Petscaping
“Petscaping” is a fancy term for landscape design that makes special consideration for pets.
The idea is to protect beloved animals from harm while also keeping your cherished plants safe from curious — and sometimes destructive — pets.
With 43% of U.S. households owning dogs and 33% owning cats1, there is considerable need for petscaping. Below we have compiled some things you can do to better equip your outdoor space for pets, and some things you should avoid.
Do…
Create areas for your pet to run and play. Dogs love lots of space to roam and explore. Whether they are chasing a ball or rolling in the grass, you want them (and your plants) to be safe. Give your dog a nice area with a soft surface that will feel great under their paws. A clearing without large vegetation will give your animal more space to play.
Use paths to direct your pet towards and away from different areas of your landscape. While a path will not force your pet to go in a specific direction, it can help guide them towards pet-friendly areas.
Use low borders and raised beds for specialty or edible plants. While an ambitious pet can overcome these barriers, they still can serve as a deterrent. Placing decorative metal fences 1 to 3 feet tall around landscape beds will discourage most dogs from running through them.
Protect tender plants by surrounding them with densely planted areas. Use hardy shrubs and perennials to shield these more delicate plants. If you are afraid of certain plants getting trampled, you can always try growing them in a container.
Buy plants in 1-gallon pots or larger when adding to your landscape. Starting with a larger plant will help give it a fighting chance against a curious creature who wants to explore the new addition.
Choose untreated and undyed mulch, which can contain chemicals harmful to your pets if chewed. Specifically avoid cocoa bean and rubber mulches. Look for mulch that is both comfortable under paw and isn’t going to get stuck in their coat and dragged inside. Small cedar chips or nugget pine bark are gentle on the body while being heavy enough that they don’t get caught up in fur. For more information, you can read our article on Choosing and Installing Mulches.
Adopt Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices to reduce the need for pesticides. These management techniques for insects, weeds and diseases promote the use of cultural practices in lieu of a pesticide-only approach.
Provide shaded areas for your pets. With our Florida heat, it’s especially important to be mindful of your pet’s susceptibility to heat-related illnesses. Providing a comfortable outdoor space out of the direct sun can provide some relief.
Pick up after your pet. Pet waste can contain bacteria and parasites that can be harmful to humans and animals. It can also wash into storm drains and negatively affect water quality.
Consider using natural turf rather than artificial turf. Artificial turf can make your lawn much hotter by building up excess heat. It’s also difficult to clean, which is important for keeping your pets healthy.
Don’t…
Don’t use plants that could make your four-legged companion ill, or worse. Some common landscape plants to avoid include oleander, sago palm, coontie, angel’s trumpet, golden dewdrop, common lantana and daylily. Our articles on Toxic Landscape Plants and Deadly Plants have more information.
A detailed list of various toxic herbs, vegetables, houseplants, trees, vines and more is included in the Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ toxic plants web app. Another resource is the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) poisonous plants list, which you can check before creating a pet-friendly landscape.
Thorned or sharp plants like Spanish bayonet should also be kept away from areas where pets roam. Their skin, mouths and paws can get torn up by these spiky plants. Your pets can even damage their eyes by going headfirst into a rose bush.
Don’t have easily accessible compost. While the idea of your pet playing in compost may simply seem gross, it’s also dangerous. Your pets could eat food scraps that are not healthy for them or cause stomach upset. There is also a mycotoxin-producing fungi that can grow in compost, which causes severe and potentially deadly systemic poisoning in dogs when consumed2. To prevent your pets from snacking on these undesirable food scraps, create a barrier with panels surrounding the edges of the compost pile, or simply use a compost bin or tumbler.
Don’t forget about potentially harmful bugs in your yard, like ticks and mosquitoes. You can reduce tick populations by removing leaf litter and keeping turfgrass mowed to the recommended height. For mitigating mosquito populations, be sure to check your landscape for areas of standing water. Make sure to flush out bromeliad plants and regularly change the water in bird baths. Doing weekly mosquito checks is important to keep down the populations of these flying menaces.
Don’t forget to check the labels of any fertilizers, pesticides or other products you use in the landscape. They will indicate whether the product is toxic to humans or pets and will provide specific instructions. The label might instruct you to keep pets off the lawn for a recommended period of time after application. Pet-friendly fertilizers and pesticides are often labeled as such.
Don’t allow access to anything in the yard that could attract snakes. Brush piles, wood piles or overgrown shrubbery can be a refuge for these slithering creatures. A curious nose could be at risk of a snake bite. It’s best to secure these areas or clear the yard of anything snakes could hide in.
Don’t plant anything in areas where your pets like to dig. If your dog just can’t resist the urge, then work with them and create a space where they are safe to dig.
If you want to get creative, you can look to dog parks and other pet parents for inspiration. With petscaping, the goal is to create a space you and your animal companion can enjoy in safety and harmony. For more information you can read through the resources provided below or contact your local UF/IFAS Extension office.
More on Gardening Solutions
More from UF/IFAS
- Common Poisonous Landscape Plant Species in Florida–Ask IFAS
- Protecting Your Pet from Pesticides–Archived on EDIS Journal