a garden for dougal
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| Different surfaces, a paving or deck and maybe grass. Elevation changes so he can jump a bit. Smelly things to sniff. Some action device (bird feeder, wind driven ornament, ??) and I suspect he'll want to dig so a soft dirt area. |
| Do you mean a garden with veggies or a flower bed? I guess it really
depends. My dogs cruise my garden like it's a buffet, so my only suggestion is to make sure nothing you plant could make them sick. My dogs just LOVE the spring when the wild garlic starts shooting up. Nothing like garlic sheepie kisses! 
There is a good garden planning section at the Better Homes and Gardens web site. I don't have a link, but it shouldn't be hard to find. I think the site is bhg.com (or something like that). As I recall there are even plans for smaller gardens. (but I think they are more like flower beds than veggie gardens.) Good luck. Shellie |
pepe wrote: we are at the moment trying to plan a dog freindly garden. dougal goes out for walks twice a day one large walk and a small walk after his tea. we only have a small back garden which he likes to sit and ponder. garden size 11foot wide 30 foot long any suggestions to make the garden interestng for him and us.
lol...dougal has tea! so cute you want to make his garden more entertaining. I was just watching the Home and Garden network the other day (do you get that?) and they were making someone's patio area into a pooch area for their rescue dogs or doggie daycare. I didn't watch the whole thing so I didn't see the finished product. Maybe there is something on www.hgtv.com. I do recall some nice large stone for a patio and waterproof pillows. |
| Great subject, good luck with the garden design!
It will be wonderful for you and Dougal to take tea in the garden! Here is a reference book on the subject--- http://www.pallensmith.com/index.php?op ... Itemid=103 |
| He has tea and sits and ponders in the back garden!
So cute! |
| I love the mental image I get of that idea!
Good luck with your design. I'd like to see before & after pics of the project!  |
| I had to read twice when you said tea....I love it. I think it adds charm to a sheepies life. I am thinking that this year I am going to put cedar chips in all the garden area so when Sasha carelessly wanders through the flower beds it won't track dirt everywhere. That and it's suppose to keep kitties out of the garden. Not much of suggestion but hope it offers something. Let us know if you come up with some cool ideas. |
mum2sasha wrote: I am thinking that this year I am going to put cedar chips in all the garden area so when Sasha carelessly wanders through the flower beds it won't track dirt everywhere.
I tried that last summer and boy did I ever regret it!! Those chips cling to their coats and are a MAJOR pain to brush out. I had them all through the house! It was awful!!  |
OMG Thank you!!!! I never even thought about that. I guess I'm stuck with sweeping up piles and piles of dirt... I was watching Martha stewart the other day and she was saying that she rinses her dogs paws in a bowl (from the martha collection I'm sure) of warm water EVERY time they come in from outside! LOL  I couldn't imagine. I think I'd rather sweep. |
I do make them stop at the door while I wipe their paws with a towel. If they're particularly dirty, I take them straight to the tub and rinse them. Just saves me having to mop so often. 
Last summer, though, every morning I would have to sweep up where Beau had slept and there'd be a huge pile of dirt -and this was after he'd been brushed. I never figured out where he hid all that dust!  And I never could convince him to sleep on the blanket. Silly sheepie! |
| I moved into my home three years ago. I have five acres and one of my first projects was to create a "dog yard". I have a dog playroom, which is still a work in progress, in the house where the dogs spend most of their time. The playroom, consist of two sofas, a chair, a TV, radio, double bed, trundle bed, computer (for me, not the dogs) four large dog pillows and various crates with pillows and blankets in them. The dog room also has an outside door that has a doggy door which allows the dogs and cats to have access to the outside dog yard 24/7. Since my family room and sun room look out into the dog yard I knew that I wanted to create something that pleasing to the eye. I got a design off of the web that had trees, plants and shrubs that are hearty to my area. Since I live in the country I wanted to keep the country look. The design works well. The dogs do not spend alot of time outside except if I am out there or to take a potty break. I got a whiskey barrel and created a small water pond. I have different shrubs blooming at different times of the year. I placed a wrought iron table and chairs, and a portable fire pit in the garden. The garden is beautiful, but a constant work in progress. I have wisteria climbing the fence, black eyed susan, hosta, roses, evergreens, azaleas, rhododendron, crepe myrtle, japanese maple, a tree called a forest pansy, clematis climbing on a trellis, heather etc. I have an electric wire at the top of the fence so the cats cannot get out and nothing can get in. And to keep the dogs out of the beds I placed an electric wire around the flower beds so they do not trample down the greenery. I still need to put in paths and to find something to help the grass withstand the wear of three big dogs and their urine. I also built three "whack-a-do" houses for the cats and rabbit and have them place throughout the garden. |
| I don't think there is a cure for the urine other than more dogs need more space. I tried putting the dogs onto an acre of tough fescue grass. It helped, but the answer was space between piddles. Where they run out and pee and run right back in, it's....thin. Or water the lawn each time they pee. When we were in a home for short time and I knew we'd be selling, I'd follow them around with a hose in hand. Rest of the time they had their own yard which eventually had no lawn, just dirt, then gravel. It was shaded so never hot.
Shrubs are a good choice, my dogs use them as umbrellas. They excavate underneath them in the summer. So obviously, tough shrubs needed. Bushes up front near the fence are much coveted as they can bark at pedestrians and not be seen. |
| Hi All
I am not a gardener BUT I do have a few hearty shrubs that survive & look good even with the bottom branches pruned by the shaggies! The butterfly bush is a favorite of the 2 & 4 legged at our house! It's pretty & the shaggies love to chase the butterflies & sorry to say some of those pretty ones are caught in midair by the jumping shaggies
My crew likes to run around, over and often through the bushes ... so choose ones without thorns...I had to replace a few. (shrubs not shaggies) We have bird feeders, a bird bath, a gazebo & a picnic table (for dog use only) that the crew uses to observe what is happening over the fence & use the top & the spot underneath for play & a place to nap. We are in Georgia so pine straw is the general ground cover where there is no grass or where grass is suppose to me BUT worn out at the moment
I do have a fence between the "dog park" & the patio area so when we need to divide it...I just close the gate! Oh, the shaggies just hate to have the gate closed...they sit & whine like spoiled shaggies that they are... Please check the site for a list of plants & shrubs that are toxic 
http://www.cybercanine.com/toxicplants.htm I have several beautiful hydrangeas that will be removed this winter...just don't want to take any chances. Good Luck... Diane...please post some pix of your progress! It is raining in Georgia again today>>>cleaning muddy paws 3x4=12 |
| Jackcjjc - I would love to see some pictures of your backyard! It sounds lovely! |
| Tammy, In the spring I will take some pics of the garden and post. It is still a work in progress. |
| I'll look forward to it! |
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