Beds

Dogs love to dig in newly planted areas. Many dog owners are unhappily surprised to find their recent planting efforts have been unceremoniously dug up to die by the family pooch. The soft dirt is one of the reasons dogs are attracted to these plant beds. You have a few options. You can fence off these planting areas, or make the beds less desirable to your dog for digging. Adding small rocks or mulch can deter digging for many dogs. 

If you are having problems protecting your landscaping from your furry family members, it may be time to discuss other options with your landscaper. They can discuss lawn options and landscape designs which can better withstand living with your four-legged companions. 

Posted on behalf of Find Local Landscapers