Get your Backyard Ready for Fall
Fall is a wonderful time here at Barking Bungalow. The cooler temperatures make Mortimer’s morning walks more enjoyable. Lottie Mae is slowly moving from her station on the front porch into the cozy beds inside. It’s also a great time to hang out in the backyard with the pups and do some fall pet-friendly landscaping. A little bit of Autumn upkeep will help to make your backyard a safe and enjyable place for your pets to play all year long.
Winterize Dog House
Like your patio furniture, fall is a great time to give any outdoor dog houses the once over. Scrub them down, replace any rot and add a coat of paint if it needeed.
Plant A Shade Tree
Early fall is a great time to plant trees so they can establish roots before winter temperatures arrive. If your pup needs a little sun coverage in the backyard, consider adding a new shade tree to your fall pet-friendly landscaping. We planted a Tulip Poplar in our backyard a couple of years ago, and it is our German Shepard, August’s favorite place to hang out.
Mulch
Fall is typically the time when we clean out beds and put down mulch to protect plants. Make sure the mulch you are using in pet-friendly. Cocoa Bean Mulch is toxic to dogs, and some pups like to chew and swallow rubber mulch. Pebbles, stones, and wood chip mulch are better options. Avoid wood mulch made with oak, cherry, and trumpet vine cedar. They can also be toxic to your dogs.
Plant Bulbs
Autumn is also the ideal time to plant bulbs for the spring. Many bulb flowers are toxic to pups, including Daffodils, Tulips, Hyacinth, Lily of the Valley, and Peonies. If you want these beautiful plants in your landscaping consider planting them in the front yard or an area where your pets do not have access. Check the ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant list for other options.
Grass
The high traffic from our three dogs turns our backyard into a mud pit in the winter. We add winter grass seed to our yard in the fall to fortify it through the winter. Choosing a native ground cover will reduce the need for water and fertilizer.
Fertilizer
Many people choose to add fertilizer and pesticides to their lawns in the fall. Check the label on your fertilizer for the recommending time you should keep your pets off the lawn. Make sure that you store pesticide and fertilizers where your pets will not have access.
Leaves and Ticks
Mortimer’s favorite fall sport is jumping in large piles of recently collected leaves and spreading them all around the yard. It brings him such joy, but I want to make sure he doesn’t pick up any unwanted passengers. Give your pups a tick check after any leaf explorations
Mushrooms
Mushroom may start popping up in your backyard in Autumn. While most mushrooms are safe, there are a few that are quite toxic for pets and humans. It can sometimes be difficult to tell the difference, so it’s a good rule to keep your pets away from all of them.
Fruit
My husband is from eastern Washington, and whenever we visit his family, I drive them crazy with my requests to pick apples. I think it is one of the best parts of fall, but it can present some dangers for your pup. If you have a fruit tree, pick up the fruit frequently. The stem, seeds, and leaves of crabapple trees are toxic to pups.
Fall Pet-Friendly Landscaping Helps Your Yard Year-Round
Fall is a great time to get outside with your pets and enjoy long walks, hikes, and hanging out in your backyard. A little bit of fall pet-friendly landscaping is a great way to spend time with your pets outside. It will also help to create and keep a safe space for your fur-kids to enjoy year-round.
