Designing Pet-friendly Areas – The final design proposal for Fred Anderson Park was presented at a public meeting on November 20. Below is a brief description of the proposed dog-friendly area, comparing it to other dog parks in Chicago and highlighting some interesting design features.
St. between Wabash Avenue and East Street. Right now, the lot is just an empty lot with a small asphalt parking lot on the north side.
Designing Pet-friendly Areas
The park covers an area of 1.1 acres. Now, Chicago’s “dog-friendly” areas are small, and this park will be no exception. Frisbee Dog, Dog Free Run –
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The proposed small dog area is approximately 67′ x 94′ oval in shape and is primarily (80%) paved with concrete. About 18 percent of the surface will be an “artificial turf” feature, a central raised planting, and a water channel running from the planted area to the center of the dog park.
The proposed large dog area entry area includes a large “pickup” area ~20′ wide by 70′ long, oriented north-south, ~35′ wide by 226′ long. This fetching area includes two raised plantings (see cross-section diagram below), a strip of artificial grass and a water channel running through it.
For comparison, Grant Bark Park is ~18,000 sq ft (0.4 acres) and the average size of the Chicago DFA is ~0.18 acres. The current proposed Fred Anderson Dog Park is only about 45% of the ~1.1 acre site. It’s smaller than the original design proposal introduced two years ago, but it’s certainly an improvement over the updated version released last year.
However, it is instructive to compare the 35′ x 226′ size of the “retrieval” area in the proposed design to the area at Grant Bark Park – in perspective, it is simply the same size.
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As planned, the surface of the dog park is mostly concrete and hard, and it is impossible not to be reminded of Mary Barthelme Park DFA.
So, the Fred Anderson Park dog “friendly” area will be ~~three-quarters concrete and only one-quarter artificial turf or elevated plantings.
A DFA with a small dog will have a single double door. A DFA with a large dog will have two doors on opposite sides, one of which will provide access from the alley to the left.
Please consider this proposal and we welcome your comments below or via email. I’m sure we’ll continue to talk to Chicago Parks about this park and bring any feedback or concerns to them. Here at Tilly, we plan the perfect landscape design for your family. For some customers, it’s fun for naughty kids or friends, but more and more customers are asking for dog-friendly decorating ideas! Our design team loves creating dog-friendly backyard concepts that will make both pups and pet owners happy.
This Dog Friendly Garden Design Is Perfect For Your Furry Friends
When Melanie from Hello Ruby Doodle came to us to design a custom backyard for her yard
Her four-legged friend Ruby and I were happy to help. After working with expert landscape designer Tilly to create their perfect outdoor space, Melanie reflected on what she values as an aspiring dog mom and what she learned from the process. She’s used that experience to join our designers to compile Tilly & Hello Ruby Doodle’s top seven tips for planning a dog-friendly landscape makeover!
Safety first! You may have dreamed of having a dog play area, but it doesn’t matter if your cat can slide through fences and yards without breaking a sweat. Anticipating any potential pitfalls can help you create a dog-friendly backyard landscaping plan that keeps your dog entertained and minimizes headaches.
. A good fence will keep your dog inside and out of the way – and the temptation to chase every cyclist they see. It will also keep out unwanted visitors like skunks, sparrows, and coyotes. If you’re worried about your fence being an eyesore, you can choose from a variety of attractive designs or cover it with climbing greenery to create a private backyard oasis.
Home Design With Pets In Mind
Fences can be used to protect areas of your landscaping that you want to keep dog-free. No matter how well-behaved your pup is, why would he be tempted to dig up a precious flower bed or plow your vegetable patch? Instead, plan for sensitive areas to be out of the dog’s reach, and any dogs will be protected from the gardener. If your dog likes something, you can create a dedicated digging area.
Choosing plants for your brand new landscaping requires a little extra research when you have a pet to share the space with. In most cases, herbs are safe as long as they are not consumed in large amounts. There are many ornamental plants that can be toxic to dogs if eaten in large quantities, including hydrangeas, tulips, chrysanthemums, peonies, hostas, and boxwoods. However, you know your dog and how much he likes to explore or try bushes and branches – many are fine with walking past them and/or biting them a little.
A few plants that are recommended to avoid include sago palms, oleanders, lilies (very bad for cats), and cocoa bean mulch, but you can check out Chewy’s website for a comprehensive list of poisonous plants for dogs. Again, keep in mind that most pets won’t eat all the plants in your yard, so unless your pet is a mischievous animal, this might not be too much of a concern for you.
There are safe plants that can be fed directly to your pet! Plant flea-repelling (and smelling good!) plants like lavender in your garden to keep bamboo fleas from biting you. You can also plant dog-friendly plants in your vegetable garden—puppies just might be the biggest fans of crunchy, garden-friendly fresh carrots.
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And don’t forget: if you’re going to keep existing plants after the renovation, make sure they’re dog-safe!
Your dog will roll around in the grass and sniff every plant in your landscape! This means they will be in very close contact with any fertilizers and pests you use in your yard. Many of these products can be toxic to dogs, especially those that tend to be exploratory of your plants.
Always choose pet-safe treats for your landscaping to keep your pup safe! Double check all labels and consult a professional when in doubt. You can also choose hardy plants that require less fertilizer and pest control to keep things simple. It is recommended to include native plants that are already adapted to your climate, are resistant to local pests, and do not require fertilizer.
Next, think about things that will make your outdoor living space as useful as possible for you and your dog.
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Dogs play hard and their hangout needs to be able to keep up with them. Softwood decks can pick up claw marks, knock potted plants on their tails, and damage your outdoor furniture.
Probably covered in dirty paw prints. Be sure to choose materials that are as durable and easy to clean as possible so that your brand new backyard doesn’t look like it’s broken in a week.
One of the biggest things to consider with dogs is your ground cover. Traditional grass wears out quickly for a dog with a zoom, and green lawn potties can leave yellow grass stains on your lawn.
If you like the look of a green lawn, look for grasses like turf grass, clover, or even durable artificial turf. Silver carpet, miniature rock, and creeping thistle are all very hardy ground covers. Kentucky bluegrass and buffalo grass are tough choices that can recover quickly from foot traffic. Ground cover plants are a dog-friendly backyard idea because they require very little maintenance.
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Synthetic grass loves dog-friendly backyards! It is very low maintenance which is an added advantage.
If you want to skip the lawn altogether, you can create an amazing dog-friendly backyard without grass! Choose a material that’s gentle on your dog’s paws, like cedar, but doesn’t mind getting dirt everywhere.
Pea gravel or river stones can create a dog run or potty that is comfortable for your dog and that catches your eye.
Well, we’ve covered all the basics! Now it’s time to get down to the fun: dream backyard ideas for your furry friend. You can go all out with your resourcefulness, or keep things simple with a cozy dog bed for couch potato pups. It’s all about getting to know your dog and choosing traits that will appeal to them.
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Keeping all of these things in mind helped us make Melanie’s little backyard space Ruby’s new favorite! I hope it does the same for you and yours