Enriching Your Dog’s Yard

Most dogs are pretty happy to just run around their yard and play fetch or tug of war with their humans. However, by considering your dog’s five senses—smell, hearing, touch, sight, and taste—you can enrich your dog’s experience even more, giving them an outlet for their mental and physical energy. After all… a tired dog is a happy dog!

1. Smell: Dogs have an incredibly strong sense of smell, estimated to be as much as 10,000 times more sensitive than humans! Fill your garden with fragrant, dog-friendly plants, like chamomile, lavender, rosemary, mint, and barley grass to give them something to sniff. Move your pots around regularly, or dig up existing flowers to plant new ones once in a while, so your dog doesn’t get bored with the arrangement.
2. Hearing: The natural swishing sounds of leaves and ornamental grasses can be soothing to your dog. A bird feeder will also bring bird songs and the rustling of other small animals. Consider incorporating wind chimes and a babbling water fountain to break up the typical noise of cars and neighbors. All of this comes together to create a pleasant and diverse soundscape for dogs and humans alike.
3. Touch: Use a variety of textures and materials to allow your dog to feel some interesting terrain under their paws. Give them gravel or mulch pathways in addition to the grass and patio space. Ramps and platforms can allow them to climb and explore safely, while a sand box gives them an outlet for their digging instinct.
4. Sight: Though dogs are colour blind, seeing the world in shades of blue, yellow, and gray, they definitely benefit from visual interest in a space where they spend a large portion of their time. Fill your garden with plants of varying heights and colours, as well as elements that move with the wind. Decorative garden flags, pinwheels, wind chimes, and bird feeders with animal activity can all catch your dog’s eye and attention. If your dog is not reactive, adding a plastic, see-through window to the fence at their level can give them endless entertainment as they keep an eye on the neighborhood.
5. Taste: Taste is closely tied to dogs’ superior sense of smell, so it’s important to make sure that the plants in your garden are safe for dogs. Avoid toxic plant varieties like tulips, lily of the valley, rhododendron, and autumn crocuses. For a happy taste experience, hide treats throughout the yard to let your dog go on a treasure hunt with a delicious reward!

Cleaning Up after Pets

And what about the not-so-cute part of pet ownership? If you have a furry friend, you know how quickly your lawn can become littered with dog waste landmines. In general, it’s good practice to clear the yard regularly so your outdoor space is pleasant and usable, but you may also wonder how an excess of dog waste will affect your lawn mowing routine. Your mower can handle pet waste in small amounts, so it only becomes a concern when there is a larger buildup. If too much dog waste collects on the wheels or around the blades, the mower may lose traction. To keep your mower performing its best, clear your yard every few days. Your mower (and everyone else who spends time in your yard) will thank you!

A regular cleanup is also good for the overall health of your lawn. It’s a common myth that dog poop is a quality fertilizer. In reality, an excess of dog poop or urine can cause damage and discoloration to your lawn. This damage is known as dog spot, and it can be difficult to remove. It’s caused by the high levels of nitrogen in dog waste, which can cause the grass in the affected area to die. Dog spot damage is often confused with damage from other sources of salt, such as road salt or fertilizer spills. However, you can identify a dog spot by the margin of dark green, rapidly growing grass surrounding a bright yellow patch of dying grass. 

To help prevent this damage, you can water the areas your dog frequents to dilute the nitrogen. And if your lawn needs to be repaired in places, you can use a grass seed blend that is suitable to your lawn in combination with a little soil to encourage new grass growth. Reach out to your local Weed Man for recommendations!