If you have a puppy or a full grown dog, you might consider the following ideas to enjoy your canine friend, and your garden:

Create a dog path behind beds and along fences. Established plantings will hide the path and allow your dog to run the length of the yard. The width of the path would be adjusted to the size of the dog.

Mulch the beds with large bark chips to avoid the dog bringing soil into the house.

Creating a fenced dog run-sounds simple, if you have the room. This would keep the dog out of the garden.

Give up on growing grass. Use paving stones, gravel, or interlocking brick instead. These materials and products are less labour intensive than grass, and can be washed with a garden hose. This decreases your dog’s contact with fertilizers and pesticides used to maintain lawns.

Plant small varieties of tomatoes and herbs in pots. You can also plant vegetables in the front yard, so that your dog would avoid interaction with the plants.

Following is a list of plants that will tolerate dog-play. Notice that most of the plants are quick growing and will fill in quickly when damaged.

• Daylilies
• Mint
• Lamium
• Lamb’s Ears
• Rudbeckia
• Siberian Iris
• Peonies
• Phlox
• Hostas
• Astilbe
• Shrub Roses, (remember the thorns!)