September 24th

By Mutt Mulligan

Fido-friendly tips for sprucing up your lawn during National Dog Week

Who knows and loves your yard best? Your dog! After all, it is her favorite room “in” the house. There’s no better time than National Dog Week, celebrated the last full week of September, to spruce up your outdoor living room for Fido.

Here are TurfMutt’s tips for creating a yard your dog – and the whole family! – will love.

• It’s re-seeding season! This year, pick a “dog-proof” ground covering like grass. Grass is good for pets because it can take wear and tear. It also delivers great health benefits to you and your family by producing oxygen, sequestering carbon, capturing water runoff and cleaning/filtering rain water.
• Avoid plastic grass, a.k.a. artificial turf. It gets too hot for humans and pets, especially in the summer. A Brigham Young University study revealed that synthetic turf temperatures were 37 degrees higher than asphalt and 86 degrees hotter than natural turf.
• Put the right plant in the right place. For areas near garden paths, select plants that have soft foliage, but are sturdy enough to withstand a little canine “ruff” housing. If your dog is a plant chewer, be sure to check out the ASPCA’s list of toxic and no-toxic garden plants for advice.
• Use barriers to keep your dog out of your flower or garden beds. A low fence, rocks and other obstacles can encourage your dog to avoid certain areas of the yard you want to keep dog-free.

Learn more about the benefits of your living landscapes and how to properly care for them.