Using Pavers to Make Your Garden Pet-Friendly

If you’re part of the one in two Australians who live in a household with a pet, you’ve probably considered ways to make your home more comfortable for your furry companions. Your backyard – spacious and set in the outdoors – is the perfect place to start. Without footwear to help balance their steps and protect their feet, our pets can benefit from great surfacing like pavers. By making your backyard more pet-friendly with pavers you’ll give your pets the opportunity to roam comfortably outside every day.

Why pavers for pet-friendly gardens?

Pavers are made from stone, clay, and other types of materials. They are available in a range of colours, sizes, and shapes to suit your home or garden. Pavers can also support heavy traffic and exposure to water. Installing them in your garden pathways and other backyard living spaces makes it easier for your dog, cat, or other pet to get out and about without worrying about their paws getting into mud or tracking dirt into your home.

Other reasons to choose pavers for making your garden more pet-friendly include:

• Remove shrubbery – You can use pavers to replace shrubs that inhibit your pet’s ability to move around the garden. With a well-established, paved pathway or deck, your pet can move around easily. Pavers can also be used to replace plants that are potentially harmful or poisonous to animals.
• Minimise digging – Setting out paved outdoor spaces gives your pets less opportunity to dig. With more paved areas than grass, your pets will be less likely to make a mess and track dirt back into your home.
• Appearance – Paved spaces can take a lot of wear and tear without too many visual disturbances. In contrast, grassy patches and turf can easily be destroyed if your pets enjoy playing in the backyard!
• Easy on the paws – Pavers are smooth surfaces so your pets won’t have any problems spending hours running around the garden.
• Reduce exposure to ticks – By paving your yard you can reduce your pet’s exposure to ticks. Ticks typically reside in tall lawns, shrubs, and compost material. Consult with your vet for advice on what ticks are prevalent in your area and how else you can reduce your pet’s risk.

Shape and design

As for shape and design, try flagstone pavers as they are laid down close to each other with less space between pavers where nails and paws can catch. A herringbone pattern or basket weave pattern could be ideal as they’re strong designs that can withstand sideways movement.

Create deck areas

Use pavers to create raised areas where you and your pets can spend time together, look out over the garden or relax in the shade of a tree. Deck areas start with a base over which you apply the pavers. This base will also help reduce the potential of weeds coming through the gaps between pavers.

You can furnish the deck area with furniture for you as well as your pet. Keep a waterproof pet bed, a water bowl, and some toys to make your pet feel right at home.

Create patrol paths

Dogs and cats like to roam around the backyard, so give them pathways where they can run around without getting their paws damp and dirty. Dogs, for example, might have a natural, protective urge to patrol and scan the area.

You can create a patrol pathway for your dog along your fencing, one that’s a few feet wide by using stone pavers. Alternatively, if your dog has already established their own favoured trails along your garden, turn them into real pathways with pavers.

Incorporate garden steps

For sloping and linking areas, like the gap between a deck and the rest of your garden, try using pavers to create garden steps. This not only makes it easier for you to get from one area to the other; it also lets your pets get around more easily too. When designing your steps, remember to consider your pet’s stride and height. Large steps can be a challenge for small dogs.

Provide water features for cooling down

As the summer months arrive, why not give your pets the opportunity to cool down in a water feature? Whether it’s a shallow pond, a fountain, or a small pool, ensure it’s shallow enough to be safe for your dog and surround it with a paved perimeter to avoid muddiness. Your pets will likely love the new water feature, and it will make an attractive focal point for your garden.

For outdoor water features, look for a paver with non-slip properties as well as water resistance or low permeability. Choose a paver that’s suitable for water areas.

Create shady spaces

Make sure your pets have sufficient spaces for cooling down. Whether it’s a shaded area on your deck, a patch of lawn by a large tree or a shaded dog kennel, shady areas will be appreciated by dogs, cats, and other pets. Remember your furry companions can overheat more quickly than you do, so create multiple shaded spaces and edge or line them with pavers. Stone pavers can be great for shady areas as they remain cool and could help your pets bringing down their body temperature more quickly.

Keep your pet happy

Pavers are versatile, attractive additions to pet-friendly gardens and they can be used for everything from decks to patrol paths. By creating a pet-friendly backyard, you’ll make it a comfortable and enjoyable place for your pet to roam around in.

Armstone is a leading supplier of premium natural stone and porcelain products. Our range includes tiles, cladding, cobblestones, wall capping, pool tiles, and much more. To find out more about how we can help you find the ideal materials for your pet-friendly garden, contact us for a discussion today.