Creating A Paw-Fect Garden

Want a dog but love your garden? Before you invest in a canine friend, check out Adrienne Wild’s advice on how to keep them both thriving.

- Adrienne Wild

If you’re thinking about bringing a dog into your home, you must ensure your garden is safe and pet friendly. It’s vital you cover all escape routes to stop your pet disappearing without trace, so begin by making boundary fences strong and secure.

In a busy area, consider replacing a peep-through fence with solid panels to avoid any distractions, such as passers-by taunting your dog. Planting tough shrubs in borders by the fence can be helpful in preventing a nervous dog being disturbed by the outside world. To stop a canine Houdini escaping, make fences at least 1.8m tall, and extra-difficult to scale by fixing less rigid trellis to the top. Never secure a dog with a chain, as there’s a risk of strangulation, and chained dogs can become aggressive.

In order to deter dogs that like to dig, consider putting a wire mesh fence in front of your existing fence, to a depth of at least 15cm. Clever dogs can have the intelligence of a toddler, so keep large pots, the barbecue and raised beds, or anything that can be used as a ladder, well out of reach.