Be familiar with breeds, hazards, spaces

If you are considering getting a purebred dog, research the breed’s characteristics. Some breeds do more running and digging than others.

Fence the backyard or a space within it so dogs can run freely and safely. Inside her fenced yard, Christine Dickinson’s dogs have a fenced run area, half covered with gravel and half with pine bark mulch.

Leave an open, mulched space between shrubs and the fence since many dogs like to run there, says Cheryl Smith in “Dog Friendly Gardens, Garden Friendly Dogs” (Dogwise Publishing, $19.95).

Limit the planting of toxic or especially appealing plants to areas the dogs can’t reach, such as the front yard. To learn which plants to avoid, do an Internet search for “poisonous plant dog.”

Many dog owners use shredded bark mulch. Avoid mulch made from cocoa bean hulls, which many dogs will eat because of its strong chocolate fragrance. Cocoa mulch may contain caffeine and theobromine, stimulants that can cause dogs to become sick or worse if eaten in quantity, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals says.

To minimize lawn burning from dog urine, encourage dogs to drink plenty of fresh water, and train them with praise and treats to eliminate in one specific part of the yard, suggests Kim Poznanski of St. Clair Shores, Mich.