Welcoming A Furry Family Member
If you’re reading this, there’s a big chance that you’ve just adopted (or are about to adopt) a dog for the first time into your home, or are welcoming a family member who’s bringing along their dog. Whichever the case, you’d want to ensure that your home is safe for the dog, that means pet-proofing your furniture and keeping any items that may pose as a hazard to the dog.
However, it’s also just as important for you to make your yard safe and friendly for dogs — even if you’re not planning on letting them out most of the time, there’s still a chance that they’d be able to sneak out. So let’s take a look at simple tips to make your front and/or back yard dog-friendly:
Keep it Fenced
Setting your dog(s) free into your front or back yard can be quite dangerous, as they can wander off beyond your property, chase a stray animal or dog, or run off for any other reason. They’d be a harm to themselves and, depending on their demeanor, can harm other people, pets, and property. As such, it’s important for you to put up a fence in your back or front yard, or encompassing your home’s perimeter.
Maintain Your Fence
It’s also just as important to regularly check your fence as your dog(s) might dig and tunnel through, or squeeze through the gaps your fence. Dogs may even be able to destroy panels just to get out. Having a chain link fence would be a durable and low-maintenance fencing option to keep your pet safe, as well as provide a level of privacy and security for your home, so it would be a good idea to contact nearby Salt Lake City chain link fence contractors to install one for your property.
Get Rid of Toxic Plants
If you’re a huge fan of gardening, or have certain taste and style to your landscaping, you have to consider the fact that there are many plants that can be toxic to dogs. As such, it’s important to either fence off the areas with toxic plants, or better yet replace them with other plants that won’t hurt your dog. The ASCPA or American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals provides a list of plants that are toxic to dogs, cats, and other domesticated animals that you can check out in their website.
Be Wary of Local Predators
There are other external threats to your furry family members that you have to be aware of such as hawks, eagles, and other birds of prey that often target small dogs. There are also predators and dangerous animals such as snakes, coyotes, bears, mountain lions, and other animals that may harm your dog. So plan accordingly, and make sure that you keep a close eye on your dog especially when there is predatory wildlife in your area. It would also be a good idea to keep your dog indoors at night, as most predators are nocturnal.
Conclusion
Making your yard safe and friendly for dogs won’t only help keep them secure, but would allow them to experience nature, run around, and play outdoors which can aid in keeping them healthy mentally and physically. So if you’re adopting a dog, or are just about to welcome one into your home, make sure that you give as much focus and effort in making your home safe and friendly for dogs both inside and out.
