This week there are two big days celebrating pets. April 26th is National Kids and Pet Day, and April 30th being National Adopt a Pet Day! Due to our love of animals and the pet-friendly national week, we thought it would be an opportune time to write a blog dedicated to our pets!
First of all, we know that every day is kid and pet day. With that being said, we do everything for our children, and we treat our pets as family members. In some instances, they are our favorite family members! Our pet often goes wherever we do or are adjoined at our hip, following us around, especially dogs! Cats are so independent, whether they are indoor or outdoor cats, and they always survive. Dogs need a little more help. So today, we are going to help you create a pet-friendly outdoor space for your dog!
So often, people do not really think about who or what will utilize their outdoor space. So, we make changes and installs and often put in aesthetically pleasing things. Most often, these lovely additions do not go with the people or pets, using the space and become more of a concern or bother than anything else.
This blog will discuss and help you with things such as,
- Is your landscape/lawn right for your pet?
- Can I make a designated area for my pet?
- How do I keep my pet away from certain areas of my lawn/landscape?
- Outdoor Pet Care
This will be the guide you need when it comes to having your pets play outside and also a way to keep them safe outdoors without having to compromise beauty and other aspects of your lawn or landscape.
Since this blog is dedicated to our pets, here are some quick pet care reminders before we get into the topic:
- Heartworm and Safeguard are definitely things you should be giving your pets!
- Outdoor exercise is great for your pets!
- Make sure there is always water and shade available for pets when they are outside!
- Dogs get red patches and spots on their chest and belly if they have allergies!
- Some plants and grass can be harmful to pets, so do your research!
- Make sure you take lots of pictures to show people!
What kind of damage can my dog do to my lawn or landscape?
Some dogs have tendencies that are not ideal for your lawn or landscape. Dogs sometimes dig holes on your property to bury things, which can lead to weeds breaking through the soil and, of course, make extra work for you.
The main threat to your plant life from your dog is actually urine. Grass and urine do not see eye to eye, and urine can lead to dead spots, disease, and fungus. It will most likely be an eyesore of a spot in your outdoor space. The recommended thing to do is to have a hardscaped area as part of your outdoor space that would be solely for the dog to use, especially for the bathroom, as the urine will be washed away with ease.
Can I make a designated area for my pet?
The best part about having a hardscaping area for your dog is that it actually requires little to no maintenance at all since it is made of brick or concrete. It can be used as a place for your dog to use the bathroom if they didn’t go enough during their most recent walk. In fact, stone and masonry seem to be the most recommended options of hardscaping services for outdoor spaces with pets because it also stops them from digging as well. It is also rather resilient when it comes to wear and tear.
How do I keep my pet away from certain areas of my lawn/landscape?
We understand you do not want your dog roaming every possible inch of your outdoor space, especially with the money, detail, and time you put into it, making it look beautiful and maintaining it. A quick fix to having pets stay away from certain spots of your outdoor space, for example, a garden bed, is to put up some sort of fence.
Fences actually will work two ways here. Fences around gardens are not the most uncommon thing. People have fenced-in gardens even without being pet owners. Small wooden or lattice fences would look great with flowers or in a garden and be a beautiful addition to your landscape. Fences are also the perfect defense (Pun intended!) to avoid your dog getting into any of your unwanted outdoor spaces.
Another possibility is to create a “dog path.” This is often used for fenced or walled-in properties where dogs are often off-leash and free to roam the entire property. To avoid dogs and their foot traffic on your lawn and gardens, people sometimes put stone pathways or create concrete walkways for their dogs to use, so the pups have a direct path to follow, ultimately keeping them away from the rest of your property. Stone pathways are also a very appealing and amazing addition to any outdoor space!
Lastly, another option is placing chicken wire around your trees, hedges, and shrubs that are part of your outdoor space. This concept will prevent dogs from getting too close to the shrubbery, and they will most likely not pick up a scent and use the bathroom. This will also prevent them from “marking their territory” so they do not continue to visit those spots repeatedly.
Here at Marathon Lawn Care, we will be delighted to help you with any questions you have about pet-friendly products, plant life and aid in your decision when it comes to creating the most beneficial pet-friendly lawn and landscape!
Marathon Lawn Care offers pet-friendly options in Austin, TX, and its surrounding areas such as North Austin, Cedar Park, and Leander. Our team serves the following communities too:
- Cat Hollow
- Scofield Farms
- Wells Branch
- Anderson Mill West
- Village at Anderson Mill
- Mesa Park
- Rattan Creek
- Hunters Chase
- Milwood
- Northwood
- Old Millwood
If you have any questions about our services or even lawn care in general, feel free to call us or contact us online today! Our customer service team will be happy to help you.