Creating Pet-Friendly Water Features is Easier Than You Think
Family homes generally include family pets. However, family pets don’t always work well with water features in our back garden. How do we ensure that we can keep both our pets and our water feature safe?
Pet-friendly water features don’t need to be any more complicated than an ordinary one. There are, though, a few practicalities that we should consider if we’re getting a dog or cat and we have an existing water feature, or we plan on creating a little bit of magic in our gardens and we want to keep our furry friends safe.
Tips For Pet-Friendly Water Features
Cats are generally less destructive and a little smarter than dogs when it comes to water. So we’ll focus on the canine additions to our family in this instance.
Is it Durable?
Dogs, especially breed that love to swim can wreak havoc on a small or fragile pond. Make certain that the edges are firmly fixed and aren’t likely to shift and perhaps tear the pond lining under the excited feet of a favourite pet.
Sensible Edges
If your dog is likely to splash around in the water or drink from the pond, then it would be best to keep the surrounds flat and fairly low; perhaps even creating a small access point for your pet. This makes it easy for them to get out in case they fall in and will allow them a cool drink on a hot day without wrecking your surrounding plants and rock gardens.
If you are planning a little landscaping around your water feature, then try to avoid sharp or slippery surfaces which could damage their soft paws.
Cleaning & Maintenance
If you need to use any chemical cleaning agents on your water feature, read the label and make certain that they won’t cause harm to animals.
In fact, if they will harm your dog or cat, then they will most likely affect pollinators and birds that may be drawn to your water feature, so do be aware of what you’re putting in the water.
We hope that these few tips will ensure a long and happy relationship between you, your pet, and your water feature.
