While your backyard might be a fun haven for your dog, the dog's presence often makes it difficult to have the landscaping you want. How can you resolve these conflicting agendas so that everyone is happy and healthy? Here are a few tricks for any homeowner.
1. Move the Perimeter
Many dogs like to patrol the borders of their yard, often resulting in a trampled, bare path just inside the fence. A handy solution can give the dog their space while ensuring a beautiful view for yard users. That solution? Add an interior border as well. Create a dog path between the fence and a garden bed. All you see are the lush plants and flowers.
2. Add a Low Fence
There's no reason you can't add strategic interior fencing in the landscape. Many dogs just need a low barrier that makes it inconvenient to go over that spot. A knee wall, retaining wall, or low picket fence can direct doggy traffic past the spot and toward where you want them. A complete fence with a gate even makes a charming addition to your veggie garden.
3. Create a Hedge
If you don't want an actual fence, make one from thick shrubs instead. Many types of evergreens — like holly, boxwood, or dwarf mountain pine — grow low to the ground and make great deterrent shrubs. Plant them close together and keep them full to discourage dogs from pushing their way inside.
4. Use Vertical Elements
Depending on how tall your dog is or how much they jump, you can use height to your advantage. Most dogs are more interested in what's going on low to the ground. So if you raise up landscaping elements, your dog will be unable to reach or uninterested in bothering them. Make use of window boxes, lattices and arbors, garden or living walls, climbing vines, and raised garden beds.
5. Train With Motion Sensors
Motion sensors are inexpensive and can help train your pet to stay away from certain areas. Motion-activated sprinklers or loud automated noises (such as your own voice) are on alert 24 hours a day and do no harm to your beloved pet. As a bonus, these work on neighborhood dogs, stray cats, and even wildlife.
Where to Learn More
Could one of these noninvasive and harmless deterrents help you keep your dog happy while reclaiming your backyard? For more information about landscape design, contact a local company.
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