dogs. “Daily scooping is a must,” Matt counsels. “Fecal chloroform kills grass.”


EVERYBODY OUTSIDE!


Create a Yard that Welcomes Kids, Pets and Wildlife


by Sandra Murphy


From barbecues, lawn games and cooling dashes through the garden sprinkler to wondrous encounters with nature, a backyard is a place to grow summer memories enriched by active children, wildlife and family pets. But how can everyone safely play and coexist in the same place?


START WITH NON-TOXIC PLANTS. Avoid planting species that are poison- ous to pets, including amaryllis, azalea, chrysanthemum, English ivy, oleander, sago palm, tulip bulbs and yew. Several species of lilies, including those com- monly sold at Easter, are especially toxic to cats if they ingest the pollen, stem or flowers.


DESIGNATE A DOG POTTY SPOT. “A designated potty area is key to a healthy


12 San Diego Edition


backyard,” says Lisa Peterson, an Ameri- can Kennel Club spokesperson. Choose a spot away from the main play area, vegetables and flowers. Lead a dog there until it becomes his habit; effusive praise helps. Matt Boswell, founder of the na-


tionwide Pet Butler pet waste cleanup service, suggests installing a designated piddle post for easier training of male dogs. Use cedar chips to reduce odor— never cocoa mulch, which is toxic to


Courtesy of Cheryl Smith www.na-sd.com


PROTECT PETS FROM PREDATORS. Dangers range from poisonous frogs and snakes to birds of prey and coy- otes. Six-inch-high wire mesh, dug into the ground at the bottom of a fence, will help keep out problematic rep- tiles and amphibians. Install a coyote roller bar at the top of the fence to foil potential animal attempts to climb up and over. Also consider using canvas “sails” to prevent overhead predators from spotting small, vulnerable pets. Sails also add shade and help protect the whole family against harmful ultra- violet rays. “Evenly space lights to avoid dark


spots,” suggests designer Mitch Kala- mian, owner of Solena Landscape, in Huntington Beach, California. “It lets you see where your dog is during the before-bedtime outing, as well as mak- ing sure no other animals are in the yard.”


GUARD AGAINST BOREDOM. Left alone in the yard for hours, a dog becomes as bored as a single kid on a teeter-totter. Barking, jumping fences and digging can lead to problems with neighbors, yard damage or pet injury, so offer him some options and ways to spend time with people.


Dogs understand “mine” and


“yours,” so give him an area where dig- ging is okay. Use decking wood to cre- ate a small, but deep, animal sandbox. Hide treasures like tennis balls (nothing smaller) or eco-friendly squeaky toys for him to find.


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