Here Is A Great Guide On How You Can Use Pavers To Make Your Garden Pet Friendly
Having pets is now more common than ever before for Australians. When you have a furry companion at home, chances are that you think about how you can best make your home more comfortable for them. If you have a backyard, then this is a great place for your pet to run around and enjoy themselves.
Since pets don’t have footwear that helps them balance how they walk or protect their paws, how can you help them? The answer is with the help of surfacing, such as pavers. When you turn your backyard into a place that’s more pet-friendly, your furry family member will love it. You’ll also be providing your pets with the opportunity to have a comfortable time, whenever they go out to your backyard.
Using Pavers To Make Your Backyard More Pet-Friendly
Pavers can be made from clay, stone, as well as other materials. They are available in a wide variety of colours, sizes as well as shapes. This means that you’ll be able to find something that matches the aesthetic of your home. Pavers are known for being able to take a lot of foot traffic, and can also deal with being exposed to water.
You can consider installing pavers in the pathways in your garden, as well as other living spaces in your backyard. This makes it easier for dogs, cats, as well as other pets, to roam around without needing to worry about getting their paws in the mud. You also don’t have to worry about them tracking mud into your home.
There are also other reasons that make pavers ideal for pet-friendly backyards. These include:
Removing Shrubbery
Pavers can be used to replace vegetation, such as shrubs, that get in the way of your pet moving around in your backyard. With a pathway that’s well established, your pet will be able to move around more easily. Pavers are also great replacements for plants that could potentially be toxic to your pet.
Reduce Digging
When the outdoor spaces your pet finds themselves in are paved, they are presented with fewer opportunities to dig. When there are more paved places than there is grass your pet is less likely to make a mess.
Improve Appearance
Paved spaces have the ability to deal with a lot of wear and tear. They can do this without this affecting their appearance. Grass on the other hand, as well as turf, can be destroyed more easily when your pet plays in the backyard.
Paw Friendly
Pavers are usually surfaces that are smooth. This means that your pets can enjoy spending hours running around in your backyard, without this affecting their paws.
Less Ticks
When you get your backyard paved, you also reduce the number of ticks your pet is exposed to. Ticks usually tend to live in lawns that are tall, with shrubs, as well as compost material. Consider talking to your vet regarding what kinds of ticks are found in your area. You can also learn other ways of reducing your pet’s exposure to them.
What Should You Consider When Using Pavers?
Here is what you should consider when using pavers to make your backyard more pet-friendly:
The Shape And The Design
Consider the shape as well as the design of the pavers you’re using. You can use flagstone pavers, which are laid close to each other. Usually, less space is available between these pavers. This means that nails and paws are less likely to catch on these pavers.
You can also consider the herringbone pattern. Another option is the pattern of basket weaving. These are both durable designs that can also handle movement that is sideways.
Creating Deck Areas
You can make use of pavers in order to create areas that are raised, where you can spend time with your pet. You can simply spend time there looking into your garden, or you could also relax under a tree. Your deck area will be the base over which you’ll be applying pavers. The base can also help in reducing weeds that might have grown in between the pavers.
The deck area can also be furnished using furniture for your family, as well as your pet. Get a pet bed, some toys, and a water bowl for them. This will make them feel right at home.
Patrol Paths
Cats, as well as dogs, enjoy roaming around backyards. Providing them with pathways they can run around in without getting their paws dirty can enable them to have all the fun they want. For your dog, create a patrol pathway along your fence. You can use stone pavers that are wide by a few feet to do this.
Should your pet already have favourite trails in your backyard, then turn those into actual pathways using pavers.
Get Garden Steps
If your backyard has areas that are sloping, such as the gap that exists between your deck and your garden, then you can get garden steps. Pavers can be used to create these steps. This can help your pet get around more easily in your backyard as well. When you’re designing the garden steps, take note of what your pet’s height is. If the steps are large, then this can be a challenge for small dogs.
Add Water Features
When the summer months arrive, this can be difficult for your pets. Consider providing them with a water feature that they can cool down near. You can opt for a fountain, or a shallow pond, or even a small pool. Ensure that the feature is surrounded by pavers so that there is no muddiness.
For your water features, you should look for pavers that are non-slip. They should also have water resistance and their permeability should be low.
