If you own a dog at home, then chances are you’d love to let him roam free in your yard. It’s no surprise, though. While there are some pets that prefer to lounge about indoors, some can’t live without the freedom of the outdoors. Unfortunately, while there, they might start nibbling on your prized plants or wearing the grass out.

Today, I’d like to share a few tips and tricks to creating a pet-friendly yard that you, your pets and even your guests will love.

Choose pet-friendly plants. While some plants look harmless to us, some might be dangerous to have around your pets. Some dangerous plants to take note of include azaleas, yew and even lilies. While you can train your dog to stop plant-nibbling, it might also be a good idea to choose a few choice shrubs they’ll love. If you’re a cat lover, you might want to try growing your own catnip and cat grass.

Change the Lawn. If you’re tired of having to change the grass often, you might want to try choosing a more hardy grass type or an entirely different groundcover that needs less maintenance. Over at the Joe Wex Memorial Dog Park at Peter’s Park in Boston they use rice stone to cover the ground. It’s gentle on dog’s feet and it could be great for dogs that like to exercise a lot. You can even try creatively landscaping with both stone and grass to give your guests something to talk about when they come over.

Pet-friendly furnishing. Nothing says pet-friendly more than outdoor furniture made for them! An adorable dog house is definitely a must-have if you want to complete a gorgeous pet-friendly yard for your dog. At the same time, why not look into an outdoor pet bed, too, so your pet can enjoy the outdoor breeze with you?

Have pets at home? We’d love to hear your pet-friendly yard ideas here.