How to Create a Dog Friendly Garden That Survives the Dog

Designing a dog friendly garden is a landscaping brief like any other, where the habits of your pet shape the final layout. You need secure boundaries, robust surfaces and safe planting that all look good while coping with a dog that runs, digs and toilets outside.

Designing a garden around a dog

Before you ask for quotes, you need to understand the different trades involved. A garden designer produces the plan, a landscaper or landscape contractor builds it, and a gardener maintains it. Hard landscaping is the built part of a garden, which includes patios, paths, walls, steps, decking, fencing and drainage. Soft landscaping is the living part, meaning the soil, turf, planting and trees.

If you have an active dog, they will naturally create runs along fences or across the lawn. Rather than fighting this habit, a good design leaves space for a track or puts a hard surface where the heaviest traffic flows. You also need to think about sightlines, because the Dogs Trust advises always supervising your dog in the garden.

Landscapers price per project after a site visit, and the main cost drivers are the area, groundwork, levels, materials and access. Access is critical because everything carried through the house takes longer and costs more. By mapping out exactly what your dog needs, you can focus your budget on the groundwork and surfaces that matter most.

Secure boundaries first

The first priority for any dog owner is keeping the animal safely contained. The Dogs Trust advises using a secure fence that your dog cannot get over or under. You should check your boundaries regularly for broken panels and gaps at the bottom where a determined pet might squeeze through.

There is no single recommended fence height because every breed is different. You should ask your landscaper for advice based on your dog's size and jumping ability. You can read more about your options in our guide to garden fence types and costs.

If you feed birds or wildlife, you need to fence off those areas so your dog cannot reach the feeders or the droppings beneath them. You should always supervise your dog in the garden to ensure they are safe and not finding new ways to test the boundaries.

When planning new boundaries, you must keep planning rules in mind. Fences and walls can be up to 1 metre high next to a road or its footpath, and up to 2 metres elsewhere. These permitted development rights apply to houses in England, not to flats or maisonettes, and listed buildings need consent for significant work. If you are unsure, you should check with your local council.

Plants to avoid or fence off

Some common garden plants can harm dogs. The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) advises that toxic plants should be placed behind a secure fence that your dog cannot get through, under or over.

The RHS lists alliums (which include onions, garlic and leeks), foxgloves, rhododendrons and azaleas as toxic. The Dogs Trust adds chrysanthemums, daffodil bulbs, hydrangea, larkspur, wisteria, yew and tomato plants to the list of plants to avoid. For tomato plants, the green fruit, stems and leaves are the dangerous parts.

Any plant can cause side effects and some dogs may react to plants that are usually considered safe. If you suspect your dog has eaten something harmful, or if you are worried about their reaction to a plant, you should consult a vet immediately.

You must also store seeds and bulbs out of reach, and never leave clippings or uprooted plants lying around the garden. The RHS advises keeping toxic plants behind a secure fence the dog cannot get through, under or over.

Robust plants that cope with running

You can fill your borders with plants that withstand a bit of rough and tumble. The RHS suggests robust plants for running and play, naming sedges, shorter grasses, catmint and lavender as good choices.

Dogs experience the world through smell, so sensory plants are a great addition. Rosemary, basil, thyme and lemon balm give your dog safe scents to sniff. The Dogs Trust also lists sage, calendula, cornflower and sunflower as safer options for a dog friendly planting scheme.

When choosing flowers, it helps to know that dogs mainly see yellow and blue. Cornflowers, pansies, asters and sunflowers are suggested for their colours, but colour is not a safety check, so ask a vet if you are unsure about any plant.

This table sets plants named as toxic by the RHS or the Dogs Trust beside plants named as safer, sensory or robust.

Any plant can cause a reaction, so check with a vet if you are unsure about a specific plant.

Surfaces that suit dogs

A dog friendly garden needs varied surfaces. The RHS suggests mixing grass, play-grade bark and chip, alongside garden paving that pets can follow their owners along.

When a landscaper lays paving, they must build it on a solid sub-base. This is a compacted layer of crushed stone, often called MOT Type 1, which goes under paving and artificial grass to stop the surface from sinking. The paving must also have a fall, which is a slight slope that sheds water away from your house. If the sub-base is missing or the slabs are laid on dabs of mortar instead of a full bed, the paving will crack and water will pool on the surface.

You also need to think about drainage. Permeable surfaces allow water to soak through into the ground, while impermeable surfaces do not. In England, paving more than 5 square metres of a front garden with an impermeable surface that does not drain to a permeable area needs planning permission. Permeable surfacing does not.

If you want a raised seating area, decking is an option. You will need to choose between softwood, hardwood and composite boards, all of which sit on a timber or composite frame beneath them. In England, decking is permitted development if it is no more than 30cm above the ground and, together with extensions and outbuildings, covers no more than 50 per cent of the garden space.

Dog urine and your lawn

Real grass takes a lot of punishment from pets. According to the RHS advice on dead patches, dog urine causes circular patches with bright green margins on lawns that dogs have access to. This is particularly common with urine from female dogs.

