Melting snow, rising temperatures, budding flowers, sprouting leaves, and a whole lot of stunning colours from nature are only some of the things most people look forward to in spring. It’s not just humans, however, who are excited about the warmer weather and brighter days. After being cooped up inside your home, your pets─ especially your dogs─ will be thrilled to run out in the open too.
Spring is also a time for cleaning and sprucing up. To make your yard enjoyable for both you and your dog, professional dog trainer Sarah Hodgson offers some helpful tips for you and your professionals from dependable Hamilton landscaping companies to follow:
Choose pet-safe mulches
Mulches are good for your garden’s growth because of the nutrients they provide, but relatively unsafe for your pets when they munch it up. Always choose a pet-safe mulch material like leaves, rocks, or shredded tree bark for ground cover. Never use cocoa mulch as it contains a toxin that can cause seizures, vomiting, and cardiac arrest when consumed by your pet.
Put in paths
It’s natural for dogs to patrol your yard at all times, so consider adding some pathways to help him/her explore within the designated trails. Professional Hamilton landscapers chiefly recommend interlocking stone because of its flexible and durable properties. Furthermore, the paw-friendly material can serve as a great guide for both your dog and other people across your property.
Set up barriers
Dogs love to be active outdoors, often running around the vast expanse of grass and hanging about shady plants within the garden. As much as you want them to enjoy the outdoors, however, you wouldn’t want them to stomp on your plants or get lost in unfamiliar territory. Opt for a fully fenced yard, or pick an enclosed dog run. Either way, your dog will be both happy and safe from the dangers outside your home.
Deal with digging
Dogs normally dig to bury a bone, to create a cool place where they can lie down, to escape, or to alleviate boredom. To thwart this kind of behaviour on your grounds, try laying down chicken wire or installing small, round wooden stakes at soil level to make digging uninviting. Putting up dense plants along a fence line and keeping a narrow bed can also restrain the digging behavior.
Provide shade and shelter
Like humans, dogs can also suffer from sunburns and heat strokes. Ask your landscapers to add shady trees and shrubs to act as shade and to cool off the environment. Large trees often freshen up and make temperatures more bearable for your dog when the weather turns too hot and humid.
(Source: 5 Pet-friendly Gardening Tips, The Huffington Post, 17 April 2014)