8 / MARCH 2022 PRIME
Pet Safe Landscaping By Jan Cashman
B
ozeman is a dog-loving town. Many of us own dogs. And many of us want to have a beautiful landscape, but one in which our dogs and pets can be safe. It is not difficult to make yours a pet-friendly yard and garden. 1) An enclosed fence might
be your first step. A hedge, which my husband Jerry calls “the friendly fence” is seldom thick enough to keep a pet from sneaking through, but can be planted inside the fence itself for a beautiful visual barrier. 2) Plant shade trees. Pets need shade in the summer when it is hot. 3) Puppies and kittens can be
damaging to your landscape. They like to dig and chew and will eat almost anything. Train your puppy not to dig in your yard. Other ways to keep your pet from digging include wire barriers such as chicken wire, and strong smelling pet repellants, and avoid fertilizers containing bone and blood meal.
4) Make your cat happy; plant catnip in your flower beds or herb garden. 5) Give your cat an outdoor scratching post so it won’t use your tree trunks. 6) Make sure your pet has fresh water outside at all times and a place to shelter from rain and weather. 7) Use only organic garden
