One of the greatest joys in owning a home is having a good outdoor space for the pets that are an integral part of your family. Sometimes these pets can be a little exuberant or mischievous and they may plot to escape for a joy ride around the neighborhood. Keeping your pets happily occupied and unsupervised in the backyard while you go about your day involves making some adjustments to your landscape. Here are four concepts for pet-friendly landscaping in Yorktown, Westchester County, NY.
Related: IT IS NOT TOO LATE TO FRESHEN UP YOUR LANDSCAPING WITH THESE 3 IDEAS IN CROTON AND SOMERS, NY
A Patch of Artificial Lawn
Bored pets, especially dogs, may have a natural tendency to want to dig up that soft lawn and the soil - their own version of landscaping. They may want to bury something, explore a little bit of the subterranean landscape, or sometimes just dig as an act of defiance. It may be useful to use some artificial lawn in a designated part of your landscape where pets are kept. This feature can’t be dug up and will keep a uniform color.
With the artificial lawn, pets will get some of the same satisfaction of playing outside in the natural lawn without the repeated damage or destruction of the real thing. It also proves advantageous when nature calls as an artificial lawn with permeable layers can absorb pet urine and be easily washable. Pets can even be trained to use a specific spot of artificial lawn that saves the other parts of your greenscape from too much ammonia and nitrogen.
Pet Containment Fences
Giving your pets a space outside to do their business can mean leaving them outside for some time - and of course, keeping them safe at the same time. An adequate pet containment fence made from wood, aluminum, vinyl, or chain link can be an essential addition to your outdoor space.
You’ll have peace of mind knowing that your pets are safely inside a specified area.
Some dogs may be triggered to bark or fight when they see some other animal or a person walking down the sidewalk. For these pets, consider using privacy slats on your pet containment fence that can go up to the maximum height of a dog so that they won’t be spurred to make noise or maim passers-by.
And for the diggers, make sure that fencing is buried beneath the ground level (chain link fencing is ideal for this) to discourage the Houdini-inspired pets.
Outdoor Shelter
Keeping pets happy outdoors also means making sure they have a place to go when the weather decides to make a turn for the worse or if it’s just too hot and they bake in the sun. Instead of relying on simply a doggy door on the side of the house, give your pets a place to stay warm and dry while they await your return.
A simple outdoor structure such as a dog house can go a long way and you can make it even more advanced with heating, motion-activated lights, and self-filling water dishes.
Pet-Safe Plants
Once in a while, certain pets such as cats and dogs really like to have a nice green snack, but not all plants are safe to eat. In fact, some plants may even be toxic for certain animals. In planning out the greenscape where your pets may roam around, be sure to avoid filling it in with plants that can be a threat to your pets. While there are many plants known by veterinarians to be toxic to cats, dogs, and other outdoor pets, there are plenty of plants that wouldn’t harm a fly.
Related: CHANGES TO MAKE THAT WILL QUICKLY GET YOU SPENDING MORE TIME OUTSIDE