Protects Your Pets’ Paws
Dogs have a well-known tendency towards digging. Have you noticed how much your dog enjoys it? However, this does not imply it is healthy for them. Digging may be pretty dangerous to dogs, especially if it is done on a regular and recurring basis.
Dogs’ paws can be damaged when they dig, especially if the dirt is rough. There’s also the risk of debris impaling their paws, such as sticks, thorns, or other sharp objects. Pea gravel is a fantastic way to avoid this.
Add a thick layer in your front or backyard to lessen the amount of digging. With that, you don’t have to be concerned if they dig.
Why Use Pea Gravel?
If you own a dog or you’re planning to own one, you’ve probably heard of something called dogscaping or petscaping. So, what exactly does this mean? It’s simple. Dogscaping means creating a backyard that is friendly and safe for dogs, and moreover, beneficial for them.
Using pea gravel has two major benefits, one for the dogs and the other for the owners. It provides a beneficial environment for the dogs while at the same time protecting and keeping your property safe from destruction.
Dogs, whether small or large breeds, display great bursts of energy unless they belong to breeds that are not physically active. This means your dog will require space to play around, run around, and frolic in the backyard. This is where pea gravel comes in handy.
To create the perfect backyard for your dog to play with, you need to observe their habits. Which areas do they visit the most? Do they follow the same walk path? Do they run in a frenzy? You need to make notes of all these in order to dogscape. But don’t worry! It’s going to be worth it for the following reasons.
If you’re dogscaping your yard and you’re looking for landscaping material, then consider pea gravel. Compared to other types of gravel, pea gravel is safer for dogs. Are you wondering, is pea gravel safe for dogs? If so, here’s your answer. These round, oval, and smooth-shaped gravels are not a threat for your dogs.
Other types of gravel usually have sharp edges and can cause potential harm to your dog. Place your pea gravel in the locations where your dog visits the most. If your dog follows an everyday path when walking or playing, place the gravels there with some binding material, else most of the pea gravel will dislocate.
Among the list of many reasons why pea gravel is safe for dogs, one of them is that it protects your dogs from getting dirty easily. Are you wondering how is pea gravel safe for dogs? It works as a layer of protection. You place the pea gravel on top of the layer of grass or mud. This will minimize them digging the soil or plants.
When dogs dig the spoil in your backyard, they are getting dirty and exposing themselves to different risks. Moreover, if there is no pea gravel, you risk your backyard getting destroyed by your dog since they tend to pace, walk, run, jump, and of course, dig. In this regard, pea gravel helps prevent your property from getting damaged while at the same time keeping them clean and away from potential risks that come by excessive digging.
One more reason why you should consider using pea gravel for dogs is that it helps reduce the odor from their bowel movements. Dogs have a strong sense of smell. This means they can easily pick up different smells, including their own litter. This can prove to be quite an uncomfortable smell for your dog.
So, how does pea gravel help? If your dog pees and carries out its bowel movement in the pea gravel, it becomes easier to scoop and remove. When you have to scoop your lawn’s grass and plants, it becomes difficult and also damages your property. By easily removing the litter, you can easily reduce the foul odor.
As a dog owner, dogscaping is a must. It gives them more freedom to explore the outdoors without causing much danger to them that otherwise can occur. One of the popular choices of material when it comes to dogscaping is pea gravel, and there’s a reason for it.
When dogs discharge, their poop contains nitrogen in high levels. So, why is this bad? Because it kills the soil and its fertility by increasing acidity. When this happens, you will notice patches of brown areas. This is why adding pea gravel in areas where your dog frequents the most is a good idea.
It is common knowledge that dogs love digging. Do you notice that your pooch loves to dig? Well, they might love it, but that does not mean it is good for them. Digging can prove to be quite harmful to dogs, especially if the digging is consistent and frequent.
When dogs dig, especially if the soil is hard, they can damage their paws. There are also chances of debris like thorns, sticks, or other sharp objects impaling their paws. To prevent this, pea gravel is a good idea. Just place it in your front or backyard, and this will reduce the digging. And even if they dig, you need not worry. Make sure the layer of pea gravel is thick.
Are you wondering if pea gravel is safe for dogs? If you own a dog, it’s natural to be concerned and to want the best for them. After all, they become part of the family. Not only is pea gravel safe for them, but it is also highly beneficial in many ways. One such benefit is that it helps reduce the chances of skin infections.
When dogs get wet, especially after playing in dirty soil, grass, or mud, they get exposed to more germs. Monsoon season is the month dogs get different kinds of skin allergies and diseases. However, you can prevent this, and it’s easy! Just pick up pea gravel and place it on the area they play the most. This will act as a layer between the grass or mud and them. They can play on wet gravel without catching any infections.
During hot summer months, dogs need to cool off. This is not possible if you don’t have a backyard with pea gravel. When you just have grass or soil, you cannot possibly think of spraying it with a hose and letting them play there. No! In fact. that can be quite harmful to them.
When you do have a backyard with pea gravel installed, you can just hose it with a pipe. This will provide a cool and safe space for them to lie down. You also prevent creating a messy-looking backyard with pools of water here and there.
How Do You Install Pea Gravel?
Pea gravel is extremely easy to install. Simply plan where you want to install it, and consider how much pea gravel you’ll be needing.
When installing pea gravel, you’ll first want to prepare the ground by working the soil about 6 inches deep. You’ll want to remove any weeds and plants. Then you can place a 2-inch layer of base rocks, or crushed rocks, to stabilize the ground and prepare it for pea gravel.
You can also add a landscape cloth between the base layer and pea gravel to prevent weeds from getting through. A landscape cloth can also further help prevent digging and prevent your pup from getting hurt by the base layer. However, it can become damaged over time, or become visible through the rock and pea gravel layers.
Once you’re done with the base layer, you’re ready to install the pea gravel. Common practice is to install a 3-4 inch layer of pea gravel. Make sure you press it tightly to prevent shifting and moving.
Since pea gravel is quite a loose material, you should also secure it to keep it in place and minimize shifting. For instance, you can create a pea gravel pathway by securing the edges with stones, bricks, or wood boards.
Luckily, pea gravel is very easy to maintain. If you use pea gravel in your dog’s potty area or if they’ve had an accident on pea gravel, you can simply shovel out the poop and it’s as good as new.
In terms of regular maintenance, you can use a rake to tidy the pea gravel. However, consider that pea gravel does sink into the ground after a while, so you’ll likely have to add more pea gravel every few years or so.
Does Gravel Hurt Dogs Paws?
Is pea gravel good for dogs? Should you consider installing pea gravel in your yard if you have a dog? And what are the benefits of pea gravel for dogs? In this guide, we’re going to answer all of those questions and more. Let’s get into it!