The RHS says the remedy is to water the affected areas immediately. While there are products sold that claim to prevent this damage, you must consult your vet before feeding any of them to your dog.

The RHS lists other causes of brown patches on lawns too, so urine is not always the culprit. If you decide to replace the lawn entirely, you can read our guide comparing artificial grass or real turf. If you choose artificial grass, it must never be laid straight onto soil, as it needs a proper sub-base to drain properly. If you want to keep real grass but reduce the upkeep, you might want to look at low maintenance garden ideas.

A digging spot and other outlets

Many dogs love to dig, and trying to stop them completely is often frustrating. A better approach is to give them a designated place where digging is allowed.

The Dogs Trust recommends using a sturdy container sunk flush with the ground to create a digging pit. You can fill this with earth or dog-friendly sand. To encourage your dog to use it instead of your flower beds, you can bury treats in the pit for them to find.

A designated spot may help keep the digging to one place. For advice on a dog's behaviour, ask a vet.

Shade, water and chemicals

Dogs can overheat quickly in warm weather, so your garden must provide shaded areas. The RHS suggests planting field maple, hawthorn, camellias or Deutzia to cast natural shade. You must also provide plenty of water stations when it is hot outside.

If you set up a paddling pool for your dog, the Dogs Trust says it should be shallow and easy for the dog to exit. You must supervise them while they use it and drain the water away when it is not in use.

You have to be careful with what you put on your garden. Avoid garden substances where possible, or lock them away securely. You must completely avoid cocoa-based mulches. These are toxic to dogs and the smell can attract them. If you suspect your dog has ingested cocoa mulch or any garden chemical, contact your vet immediately.

If your garden has protected trees, you need to be careful when adding shade or making changes. A Tree Preservation Order makes it an offence to cut down, lop, uproot or damage a protected tree without the council's consent. Work on trees in a conservation area normally needs six weeks' notice to the council.

What to tell your landscaper

When you invite a landscaper to quote for the work, you need to give them a clear brief. You should tell them:

• The size of your dog and how high they can jump.
• Whether your dog is a digger and needs a dedicated pit.
• Where the dog tends to run along the boundaries.
• That all toxic plants must be excluded or securely fenced off.
• That you need varied surfaces including grass, play-grade bark and paving.
• That cocoa-based mulch must not be used anywhere on the project.

Landscaping is not a licensed trade. The groundwork nobody sees is where corners get cut. Beware of doorstep callers offering cheap paving or leftover materials, and avoid cash deals with no written specification. A reliable quote is a fixed price, whereas an estimate is just a rough guess.

A good written quote will state the excavation depth, the depth of the sub-base, the named materials being used, the drainage plan and how waste will be removed. A trader who carries waste must be a registered waste carrier, and the register is public. You should also check whether the final price includes VAT. Design fees are usually separate, and larger jobs are paid in stages. London and the South East cost more.

Citizens Advice suggests getting three written quotes and a written contract, paying deposits of no more than 25 per cent, and paying by card. They also note you might be able to cancel within 14 days of agreeing a contract.

Look for vetted membership of trade bodies. The British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI) says its Accredited members are vetted on workmanship, skill and health and safety. The Association of Professional Landscapers (APL) says its members are assessed, regularly inspected and TrustMark accredited, which is the government-endorsed quality scheme. The Society of Garden and Landscape Designers (SGLD) is the professional body for designers. Membership is a good sign, not a guarantee.

Common questions

Can I lay artificial grass if I have a dog?

Yes, but it must be installed correctly with dogs in mind. Artificial grass must never be laid directly on top of soil. It needs a proper sub-base of compacted crushed stone so that it drains properly. Ask your landscaper how the installation will cope with a dog.

What happens if my dog ruins the lawn?

Dog urine often creates circular patches with bright green margins, particularly from female dogs. You should water the affected area immediately. Before you give your dog any product that claims to prevent this damage, you must check with your vet.

How high should a dog proof fence be?

There is no single rule for fence height because every dog has a different jumping ability. You need a secure fence that your dog cannot get over or under. Discuss your dog's size and habits with your landscaper to choose a height that keeps them safely contained.

What garden plants are poisonous to dogs?

Common garden plants that are toxic to dogs include alliums, foxgloves, rhododendrons, azaleas, chrysanthemums, daffodil bulbs, hydrangea, larkspur, wisteria, yew and the green parts of tomato plants. Any plant can cause a reaction, so if you are worried your dog has eaten something harmful, contact a vet immediately.

Next steps

Before you hire a landscaper, make sure you have everything in order.

• Watch how your dog uses the garden to see where they run and dig.
• Make a list of the safe, sensory and robust plants you want to include.
• Decide where your shaded areas and water stations will go.
• Ask three landscapers for written quotes that detail the sub-base, drainage and waste removal.
• Ask to see evidence of their past work and check their waste carrier registration.
• Remember that under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, work must be done with reasonable care and skill, and you can ask for it to be put right or seek a refund if it is not.

When you have a clear plan for your new outdoor space, you can find a landscaper near you to discuss the design.