Plants with soft, sturdy foliage, such as ornamental grasses, can stand up to dogs without injuring them. Along the side of this house, large clumps of maiden grass (Miscanthus sinensis ‘Adagio’) are the perfect height to provide greenery without blocking the view from the windows. Pink-hued plumes emerge later in summer. The grass holds its shape all winter and needs just one shearing in early spring.
Use paw-friendly paving materials, such as splinter-free bark mulch and flagstone. Here, a 4-inch-thick layer of bark mulch along with hard-packed decomposed granite keep the unplanted expanses weed-free. With that kind of open space to play, the homeowner's three dogs haven’t done any harm to the garden’s plantings.