Top Ten Tips for Creating a Pet-Friendly Landscape

A green toned image of a golden retriever laying down by a flower bed with the backyard of a large house behind it, with a simple white tree graphic overtop with text reading "Top Ten Tips for Creating a Pet-Friendly Landscape"

A pet-friendly yard does two things. It keeps your intricate and beautiful landscaping safe from the curiosity of your pets, and it provides a safe and inviting space they can enjoy throughout the year.

But it’s hard to strike that perfect balance. Roaming pets have a way of leaving dead and yellow spots in the grass, holes in the ground and a trail of trampled flowers behind them. They need a place where they can sleep, play, sunbathe, and eat, somewhere that is safe but also welcoming and fun.

In this guide, we’ve gathered our top 10 tips for creating a pet-friendly backyard that is both beautiful and functional so you can give your pet a landscape designed with them in mind.

1. Try Hardscaping

When designing your yard, think about incorporating hardscaping into your space. Hardscaping refers to anything not-soft in landscaping — stone, bricks, tile, concrete, and pebbles are common examples. Boulders, statuary, and ornamental pieces of wood also fall into the broad category of hardscape.

A well-balanced landscape will combine softscaping and hardscaping, like an elegant stone path winding through beds of annual flowers and manicured shrubs. But hardscaping provides more than just balance — hardscaped landscaping is a perfect way to make your yard more pet-friendly.

Hardscaping is less vulnerable to digging, staining, and trampling than flower beds and greenery. Whether it’s retaining walls, stone structures or paved paths, hardscaping helps your pets navigate your yard without damage, and it establishes natural boundaries without using fencing.

2. Think About Your Plants

Pet traffic can be hard on your yard. From trampled plants, holes in flower beds or half-eaten leaves, pets can wreak havoc on intricate landscapes.

One of the ways to make your yard pet-friendly is to intentionally choose safe and hardy plants. Select a hearty grass species, especially for your lawn. Kentucky bluegrass, tall fescue, and ryegrass are known for their toughness, even when dealing with running and digging dogs. Native grasses are both an eco-friendly and pet-friendly option as well, and they have a bonus of requiring less water and maintenance than exotic species.

As any pet owner knows, your pet will eat — or at least try — just about anything. But many popular landscaping plants are toxic for pets. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) has compiled a comprehensive list of hazardous plants, which includes the following common species:

  • African daisy
  • Aloe
  • Asparagus fern
  • Azalea
  • Bamboo
  • Begonia
  • Boston fern
  • Boxwood
  • Daffodil
  • Daylily
  • English ivy
  • Jasmine
  • Snapdragon
  • Wisteria

If you love climbing jasmine and still want to include it in your yard, don’t worry — it’s possible to keep your animals away from beautiful, but toxic, plants. Try growing them in hard-to-access areas of your yard or garden, or installing a low barrier around the plant.

Also, consider growing your herbs on a raised bed or behind a barrier — the aromatic plants are enticing to both cats and dogs, and besides eating half your supply, your pet could get sick. Some herbs, such as parsley, basil, and sage, are toxic to many animals, and they could make your yard unsafe for your pet. A simple chicken wire fence or low stone wall could be all it takes to keep your pets from tasting or ruining your tasty herbs.

3. Designate Areas

Another way to keep your yard both human and pet-friendly is to designate specific areas for separate activities. Break your yard into sections with a sophisticated paver patio or a concrete grilling pad. Guests will naturally gravitate towards the designated entertaining portions of the yard, and the specific areas give your pets clear walkways and lounging spots.

An illustrated camera facing the viewer with a photograph sitting behind it of a smaller brown dog sitting at the bottom of a staired and fenced entrance to a personal garden, with text to the left of the design reading "Designate Areas Another way to keep your yard both human and pet-friendly is to designate specific areas for separate activities."

If you have a dog that adores digging, try establishing a specific digging area in your yard. Use materials such as mulch or sand to create an inviting and easy-to-dig space. You can seamlessly integrate subtle digging areas into your landscape — you can even grow thick and tall plants around it to create a natural screen. A designated digging area allows your dog to bury its toys and bones in a safe and discrete spot, instead of breaking the roots of your prize roses.

