Thomas Barthel - Dogscaping: Creating the Perfect Backyard and Garden for You and Your Dog

Andrew DePrisco, Editor in Chief

Jarelle S. Stein, Editor

Jennifer Calvert, Associate Editor

Elizabeth L. Spurbeck, Assistant Editor

Camille C. Garcia, Assistant Editor

Brian Bengelsdorf, Senior Art Designer

Karen Julian, Publishing Coordinator

Copyright 2009 by I-5 Press
Photographs and illustrations 2009 by Tom Barthel.

Additional photographs courtesy of/reproduced with permission of: Jeannie Harrison/Close Encounters of the Furry Kind (www.cefkphotos.com)cover (central image); Karen Taylorpages 1, 5 (top), 9, 11, 14, 16 (top), 18, 23, 25, 27 (top), 32 (top), 41, 54, 58, 6061, 79, 81, 91, 103, 113, 123, 125; Shutterstock Imagespages 3, 4, 5 (bottom), 6 (far left), 48, 51, 52, 53 (bottom), 62, 63 (bottom, right), 70, 84, 85, 92 (bottom), 94 (bottom), 115, 135; Jean Foglepages 5 (second from bottom), 105 (bottom); Isabelle Francais/I-5 Publishing, LLC, and Gina Cioli and Pamela Hunnicutt/I-5 Publishing, LLCpages 17, 82; USDA Agricultural Research Service45, 105 (top, photo by Ken Hammond); American Horticultural Society (www.ahs.org)page 136; U.S. National Arboretum, USDA-ARApage 137.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of I-5 Press, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in an acknowledged review.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Barthel, Tom.

Dogscaping : creating the perfect backyard and garden for you and your dog / by Tom Barthel.

p. cm.

Includes index.

ISBN 978-1-933958-33-0

1. Organic gardening. 2. Landscape gardening. 3. DogsHealth. 4. DogsHousing. I. Title.

SB453.5.B38 2010

636.7083dc22

2009023292

I-5 Press

A Division of I-5 Publishing, LLC

3 Burroughs

Irvine, California 92618

Printed and bound in the USA
15 14 13 12 11 10 09 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Dedication

Dedicated to my wife, Rachel, whose support and encouragement breathe life into so many of my dreams; also to my dog, Dakota, who enthusiastically tested the theories and methods found herealong with my patience.

CONTENTS

Acknowledgments

The author would like to extend a special thank you to all of those who have shared their gardens, dogs, and green lifestyles with him. Without their generosity, this book would not have been possible.

A big thank you to: Laura Klein and her dogs, Bamboo and Truffle; Leslie May and her dogs, Gracie and Johann; Sandy Pfister, Jerry Perrone, and their dog, Teddy Bear; Laura McKenna and her dog, Roger; the Smith family (Amanda, David, Evangeline, and Gabriel) and their dogs, Scooby, Violet, and Belle; Andee Whiters and her dogs, Mallory and Moose; Cheryl Colburn and her dog, Copper; Tamma Rae Stewart and her dog, Chloe; Claudia Konieczny and her dog, Isabella; Marie and Tim Konieczny and their dog, Clancy; Lillie Kopke, Dan Rapelje, and their dog, Chloe; Bob and Kyle Kirkby and their dogs, Dewey and Dixie; and Steve Kopke and his dog, Star.

Introduction

D ogs and the outdoors go together as naturally as peas and carrots. But if these two are meant to coexist harmoniously, why do so many of our yards and gardens bear the scars of conflict? Muddy, rutted lawns, overturned flowerpots, uprooted vegetables, and minefields of dog waste plague our would-be idyllic landscapes. Worse yet, those landscapes sometimes wreak havoc on our all-too-curious pets, who can become gravely ill after ingesting toxic plants and chemicals commonly found in the very yards they delight in exploring. So why does this conflict between dog and yard exist? Because we are not designing our yards and gardens with our pets in mind, not thinking how to make the yards an organic whole, and not thinking how to live greener.

The various topics in this book, Dogscaping, promote harmonious, healthy, and sustainable yard and garden spaces designed with your pet in mind. With a few back-to-basics principles put in place, every outdoor space has the potential to be canine compatible, environmentally friendly, and beautiful. Learn the rules of engagement found here, and you can create the backyard of your dreams. It is possible to do so without yelling until youre blue in the face, without chasing your dog from one corner of the yard to the other, and without spending weekend after weekend patching bare spots in the lawn.

Consider this book the start of a journey to a more peaceful outdoor coexistence with your pet. That begins, in chapter 1, with gaining greater insight into who your dog is (including the purpose for which his breed was developed) and why he uses your outdoor space the way he does. By understanding who your dog is, why he acts the way that he does, and how he moves about outdoors, you can learn to balance his needs with your own needs and, by doing so, turn your yard from a war zone into a lush and beautiful oasis.

The following chapters show you how to accomplish just that. Topics covered include information on how to choose plants that possess both beauty and dog-tested durability, a task that presents the greatest challenge for most beginning gardeners. Dogscaping is full of solutions for this problemtelling you about winning plants that can be found at most nurseries in the United Statesand for many other problems you may face. Be aware, however, that some of the plants recommended in this book have the potential to cause adverse health effects; plant poisoning may or may not be a concern with your dog. Much of the risk lies in your dogs personality and how he uses your outdoor environment. If in doubt about a plant, consider the personality of your dog, and consult your veterinarian.

Maintaining a planted environment that is not hazardous for your dog makes for a steep challenge in several ways. In the pages of this book, youll also find out how to keep your pet safe and your environment clean through organic weed and pest control. Youll discover as well how to give your plants a boost with organic fertilizers so they will have a fighting chance against canine chaos.

Dont let yourself be intimidated by the notion of organic gardening, which often conjures images of hard, intense labor in an age in which chemical weed control and fertilization hold the appeal of instant gratification and ease of use. Natural alternatives can be far easier to use in gardening and lawn care than you may imagineand often can be made inexpensively from ingredients that you may already own.