Do dog owners need to sanitize the yard? While we don’t consider this as mandatory in the same way that washing the dishes is mandatory, a sanitized yard can prevent your pup from developing unwanted and harmful diseases or illnesses. Here are some tips and tricks that will be useful in your quest for developing a healthy environment for your pet to roam and play:
Pick Up the Poop!
First off, you might wonder “Why?” Why are we putting products on outside elements such as soil, grass, concrete, etc.? Well, as dog owners, one thing we cannot avoid is poop! Poop is a part of life, but we can manage the cleanliness of our yards to create a clean and bacteria-free (really it’s bacteria-less) environment. Pet feces do carry infectious diseases that can be harmful to not only your pets, but also you and any human kiddos that might roam the back yard–especially when such roaming is done with bare feet. One way to prevent harmful bacteria from manifesting themselves in your space is to stay on top of your yard’s poop situation. As you may know, bacteria love poop!
How to Sanitize the Yard
When you sanitize the yard, remove all pet waste and objects (toys, water/food bowls, etc.) before you begin. Wearing gloves protects your hands and clothing from becoming contaminated by cleaning solution that you might use. Common solutions used to spray the yard include:
- Bleach mixed with water
- Accelerated hydrogen peroxide
- Potassium permanganate
Using a pump sprayer (you can get one of these at Home Depot), spray that stuff all around, starting with the areas closest to the house such as porches and decks. You can continue right on to spray directly on your soil to eradicate unwanted bacteria and diseases. Another effective tool in maintaining yard health is sunlight! Because viruses thrive in shaded areas, sunlight can be very healing for your soil and grass.
Spraying your outside spaces is beneficial not only getting rid of viruses, but it also promotes a clean, smell-good environment for your family. Maintenance of your backyard is another factor in promoting the physical health of your fur babies. Take these precautions to keep your pets healthy:
- Stay up-to-date on vaccinations
- Be scrupulous when you have a dog that likes to eat poo. In this situation, you really have to implement a zero tolerance policy for poop on the lawn at any time.
- Don’t allow your babies to drink from standing water (puddles, rivers, etc.)
- Keep foreign animals (skunks, unfamiliar dogs/cats, squirrels, etc.) out of your pet’s area
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