Garden Time for Dogs: How to Build a Backyard Retreat Your Pet Will Love

Dogs love being outside, particularly when their people are out there too. A thoughtfully arranged backyard keeps your dog comfortable, safe and occupied while you garden, eat outside or sit with friends, instead of circling the patio looking for something to do.

1. Give them a home base

Every dog benefits from a defined outdoor spot of their own. The Multi-Functional Outdoor Pet House combines a crate bed, built-in toys and shelter in one unit, so your dog has somewhere to retreat between bursts of activity.

Sizes run up to 90 x 55 x 70 cm, which suits small and medium dogs. Measure before you order rather than estimating.

2. Provide shade and water

Place the house where it catches afternoon shade, which is when most heat problems occur. Keep a large, stable water bowl nearby, in shade, and refresh it at least twice a day in warm weather.

Dogs lose heat far less efficiently than people do, and flat-faced breeds considerably less again.

3. Make it secure

Walk the boundary and check for gaps under fences, loose panels and gate latches that can be nosed open. Dogs find weaknesses that humans walk past daily without noticing.

The pet house also works as a secure enclosure for short periods when the gate is open or guests are arriving.

4. Add play zones

A patch of grass for running, a designated digging area filled with sand or loose soil, and a few durable toys give your dog legitimate outlets. Digging is a natural behaviour, and giving it a permitted location is far more effective than trying to suppress it across the whole garden.

Rotate the toys to keep interest up.

5. Choose pet-safe plants

A number of common garden plants are toxic to dogs, including some very popular ones. Check your planting against a reliable pet-safety list before letting your dog roam unsupervised, and be particularly careful with bulbs, which dogs will dig up.

6. Plan for the seasons

In summer, bring your dog indoors during the hottest hours and test paving with your hand before walking them across it. In winter, limit outdoor time and keep bedding dry. Wet bedding in cold weather is a real welfare problem.

After muddy sessions, a quick dry-off prevents skin issues, and our guide to blow-drying your dog at home covers how to do that without stressing them.

7. Keep them company

A backyard is not a substitute for time together, and a dog left alone outside all day will usually bark, dig or escape. Dogs are happiest outdoors when their people are out there too.

The finishing touch

8. Keep it clean and checked

Sweep out the house weekly, wash the pillow cover, and check for chewed edges or loose fittings. Outdoor equipment degrades faster than indoor equipment, and a quick monthly inspection catches problems while they are still cheap to fix.

Because the Multi-Functional Outdoor Pet House is designed to look like outdoor furniture, it fits into a well-kept garden rather than standing out as equipment. And if your dog travels with you beyond the garden, the fold-flat kennel that goes wherever you go extends the same idea to the road.

Shop the Multi-Functional Outdoor Pet House in four sizes.