In case you’ve got a dog, then you are faced with the challenge of creating an aesthetically pleasing yard that’s also safe for your furriest member of their family. Apart from keeping potentially poisonous plants out of your lawn, it’s also vital to hardscape with stones your pooch wo not eat, which might cause a possibly life-threatening bowel obstruction.

Flagstones or Pavers

Landscaping with smooth flagstone or pavers is an excellent option for lawns with puppies. The smooth surface is easy on the dog’s paws, while the larger, flat stones are difficult for your pooch to appear and impossible to ingest. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals recommends using flagstone and pavers to make a dog run along a fence or any place else where the pooch is welcome. Lay the flagstone or pavers close together to make sure the dog’s nails and fingernails don’t get trapped in between them. Filling the gaps between the pavers or flagstone with mud additionally eliminates this threat while being attractive.

Larger Rocks

When landscaping with larger rocks, PETA recommends using chunkier pieces of stone that are 6 to 12 inches wide, or anything too large to fit into your dog’s mouth. Embedding smooth stones flush with the ground enables the dog to run across the stones without tripping or damaging its paws.

Potential Dangers

Landscaping your yard with smaller, sharp pebbles poses several possible threats to your dog. PETA notes dogs may readily swallow smaller stones, which unlike wood chips cannot be digested and passed through their own system. Jagged stones of any size, from smaller pebbles to flagstone, can damage your dog’s sensitive paws. Unevenly laid pavers and flagstone may also pose a tripping hazard.

Advantages of Hardscaping

Apart from eliminating the need for continuous fighting and mowing with your dog to stop its incessant need to soften almost anything, hardscaping with larger embedded boulders and cemented pavers and flagstone is a lot easier to clean and maintain than plants or grass. Landscaping with larger stones also supplies your pooch with a cooler surface during a hot summer day, advises DogChannel.com, and walking across cement flagstone or pavers also naturally and securely wears down your dog’s nails.

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