Keeping Your Lawn in Great Shape When You Have Kids and a Dog

It’s not an uncommon fact that children and pets can completely destroy your lawn. But you don’t have to accept a lawn that looks as if it was hit by a small and furry tornado. In this article, we will share some tips and tricks to keep your lawn in great shape when you have kids and a dog.

1. Set Boundaries, and Communicate Them

You can’t talk to your dog about lawn care and how you would enjoy it if they would contribute to the lawn staying nice. But you certainly can do this with your children! Sit your kids down and let them know where they can go play in the yard and where they cannot. Another thing you will want to express to your children is where it is okay to dig. Kids enjoy digging and kicking up the ground, as well as dragging sticks along the dirt, so let them know where it is okay and which areas they need to avoid.

2. Let Little Ones Have a Place to Play

Your kids are going to want to play outdoors, and it’s good for them to get out and enjoy some sunshine. You, on the other hand, want your lawn to stay as nice as it possibly can. So what can you do? Why, designate a specific place for them to play, of course!

If you want your lush grass and gorgeous flowers to remain undisturbed, let your little ones play in places where there is gravel already established. It’s also a great idea to provide your kids with a sandbox. Doing this will let your kids have a place where they can dig and play and build little sand sculptures, and at the same time, stay away from your plant life. Just be sure to let them know that sand should stay inside the box, and not out peppering the lawn.

If you want to set up a swing set or jungle gym for your kids, you will most likely want to lay down some gravel or wood chips so that you don’t have to see unsightly bare spots in your yard. A set up like this will provide your little ones with lots of fun, and keep them far from any other section of the yard that you do not want them to go play in.

3. Move Things Around Every Other Day

It’s not hard for items to accumulate on the lawn, and when heavy items are left for some time, they can begin to wear away at the beautiful grass underneath them. So every other day, get outside and move these items around slightly. Great candidates for this include Slip-n-slides, kiddie pools, and anything else that is large and for use outside.

If you have a pool or a collection of items that are meant to take care of the yard, such as a lawnmower or pool net, it’s best to keep these items stored in a place where they can be kept safe and away from the grass. Leaving these items on the lawn can cause small spots where grass will no longer grow. A great storage place can be a garage or shed where these items wait to be used at the right moments.

4. Establish a Place For Dogs on Your Lawn

Dogs are a little bit harder to train when it comes to keeping your lawn nice, but you can still enjoy a beautiful yard while letting your pet stretch their legs and enjoy the fresh air. One idea is to fence off an area that they are allowed to run wild in. Now, this fenced-off section of your yard is going to get bare over time from your dog’s paws and their habit of digging around. So add mulch to this section to cover up these bare spots and add visual appeal. You may also want to add bushes and flowers around the fence in order to make the area still look beautifully landscaped.

If you don’t like the idea of fencing off an area on your lawn, the best thing to do would be to walk your dog on a leash and let him or her do business under your supervision. Watch where they pee, and immediately splash the area with water to even out the area and prevent the grass from dying. Female dogs tend to urinate in one area, where male dogs enjoy marking their territory in several different places. Keep an eye on your pet and be prepared to wash away their pee. When it comes to droppings, immediately grab them while wearing a glove and bag them up. Leaving dog droppings on your lawn is not good for it nor for your children.

5. Carefully Plan Your Backyard for Barbecues and Parties

When you have a family, no doubt you will host the occasional outdoor barbecue or party. And foot traffic is not the best for your luscious grass. So carefully plan where you would like your guests to go and create a path. You can do this using stone, mulch, or even gravel. Place seating where grass will not be disturbed, and then decorate your lawn with rocks and flowers to really give your get-together area some pop. Make sure that seating, your grill, etc. is not too close to the flowers or garden areas that you want to be protected. Also, keep in mind that people naturally take the path that provides the least amount of resistance, so plan in such a way that lets people enjoy your setting without messing up any part of your lawn that you do not want to be disturbed.

As mentioned previously, it’s a fabulous idea to get out and move things around so that grass does not die due to your furniture.

So you have kids, you have a dog, and you have a life. But don’t let that fool you into thinking you cannot have a beautiful lawn! Use these tips from Discover Ziehler in order to have the most gorgeous lawn on the block, despite having a dog and children.