For many people, having a four legged friend simply makes a house a home. But with a home comes a garden – and if you want a pet, making sure your garden is pet friendly is essential.

Dogs, cats, and many other pets often love spending time in your garden as much as you will, and with a few small tweaks your outside space can be made into a pet friendly haven. Read on to find out how.

Make your garden secure

The first step important before letting dogs and other pets explore your garden is to ensure it is secure. Dogs simply love to dig under fences or wriggle through any large holes in them, so invest in some robust fencing. Erecting high fences is sure fire way to stop your pets from escaping, and you can also add a stylish, secure garden gate so your garden is still easily accessible.

It’s also very important to ensure your garden shed is secure, as sheds often contain sharp tools and chemicals that may be dangerous to pets.

This also applies to your compost bin, as this will often contain scrap foods which can be harmful to animals, especially dogs. Make sure your bin is placed so your inquisitive four legged friend can’t stick their noses into something that might harm them.

Avoid toxic plants

If you have a dog, it’s important to be aware of the many garden plants that can be toxic for them. These include:

  • Daffodil bulbs
  • Chrysanthemums
  • Foxgloves
  • Hydrangea
  • Wisteria
  • Yew

Whenever you introduce a new plant to your garden, it’s important to always check whether it poses any risk to your dog. Consult online resources such as the Dogs Trust website to thoroughly check whether a plant could be harmful to your dog.

Other things to be careful of are slugs and snails, which can give your dog lungworm if they eat them. However, you should only defend your garden from these insects using organic slug pellets, as anything non-organic or chemical will be toxic to all wildlife – including your pets.

Sow dog-friendly plants

Happily, there are also plenty of wonderful plants you can sow that are not harmful to your dog (although if you have a different animal – like a cat – it’s obviously important to check their safe for them too). Plants that are safe for dogs include:

  • Rosemary
  • Lavender
  • Sunflowers
  • Cornflowers
  • Sage
  • Calendula

Protect your garden and plants

Once you’ve planted some dog-friendly crops, the next step is to protect them. If your dog loves to dig, sowing your plants in raised planters will help protect them from digging paws.

Dogs love to explore, so adding interest areas to your garden will create areas they will be drawn to. You can create designated areas for digging and play using and sand and woodchip, and mark these areas out using timber sleepers.

As a final touch, why not give your dog an outdoor room of their own? Our beautiful softwood dog kennel comes in a stylish apex house design, and can be custom-made for dogs of all sizes.

We can support you in creating a beautiful, pet-friendly garden

From bespoke dog kennels to strong fences, at Somerlap we have everything you need to create the perfect pet-friendly outdoor paradise. Visit us at our site in Mark, Somerset to browse our products and chat to our friendly team, or contact us for any and all garden advice.

Opening hours: Monday to Friday: 8.00am – 4.30pm | Saturday: 8.00am – 12.30pm | Closed all bank holidays

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