According to the Calgary Herald, in 2016 there were more than 135,000 dogs in Calgary, and that number has surely risen by now. Calgary is a dog-loving city, and we love to take good care of our furry friends. The City of Calgary plays a part in pet ownership too, with the Responsible Pet Ownership Bylaw setting out guidelines to keep pets and people living closely together in harmony.
In Calgary, all dog owners must:
- License their pets and provide them with permanent identification
- Spay or neuter their pets
- Provide the proper training, care, medical attention, and socialization
- Ensure pets are not dangerous or a threat
- Keep dogs on leash when not in off-leash areas
Licensing your dog is one way to ensure that if you are separated, you will be reunited through Animal and Bylaw services. Having them tattooed is another way to ensure they are in the system and identifiable when lost.
We’ll do anything for our dogs, as they add so very much to our quality of lives. When we provide landscaping plans to our clients looking to redo their yards, we will always ask if there are pets that need to be kept in mind. We are experts at creating a dog-friendly yard so that both you and them can be happy and healthy in your outdoor space.
Safety First for Your Dog-Friendly Yard
The most important aspect of a dog-friendly yard is safety. Pet owners should consider the following when they are designing their yards with their dogs in mind.
- Fully fence in your yard to not only keep your dog in, but to keep out others.
- Make sure there is shade and shelter available at all times for your dog. A dog house can accomplish this, or else a nice sheltered area underneath some trees and shrubs can also work.
- Keep grass trimmed to help curb the appearance of fleas and ticks.
- Always have water available for your pet, but discourage standing water to keep mosquitoes at bay.
- Be careful with fertilizers. Although they are generally quite benign as compared to how they used to be, it is still a smart idea to keep your dog off the grass for about 72 hours. When we fertilize your lawn we will be sure to let you know in order to keep your pet as safe as possible.
- Pesticides in Alberta are heavily regulated underneath provincial legislation in order to reduce potential hazards to humans, animals, and the environment. That means they are far less harmful than they used to be, but even with that, should be handled with care. If we need to use a pesticide in order to rid your yard of pests we will only target the necessary areas and will let you know where your pet should be kept away from while it takes effect.
Saving Your Lawn
We all know that dogs mark their territories, and how they do it. Unfortunately, this results in damage such as yellow spots in your grass. Repairing pet damageis time-consuming, but it will work with a little care and attention. The first thing you’ll want to do is get rid of the damaged or dead grass and prepare the area to be re-seeded. To do this, you’ll need to perform a heavy-duty raking, removing the dead grass and lifting up the top layer of soil. Once you’ve completed these prep steps, you can then proceed with a top dress and seeding. When doing the top dress, you should spread generous quantities of soil over the area you’re repairing. Spread a generous amount of seeds, mix them in, and then water thoroughly. The areas should be kept nice and damp until the seeds start to sprout.
But you can prevent yellow spots to begin with by building a designated dog run for your dog-friendly yard. This gives them a safe space of their own away from the main area of your yard to both do their business plus hang out away from everyone.
- Choose a spot where you can see your pet at all times from inside the house, and that offers plenty of shade and protection.
- Use chain link or fencing you can see through, so, again, you can see your dog at all times. Make sure the fence is high enough so that they can’t jump over.
- Make sure the gate is lockable. There are pet thieves out there, so this will help keep them away from your buddy.
- Lining your dog run with a combination of mulch (or gravel) and concrete helps keep things nice and neat.
There are lots of pre-fabricated dog runs available at home improvement stores that even have roofs for a comfy and safe year-round outdoor abode for your dog.
Contact Mirage for All Your Landscaping Needs
Count on Mirage for:
- Spring clean-up services
- Calgary landscaping and property maintenance services for both residential and commercial properties
- Landscape construction services
- Snow removal
- …and much more!
Our family-run Calgary landscaping company is pleased to provide reliable services delivered by qualified professionals at rates you can afford. Get started today by contacting Mirage Landscaping for a fast, free service quote.