Dogs naturally want to mark their territory. But they don’t always choose the most convenient locations — their favorite hickory tree could stand a little too close to your patio, or they could pick one of the more delicate plants in your garden. To avoid this, consider installing a specific marking post for your pets. Large stones or sea-sculpted pieces of driftwood make lovely and striking additions to your yard, and they naturally draw your pet’s attention away from less ideal marking locations.

4. Build a Fence

Sometimes, a fence is the best way to keep your yard safe and enjoyable for your pets. But you don’t have to choose chainlink or plain wood — there are endless chic and effective fencing options, from cottage-inspired pickets to lattice-topped horizontal boards.

One fencing option is to enclose your entire yard. This gives you privacy and allows your pets to freely roam your property. Another way to use fences is to allocate one portion of your yard for your pets and another for you. Separate areas is an easy way to keep one side of your yard intricately landscaped and maintained, while also letting your pets enjoy outdoor space.

For properties with limited space, consider fencing off your backyard for your pets and leave your detailed landscaping to the front yard. A well-landscaped front yard boosts your curb appeal and lets you use all of your favorite plants that might be toxic for our furry friends, like azaleas, gardenias, or ferns.

If you don’t like the appearance of stark fencing, plant bushes and other hardy plants along the edges of your fencing. Not only does this bring an integrated and lush appearance to your yard, but it prevents your pets from wearing a running trail along the fence perimeter. Creeping vines and lovely flower boxes are other ways to make your fence green and stunning, especially if you want to upgrade existing fencing.

If your pet is an escape artist, you might have to reinforce your fence so it will withstand tunneling. To keep your dog from digging its way out of your property, install an underground barrier beneath the wall. Common materials include chicken wire, rebar, or even poured concrete — as long as it keeps curious hounds from tunneling away, it will do the job.

5. Plan Strategically

When planning your yard, think about the most vulnerable parts of your design. Delicate flowers, heirloom plants, the mechanical or wiring components of waterworks or outdoor lighting — all of these elements could be easily damaged by an excited or curious pet.

Three circular overlapping images of different points of a backyard layout, including a brick arch over a pathway, multiple pots sitting on a concreate corner, and a sunbathing chair by the edge of a pool. To the right of the circles is text that reads "Plan Strategically. When planning your yard, think about the most vulnerable parts of your design."

Grow your more fragile or valuable plants in parts of your yard that are hard for your pets to reach. Make sure wiring is buried or strung out of reach, and keep any fuse boards or power controls inside weatherproof containers. One way to keep your pets away from vulnerable landscaping is to use low fences or hardscaping — by establishing a physical barrier, you can add visual interest to your yard and keep your pets from damaging any delicate features.

Thick ground covers, large shrubs, and small trees can establish natural perimeters in your yard, encouraging your pets to stay in easier to access sections of your property. If you have small pets, raised beds are an effective way to keep flowers and other plants away from curious paws.

6. Irrigate Mindfully

In many areas of the country, irrigation is an essential component of a thriving yard. Especially if you live in regions that don’t see much rain, installing an effective watering system is the only way to keep your property green and lush. Many irrigation systems are set on timers, so you can enjoy optimum convenience when it comes to watering your property.

If your watering is on an automatic timer, one way to keep your yard pet-friendly is to avoid watering soon before your pet goes outside. Wet soil and grass are more easily damaged, and besides harming your landscaping, your pet could bring muddy fur and pawprints into your home.

All pets need access to clean, fresh water. To make your yard ready for your pet, set out a water bowl. This can be as simple or fancy as you like — from specifically designed canine water fountains to a raised drinking platform, your pet’s hydration can add a lovely splash to your landscaping.

Another way to give your pets fresh water is through installing a stream or pond. Not only does this provide a natural watering hole but it also gives your dogs a chance to cool off during hot summer days. But make sure your water source is constantly flowing — stagnant water is a recipe for mosquitoes, algae, and bacteria. Research any chemicals before you add them to your water, to ensure they are not toxic to your pets. And design your water feature so that your pet can exit easily and quickly — too deep or steep of a pool could trap your dog.

