It's common knowledge that I have a love of gardening, but I also love my pets. And sometimes, pets and gardening don't mix! I read this great article this week that said 44% of all households have dogs, and that 78 million dogs are owned in the United States! That's a LOT of dogs!
It's easy to see why clients would like a "pet friendly home" among their top 10 things when looking for a home. Let's look into what being a "pet friendly home" means.
Exactly what does your pet need? For some that means a fenced in yard (which can be added after you buy the home) , and if you have bigger dogs, that could mean more space to run and chase those tennis balls! If you have an outdoor dog, that could mean shade for them to relax in, or if you have my dog, big shade trees mean squirrels to chase!
But you also may want to consider the ground covers and plants in the yard. Some plants are poisonous to animals, so you'll want to be sure to check that out before letting your puppies run. If there are a lot of high weeds you need to clear out, you may want to consider the expense of a pest control company to come in and make sure the area is flea and tick free. Not only is that important for your pets, but you don't want your family members getting a tick on them either.
Make sure any new plants you do choose to put in the yard aren't poisonous. Choosing native plants will insure they'll thrive in your yard. Grass is pretty sturdy for dogs, and if you buy a yard that has a lot of dirt patches, you may want to resod, as that dirt becomes muddy paws every time it rains. If you've had your dog for awhile, you're aware that dogs will wear paths where they repetitively run. Once you're in the home, consider mulching areas by fences where they run, or place natural stone in areas where your dogs may kill the grass.
If you have to replace the grass, you may want to consider putting in terf, or plastic grass but don't do it! Initially I thought it was a great idea, but pet experts say it's a horrible idea. I had no idea that the grass gets too hot! Too hot for even humans to walk on! The article said that the plastic grass gets 37% hotter than asphalt! We all know how hot asphalt gets, I can't imagine asking my puppy to go outside and walk on something hotter than that!
My final point is, if you find that perfect home, and the backyard isn't pet friendly, it certainly can be made that way with a little elbow grease! And aren't those golden just so cute??
It's easy to see why clients would like a "pet friendly home" among their top 10 things when looking for a home. Let's look into what being a "pet friendly home" means.
Exactly what does your pet need? For some that means a fenced in yard (which can be added after you buy the home) , and if you have bigger dogs, that could mean more space to run and chase those tennis balls! If you have an outdoor dog, that could mean shade for them to relax in, or if you have my dog, big shade trees mean squirrels to chase!
But you also may want to consider the ground covers and plants in the yard. Some plants are poisonous to animals, so you'll want to be sure to check that out before letting your puppies run. If there are a lot of high weeds you need to clear out, you may want to consider the expense of a pest control company to come in and make sure the area is flea and tick free. Not only is that important for your pets, but you don't want your family members getting a tick on them either.
Make sure any new plants you do choose to put in the yard aren't poisonous. Choosing native plants will insure they'll thrive in your yard. Grass is pretty sturdy for dogs, and if you buy a yard that has a lot of dirt patches, you may want to resod, as that dirt becomes muddy paws every time it rains. If you've had your dog for awhile, you're aware that dogs will wear paths where they repetitively run. Once you're in the home, consider mulching areas by fences where they run, or place natural stone in areas where your dogs may kill the grass.
If you have to replace the grass, you may want to consider putting in terf, or plastic grass but don't do it! Initially I thought it was a great idea, but pet experts say it's a horrible idea. I had no idea that the grass gets too hot! Too hot for even humans to walk on! The article said that the plastic grass gets 37% hotter than asphalt! We all know how hot asphalt gets, I can't imagine asking my puppy to go outside and walk on something hotter than that!
My final point is, if you find that perfect home, and the backyard isn't pet friendly, it certainly can be made that way with a little elbow grease! And aren't those golden just so cute??
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