If you’re a first-time pet owner, it’s vitally important to know that not all yards and plants are safe for pets. Some plants and flowers are poisonous for them and can cause diarrhea, heart failure, seizure, and even blindness. You don’t want to do that to them.
Pets also face poisonous exposure from chemicals that people use for gardening, such as fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides. Such hazards can cause them serious conditions like cancer and organ failure. Even environment-friendly and organic fertilizers, like food scraps, can make them sick since they are just as hazardous as regular ones.
If you noticed symptoms of plant poisoning, like vomiting and excessive drooling, you need to take action immediately.
HOW TO KEEP A PET-FRIENDLY YARD
If you have a variety of plants, know which are hazardous for your pet, and place them somewhere they most definitely won’t reach. Better yet, just get rid of them. While performing maintenance on your garden, keep them indoors to keep them away from fertilizers, pesticides, and sharp objects. Be sure to hide the tools away right after gardening.
Cover your compost container if you have one in your yard. Close it shut that it’s impossible for even a big dog to knock over.
Install proper fencing to keep them safe from outside threats and guide them up to where they can run around. This can also be a suitable solution if you have a vegetable garden that then can ruin or if you don’t want to get rid of the plants that are deadly to them. Trex composite fencing, for example, can not only keep your house and pets safe but also add aesthetic design to your outdoor area.
To make your yard safer for your pets, consider replacing your grass with grass alternatives. While grass is already a beauty that adds to your yard, it requires a lot of maintenance, especially if you have a pet roaming around. Instead, grass alternatives are not only safer for your furry friends but also affordable to install, easy to maintain, long-lasting, and suitable for every season. Plus, it’s safer for them to do their business.
GRASS ALTERNATIVES FOR YOUR PETS
Before you choose your most preferred ground cover, it’s best if you take into consideration how much maintenance they require, how it looks in your lawn or yard, and, of course, the cost of it all.
Artificial Grass Pet Turf
This can be the best grass alternative ground cover that’s safe for dogs. Especially pet owners who have full-time jobs and don’t have the time to spend extra energy and money to handle maintenance and pest control. It looks like real grass, but you don’t have to maintain it like one.
Synthetic turf is extremely low-maintenance that homeowners don’t have to worry about bald and brown spots in their lawn. It’s easy to clean, especially right after your pets do numbers. It also has a smooth and level surface for it to be safe for children as well.
Brick and Masonry
If you’re looking to create a walkway or a driveway in your outdoor space, brick is a suitable material to build it. It’s fairly affordable and easy to install. You can even do it by yourself if you’re comfortable enough for it. It’s easy to clean as well. You can just use a water hose to clean pee off it. It’s very durable and maintenance-free.
A disadvantage to bricks is they become as hot as summer and it can be painful to walk on bare feet. They can start to buckle as well. If that bothers you, stone can be a good alternative.
Other Non-Living Ground Covers
These are also perfect for homeowners who find maintaining living grass not worth the money and energy. Since they’re dead, they don’t need to be watered. Non-living ground covers that are safer for pets include wood chips, mulch, and gravel.
Ground covering like these can handle every temperature and you don’t have to worry about your pet doing unnecessary digging.
While mulch is a good grass alternative, there is one type that is deadly for dogs: cocoa bean mulch. Since dogs are curious and chewers by nature, they will surely pick up something and eat it. So be absolutely careful and stay clear of mulch that is made of cocoa shells.
If you have gravel as your yard ground covering, add roofing or shade to your yard. Many dogs like to sunbathe on gravel during hot days, but it can be too hot if there’s not a roof over. Also, gravel doesn’t always work for big and heavy dogs because their paws can be stuck in between the rocks.
Doing something to keep a yard pet-friendly doesn’t have to be too complicated, especially if you love them enough. Doing little changes can come a long way to save your beloved pets from harmful living.
