If you were anywhere near the local garden centers over the past couple of weeks, you know that everybody and their brother was there as well; let the yard work begin!
If you have dogs or outdoor cats, you probably have lots of "help" while you're out there. My own cats are inside so they can only supervise from their window seats, but my dogs have been into every single thing I try to do. They dug holes where I didn't want them, stole my tools and ran off with them, trampled my flowers, knocked a terra cotta pot off the deck and shattered it and left urine burns so that the weeds won't even grow anymore; but I would not have it any other way. I put a lot of time and effort into my yard and I really want it to be nice, but what would a nice yard be without a dog to play in it? This brings me to the gist of this column, which is making sure your property is as safe as possible for your fuzzy kids.
I have a young dog that puts every single thing he can possibly get a hold of into his mouth. Even if it is a stationary object, he will still find a way to get his teeth on it. He tries to drink from every available source of water - the koi pond, the pool, puddles, dripping hoses, etc. Keeping him safe and healthy through his puppy chewing stage is hard enough in the house, but outside is a real adventure! Even adult dogs will often chew on greenery and drink out of questionable water sources, so it's really important that we keep their territory as free from toxins as possible.
One of the biggest health threats to pets are lawn chemicals. I've said it previously in this column but I just want to remind everyone while you're out there getting the yard in shape. If your pets spend time in the yard, your flawless green lawn will have to be sacrificed; it's just not worth the risk to your pet's health.
As far as flowers and shrubs go, there are many things that can be harmful to cats and dogs. Some of the most common things are as follows: daffodils, tulips and pretty much all bulb flowers, mums, peonies azaleas, foxglove, hydrangea, just to name a few. You can find more complete lists online, the ASPCA and the Petmeds.com sites are good sources of information. Take special care when using any type of pesticides as they may make even non-toxic plants unsafe.
Another thing to be vigilant about is tainted water. The warm weather can promote the growth of intestinal parasites in water so keep their bowls fresh and clean and make sure there are no sources of standing water in the yard.