Follow our advice to turn your yard into your dog’s happiest place on Earth
A List of Dog-Friendly Backyard Ideas
Your furry best friend deserves the backyard of their dreams for long days of romping and tail-wagging. Here are some staple dog-friendly backyard ideas for dogs to maximize their happiness and safety.
Pet-Friendly Plants
It’s standard for any pet-friendly backyard to have pet-friendly plants! You could plant herbs for them to eat. Fennel has digestion-aiding properties, and you can let them munch on a dandelion or two as a diuretic. Rosemary can make your pup smell amazing when you place its leaves in their bathwater.
Really though—your focus here should be on getting lilies, sago palms, tulips, daffodils, and oleander out of your yard as these are toxic to pets. At the very least, keep them in an area where your curious canine can’t reach.
Open Space
Large expansive space is crucial for these dog-friendly backyard ideas to work—especially for big dogs—to get the proper exercise and stimulation they need to be healthy and happy!
Just because the area is open, doesn’t mean it has to be empty. Our dog play yard ideas include toys and equipment you can scatter around too:
- Sturdy dog tug post for healthy teeth
- Sandpit for digging
- Cooling shed for a break from the sun
- Garden path to explore and sniff pet-friendly plants
- Doggie pool to splash around
- Agility equipment for training
- Grass surface for bathroom breaks
- Fencing to keep them safe
- Fence barriers to avoid under-the-fence digging
- Fence windows to watch the neighborhood life
- Exercise wheel to release pent-up energy
Water Availability
Easy water accessibility is one of the most essential backyard ideas for dogs. Whether you’re there with a water bottle or hose for them to lap up, it could be beneficial to have a water fountain installed so they’re always hydrated and mentally-stimulated. Otherwise, having fresh water bowls in different locations across your backyard would be helpful too. Just be sure to clean them and change the water frequently so your dog doesn’t get sick.
A doggie shower could help you rinse off your muddy mutt before they even get in the house! After an indoor or outdoor shower, we suggest using The Absorber® Dog Lover's Towel! It’s super-dries your dog so they smell clean and are good to go once they’re out of the tub. The Absorber® is easy to wring water or hair for optimal cleaning, while still being soft on your pup’s sensitive skin. The best part? You can throw it in the washing machine to use again and again!
Chemical Product Awareness
Not only do you need to think of fun backyard ideas for dogs, but consider the ones that are necessary for health risk mitigation too.
If you apply any chemical pesticides or fertilizer to your backyard, you should keep your furry friend away from the area for at least 24 hours. The toxins in these products could have detrimental, long-lasting effects on your beloved pet that you may not even be aware of.
If you want to be safe, consider opting for eco-friendly lawn care products instead!
Pest Removal
You and your canny best friend don’t need to be hanging out in a forest preserve for them to be vulnerable to pests. They’ll need year-round protection from heartworm, fleas, ticks, larvae, and more: even when they’re just in your freshly-mown backyard.
Talk to your veterinarian to find out if they can recommend any preventative care products that tackle most or all of these pests. That way, you can safeguard your dog both effectively and economically.