DIY Dog-Friendly Landscaping

Optimize your landscaping to accommodate your dog! Select hardy plants that can withstand your pet’s activities, such as heavenly bamboo, daylilies, barberry, chain fern or New Zealand flax. Place large plants or obstructions along fence lines to prevent your dog from creating a run. Provide a fountain to keep your pet refreshed in hot weather and ensure that your dog has a shaded area in the yard. Replace the grass in high-traffic areas with a sturdy substrate, such as decomposed granite or flagstone, or a perennial rye sod that can withstand foot traffic well. Replace each sprinkler head with a swing assembly system so that the sprinkler heads can be run-over by your dog or lawnmower. Consider adding an in-ground compost bin for dog waste on one side of the yard.