Bringing Home A New Puppy? Make Sure Your Landscaping Is Safe!
It's wonderful to have a backyard for a dog to play in. However, as a new dog owner, you need to make sure your landscaping is safe for your dog before letting him roam. Here's a look at four common pet hazards seen in landscaping, and how you can address or avoid them.
Poisonous sprays.
Many insecticide and herbicide sprays used to keep weeds and bugs out of lawns are not safe for dogs. If you spray your lawn yourself, check the label of the products you use. They should tell you how long you must keep your pet off the lawn after using them. Wait this period of time before letting your dog outside, and then look for pet-friendly, natural products to use going forward.
Metal lawn edging.
Many landscaping companies use metal edging to create borders for flower beds. They surely do make borders look nice and clean – but they are not a safe choice for yards with pets. A heavy rain storm or a little digging on your dog's part can unearth the metal landscaping edge. Its sharpness can lead to an injury. Check to see whether the edging around your landscaping is made from metal by digging a little of it up. If you have metal edging, arrange to have your landscaping company replace it with vinyl or rubber edging instead.
Chemically treated mulch.
Dogs, especially young ones, love to chew on anything they can find. You can bet that this will include chunks of wood mulch. If you have mulch in your backyard, ensure that it is of the natural, organic variety. Dyed, heavily treated mulch can be hazardous if pets ingest it. If you suspect your wood mulch might be heavily treated and dangerous, make plans to have it replaced with completely natural, untreated mulch.
Fountain or pond water.
If you have a fountain or pond in your yard, you want to make sure the water is clean, so no harm comes to your dog if he decides to take a drink. Most garden stores sell sanitizing tablets or liquid, which you can add to your fountain or pond according to package instructions. Also note that if you use dyes to keep your pond or fountain "blue," you will either need to build a fence to keep your dog from accessing this area, or drain the water and replace it with plain water.
Once you've made sure your landscaping is safe and free of the above risk factors, you're ready to let your dog roam. If you are in the market for a few puppy, contact a local provider, such as Your New Puppy LLC.
