How to Create a Beautiful, Pet-Safe Lawn

Some of our most beloved family members are pets that we cherish greatly. And like with any other family member, we care about our pets’ well-being. Owning a pet alongside a lawn means being aware of the extra care and precaution you’re going to have to put into your lawn. 

With dogs and outdoor cats, we have to consider how safe our backyard lawns are for them. After all, they utilize the yard as much as you do — maybe even more. They are closer to the ground and often sniff and walk around with their bare paws. This is why taking extra steps in your lawn care is of utmost importance. 

Keeping a Pet’s Health in Mind

Many lawn products have poisonous chemicals in them, but luckily they aren’t an issue unless consumed in large quantities. This applies to products such as organic fertilizers and pesticides. Too much ingestion of these products can cause your pet to be incredibly ill. To prevent your curious pet from investigating where they shouldn’t, make sure your lawn products are safely and securely stored away. 

When using products on your lawn, you or a trained professional should ensure that the correct and safe amounts of products are applied. Sprays such as pesticides can irritate your pets’ feet and cause mild diarrhea if consumed. Therefore, sprays should be left to dry for about an hour so that it will not pose a threat to you or your pet’s health. 

Owning certain plants can also be toxic to your pets. Examples of these are holly, aloe, and lilies for dogs; and daffodil, hydrangea, and ivy for cats. Make sure you do your research on toxic plants before working on your lawn for your pet’s safety. Consulting your vet before beginning any landscaping projects can also help point you out in the right direction.

If you don’t prefer walkways, use materials that are easy for pets to walk on. Hot pavement or rocky walkways can injure a pet’s feet, while other materials will help your pet from getting too hot in the sun. In terms of grass, artificial turf is less maintenance than real grass. It also works great with pets, but provide your pet with a mat or separate area since artificial turf can get too hot and burn your pet’s paws.

Taking Care of Your Lawn with a Pet

It’s convenient to let your pets, particularly dogs, out in the yard to do their business. In reality, however, it’s better for your lawn if your pets did their business elsewhere. A dog’s urine is essentially fertilizer itself, and it gets applied to your lawn every single day, multiple times a day. That much fertilizer will eventually damage the lawn in irregular patches. 

Adding your own fertilizer on top of that will cause even more problems. The key ingredient in fertilizers is nitrogen, which is also in your dog’s urine. With so much fertilizer being applied to your lawn, nitrogen can build up in the soil and cease the pro-biotic activity that is essential to make it usable by the yard. 

As biological activity decreases and more nitrogen is applied (through urine and or fertilizer), the problem becomes compounded. And the worse it gets, the more time it will take to restore regular biological activity in the lawn. At this point, it can take upwards of months to revert your soil back to normal. 

Keep in mind, too, that not all yellow or patchy lawn issues are from pet urine. Sometimes, excessive fertilization, type of irrigation water, and dense clay soil can be the cause of your lawn’s health. Try not to overwater your lawn either, as that might encourage fungal activity to develop. 

Our lives are hectic, and you may find yourself unable to take your dog out on walks multiple times a day. If your pet does its business on the lawn, it’s essential to immediately hose down the urine spot and pick up its stool to prevent any future lawn issues. 

Pets and Lawns in Harmony

Asides from your pet’s physical health, it can be a great idea to create a landscape that caters to your needs while also entertaining your pet. One way to do so is to consider building a functional yard while remembering what your pets need. 

For safety reasons, fences are a must, and there are so many options to choose from to ensure security while also looking appealing to people. Some dogs are natural diggers too, so consider having pet-friendly lawn care under the fences to prevent your escape artist from fleeing. Examples of these are chicken wire, large rocks, or flower beds. 

Summertime is a great season to spend outdoors in your yard, but it can be too hot for your dogs if you’re not careful. Try installing a water station that can look fancy and aesthetically pleasing to the eye while also being functional for your pet. There should also be enough shade and shelter from the sun, such as trees and shrubs. 

When contemplating shelters, a dog house is a spectacular idea if your pet enjoys being outdoors in all seasons. Dog houses provide shade, shelter, and alone space for your four-legged family member during all kinds of weather. Their homes also come in a range of various styles, so you can spend time finding the right one for your pet and your backyard.

If you have the budget and desire, incorporate a play course that looks wonderful in your yard too. Some ideas for these are winding pathways for your pets to walk and patrol, small tunnels to explore, designated pits they can dig in, and large rocks or decks to survey from. Building a play course can be a fantastic accommodation for nervous pets, too, as you can build hiding dens for those who want their own safe spot. 

There are various ways to navigate through a landscaping project, but the most critical factor to keep in mind is your family’s health and safety. Lawn products have chemicals, and some materials can be harmful to pets, so it’s pertinent to do your research before getting started. If you hire a lawn care company to do the work, confirm that they are up to date with Nevada’s latest training. In the end, you’ll have a beautiful yard that is also safe for your pets to be in.