7. Establish Paths

Walkways are an easy way to add class to your landscaping. They can be stone or concrete, lined with creeping ground covers or small stake lights. Neat and maintained, they designate paths through your garden for both guests and your pets.

A grassy large stone pathway is seen trailing off into flowerbeds in the background, with a green banner overlayed with a white mountain trail icon over top with text right next to it reading "Establish paths"

Dogs need exercise to thrive. Walkways give them the perfect place to move, and they allow them room to do what they want to — protect your home and patrol the property. Besides paths through your landscaping, consider making a path along the perimeter of your fence. Dogs naturally run along boundary lines, and in turning their habitual trails into designated pathways, you give your landscape an intentional appearance. If you don’t like the look of perimeter paths, you could grow plants along the outer edge of the trails so they can’t be seen from a distance.

When designing your paths, choose paw-friendly paving materials such as flagstone, splinter-free bark mulch, brick, and concrete. These are easy to walk on, don’t stick to feet or fur and won’t overheat in the summer — all the ingredients for a pet-approved walkway.

8. Provide Shade

A day in the sun is draining for anyone. If your pet will stay outside for extended periods of time, make sure they have a shady spot to hide from bright summer rays.

Cats and dogs love a good sunbathing session. But just like humans, your pet can experience sunburn, heatstroke, and dehydration. Having access to a shelter is vital. Planting trees is a great solution, but unless you have the resources to transplant fully grown specimens, it can take years for them to grow tall enough to provide adequate shade. Tall shrubs typically grow much faster than trees and could be the answer to a sunny yard, but in the short-term, consider setting up an overhead tarp or a doghouse for your pet.

A doghouse gives your pet its own set-aside space. It could be as simple or as cute as you like — maybe you want to match your home’s architecture with a cottage-style doghouse, or hang a sweet flower box from the front. If you want to create a shady structure for both pets and your human guests, try a timeless pergola with climbing roses, or a vintage gazebo for a classic flair.

9. Cut the Chemicals

Synthetic herbicides and pesticides are not only harmful to the environment — they are highly toxic to pets, as well. Common pesticides such as Nudrin, Phosdrin, and Spectracide can lead to organ failure, poisoning and various types of cancer in your pets. Bait for rats, snails, and other pests is highly toxic, and it can attract your pets along with pests.

Even conventional fertilizer can be hazardous. If you store your fertilizer in an accessible location, typically low to the ground, a curious pet can easily break into the bag. When directly ingested, most fertilizers causes acute poisoning, causing dangerous symptoms like seizures and tremors.

If you add mulch to your landscaping, always avoid cocoa mulch. Made from the hulls and shells of cocoa beans, cocoa mulch has a lovely color and a fragrant scent. But it is toxic to dogs, and it can result in chocolate poisoning.

Instead, consider using natural or organic pest control methods, including essential oils and diatomaceous earth. To keep tick and flea numbers down, keep your grass well trimmed and bathe your pets regularly. Watch for any stagnant water and dump it quickly to prevent mosquitoes from breeding in your yard.

Work With Shearer to Design a Pet-Friendly Landscape

A small Jack Russell Terrier is walking towards the camera along a simple brick pathway carrying a bright blue watering can by the handle in its mouth with text below it reading "Work With Shearer to Design a Pet-Friendly Landscape."

Creating the ideal pet-friendly landscape is a balancing act — you want to keep your landscaping safe from curious paws, but you also want to build a fun and exciting space for your pet to enjoy.

Why not work with experts to design the perfect landscape?

At Shearer Patio & Landscape Services, we have nearly 20 years of experience helping people make their dream landscapes a reality. Our team is made up of creative craftsmen who are passionate about what they do, and we use only the highest-quality products to realize your goals.

Contact us today for a free quote, and let us help you create a beautiful and fun landscape your pet will love.

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