Before you let your cat or dog off wandering in your yard with or without you make sure you consider all of these helpful tips.

Fencing

Making sure you have a sturdy fence is a very important part on pet proofing your yard! You obviously want it to be tall enough so your pup can not jump over it, and low enough to the ground so they cannot crawl under it and make sure it has little to no gaps. But a fence’s uses are more than just keeping your companion inside the yard. It also prevents unwanted company from coming in such as wildlife that could be harmful or other humans as they may be up to no good. Putting the right amount of time and money into your fence is very beneficial and you will be thanking yourself in the long run.

Plants & fertilizers

Think twice before you plant those flowers! Many plants are toxic to cats and dogs. Make sure to do your research before committing to things growing in your yard. A few of the top plants that can be toxic are Cyclamen, Lilies, Daffodils, and lily of the Valley. These are just few of the many plants to keep your away from your furry friend! But along with plants and grass comes fertilizers and those can be unhealthy or toxic to pets. Coco bean mulch is a common use for gardeners, but if you have a pet steer far away from this. It smells like chocolate and really attracts dogs. Make sure you also do your research of what kinds if any fertilizers you are using on your grass and in your flower beds. Dogs do typically like to eat grass in the summer and you would hate to have it full of toxins when they do! Be sure to have the Pet poison control line on hand if something were to happen and they got a hold of a toxic plant or fertilizer.

Things your pet can choke on or eat

Obviously getting into things that they are not supposed to is a big no no. You do not want them to either choke or swallow something that they cannot pass. This could be fatal or could require surgery which would turn into a big vet bill. So not ideal for you or your pet! Some things that you are wanting to make sure your cat or dog does not get into are the garbage, toxic fluids that may be in your garage and the flower bed that we already went over. Knowing when to take your pet in to emergency is crucial because if they do get into something and it is left to long it could be fatal. Some signs that they may show are lethargy, diarrhea, loss of appetite and vomiting. The sooner you act on these warning signs the better.

Pools and ponds and fire pits

These can be dangerous for any type of pet but mostly small puppies or senior dogs. Naïve dogs will wonder into and could drown or burn themselves! Just like children you want to be monitoring them if you have either of these things. As well as having a fence around them because you never know what could happen.

Weather elements

Summer is a time where it can rain a lot, and the last thing you want is your poor pup sitting outside in the sopping wet. And with summer the heat comes as well. And it can sometimes be too much for your pet, heatstroke can happen and this is something you defiantly want to avoid. Make sure you have a place in the yard where they can get away from either the rain or sun. Either have a size appropriate dog house for them to spend time in or a run with shade. Your pet will thank you for this if they do happen to get caught in either of these elements and you are not home to let them in.

If you have not had the time to pet proof your yard leave your pet in for the day until you can, better safe than sorry!