- 1). Take stock of the current landscaping. If you have a lot of concrete and other landscaping in your backyard with very little grass (common in small yards with large pools), remove some shrubbery along one side of the fence. Plant grass in this area. This area should not have a lot of shade, so that the grass is healthy and bounces back from high dog traffic.
- 2). Plant shrubs and trees if you have a backyard with no shade. Choose a corner of the yard or one of the fence lines. You can plant some boxwood shrubs (or other shrubs that grow well in your climate) and trees. Small trees such as butterfly trees or other trees that do not grow higher than 10 to 12 feet are ideal. You can keep these trees pruned to the height of the fence or let them grow higher if you wish.
- 3). Choose a section of the yard that is not clearly visible from where you entertain to set up a doghouse for your dog, if your dog spends time outside. If possible, the east side of the house is best, as the sun is not as strong in the morning as it is in the afternoon.
- 4). Divide the yard in half if you have a larger yard. This works well for families with children. One half of the yard is fenced off to keep the dog on one side and the kids on the other. This prevents the kids from stepping in feces that may not have gotten picked up, and it gives the dog its own space to run. You can still do this with a smaller yard, but only if you have a dog that is under 15 pounds. Dogs must have a place to exercise, run and stretch their legs.
- 5). Make the yard "dig proof." If you have a dog that likes to dig under the fence to escape, lay chicken wire along the fence. Hold it down with landscaping pavers. Eventually, you will be able to remove the pavers, as the grass will grow through the chicken wire. If the wire lays flat enough, you will eventually be able to mow over it (as opposed to weedeating over it).
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