4 Landscaping Tips for Dog Owners to Try
Before you start a landscaping project, you’ve got to bear in mind a couple of things. Do you have a pool (or are planning to have one built in the future?) Are you allergic to certain types of plants or flowers?
Do you want to go DIY or hire landscaping companies? Also, do you own a dog?
Questions such as these will help guide your landscaping strategy for a higher chance of success.
And speaking of dogs, in particular, we’ve got some tips for you on how to landscape with them in mind—let’s begin right away!
Beware of certain plants that are toxic to dogs

If you live with dogs, you’ll have to be extra careful with the plants and flowers you’d want to include to beautify your yard.
Some, while certainly fetching, may pose a danger to your four-legged family members as they may cause diarrhoea, vomiting, stomach pain, weakness, confusion, and even death.
According to PetMD, some of the most toxic plants for dogs include oleander, English ivy (both berries and leaves), castor bean, dumbcane, hemlock, and thorn apple, to name a few.
Also, some plants are not toxic to dogs but may still harm them if they have thorns, thistles, burs, and the like.
Set up a sandbox
One way our furry friends can ruin our landscaping efforts is by digging. This will destroy the grass and of course, any plants or flowers we’d just planted.
One remedy for this common doggy behaviour is to set up a sandbox for it to dig in. After you set up a sandbox area (large enough for your dog to fit in and lie down), put in playground sand.
You can try visiting hardware stores if you’re unsure where to purchase this.
Consider other alternatives to grass

Unfortunately, one disadvantage of having dogs play outside our yard is that their urine and faeces ruin grass.
When dogs urinate on grass, it leaves what others call a “dog spot” which is a yellow stain on grass due to particular elements in a dog’s urine (e.g. nitrogen and salts).
You can do three things. One, you can opt to plant clover instead of the usual grasses. Clover does not stain the way grass does after it’s been urinated.
Two, you can try to limit your grassy areas by using hardscape instead. For instance, for small areas, you can opt to decorate those with stones, bricks, pebbles, and such.
And third, you can immediately use your garden hose to wash out the urine your dog has left immediately upon seeing it relieve itself.
Guard your plants with barriers
Want to make sure your plants and flowers are dog-proof? Set up some barriers such as fences.
Not only will this protect your plants, but it can also act as decoration, especially if you use materials such as wood or stone.
Another tip would be—instead of setting up barriers—to try raised garden beds instead. In this way, your plants are planted high above the ground.
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Landscaping requires much effort for sure, but the finished product can turn your outdoor space into a relaxing space, perfect for a home date or even a wedding venue!
Meanwhile, because we talked about landscaping and pets, you may want to check out these other articles for pet lovers.