How to Keep Your Dog from Destroying Your Yard with Landscaping

Hey, it’s your dog here. Want me to stop tearing up the garden? Ruining the grass? Digging up your hand-picked flowers?

I have a little secret for you. Dog-friendly landscaping is the key.

LET ME BE A DOG

Let’s clear the air here. If you didn’t want an animal running around and getting crazy in your pristine yard, you probably shouldn’t have gotten a dog. It’s what I do. M’kay?

Must haves:

• A place to run. Tired of me making a rut where the grass doesn’t want to grow anymore? Don’t try to change me. Just make me a path. Use woodchips, gentle paving stones or wood planks.
• A place to pee. You gotta tell me where to pee, or I’ll go everywhere. Give me a corner of the yard where I can do my business. (I might need a little help remembering.)
• A place to lie down. I love to bask in the sun, but I can get overheated. Give me some space in the shade where I can go to cool down.

Those are my required conditions. We can now proceed to the negotiations on what to do with the rest of your yard.

BREAK UP MY PATROL AREA WITH STURDY PLANTS

Look, it’s my duty to protect you. Don’t get all bent out of shape when I run back and forth along the fence to keep you safe from other humans and the scourge of felines.

But I’ll make you a deal. If you plant some sturdy plants like daylilies, chain ferns or barberry along the edges of the yard I patrol, there’s a good chance I won’t make a rut. I can deal with that.

Of course, the neighbor’s cat may succeed in getting in and taking control of your mind. I warned you.

I KNOW NOT TO EAT WHAT’S UP HIGH

Just like at the dinner table, I know I’m not supposed to get at things that are raised up to people level. It will help me remember not to eat the flowers if they’re on raised beds.

You can also plant the nice stuff on mounds and I’m less likely to mess with it. Let’s face it, I’m lazy. I don’t want to climb up there.

I WON’T MIND NATURAL BARRIERS AT ALL

Just in case I forget or I’m running full tilt while looking behind me at a Frisbee, would you mind putting some hearty plants around the pretty stuff you humans like?

Any tough hedge I can plow into will do. Boxwood, privet and photinia could all work. Chances are, I’ll forget all about the flowers behind it. My brain’s the size of a walnut.

WAS I DIGGING AGAIN? CAN’T HELP MYSELF

Let’s talk hardscapes for a second. Yes, I want to dig under the fence, but that’s only because your yard is boring and I want to have an adventure.

Maybe make it a little more interesting by installing a stone bed along a decorative fence? I’m less likely to want to escape if I have something like that to gape at.

But just in case I go back to my escape artist ways, you might want to put some rebar or even poured concrete underneath so I can’t get through. I really don’t trust myself.

DO WE HAVE A DEAL?

I hope this helped, and not only because it took me like a month to type. I need to be me, you gotta do you. We’ll work it out.

Clean Cut Lawn & Landscape can help. All the dogs in the neighborhood are barking about them. I assume it’s because they do an excellent job.

It’s not because they have dog treats, which is just a rumor. Trust me. I checked.

Clean Cut Lawn & Landscape
7415 W Jackson St
Muncie, IN 47304-9759
(765) 759-8575
info@cleancutlandscape.net