A safe enclosure - for our pups and our lawn! #OEG blog post

If you recall last year's blogs we often wrote about the puppies in the garden and the challenges they provided. Our smallest, Mia is one spunky Jack Russell Terrier and she can jump over tall fences. Daisy the Lab has grown to near her full size, about 100 pounds and her weight alone can destroy new sprouts and delicate flowers. Not to mention the beating our lawn has taken as the puppies grew and romped in the back yard with their friends and foster brothers. Mind you, that can't be blamed on the dogs alone - the weather through the past two winters has provided next to no snow cover to keep the root system of  what was left of our lawn healthy. Needless to say - we needed to find a way to keep the dogs and the lawn safe but also in good shape!

Our solution? We built an enclosure at the end of our driveway and the beginning of the backyard, an area that is covered with fine crushed brick gravel and doesn't get muddy. We already had the gate at the driveway so we simply added a second interior fence and gate that connects at the back corner of our deck creating a huge 25' by 35' enclosed area, lots of room for the dogs to run and play and still do their business while leaving the grass seed some time to grow in this lovely warm early spring weather we've been enjoying!

We wondered, after putting up the new gate - why didn't we think of this sooner? Ah well! We spoiled the puppies with all that room to romp and it was good exercise for them. This summer, once the lawn has had a good chance to grow in, we'll allow the dogs to play on the lawn at controlled intervals, hopefully finding a happy medium for both of what we enjoy in the yard; Our dogs and Our Garden!

With love,

...from the garden