Photo by One Dog One Bone Enterprises Inc, One Dog One Bone Pool

As a backup plan (remember that the sun shifts, so trees may not provide shade all day long), Phoenix Tent and Awning Co. can add shades and awnings to your patio, to the side of your house or even to a dog house, dog door or dog run. Made from sturdy acrylic fibers and resistant to UV rays, PTAC can install just about any type of shading to protect your animals from heat, rain and – for those who live closer to desert wilderness – natural predators.

“For people with smaller dogs, we can put a shade over a dog run to protect them from hawks and coyotes,” explains sales manager Simon Miller.

Because temperatures can still get into the 90s in the shade during summer, it’s also important to keep your dogs’ fragile paws off of sizzling hot concrete. If you have the money, consider investing in a new pool deck or pathway by Artistic Pavers, which uses concrete-like materials that stay cool even during hot summer months, allowing both you and your dog to walk outside barefoot without searing your paws.

On the flip side, there are plenty of fun, cheaper products available online. Try a bone- or paw-shaped doggie pool (onedog-onebone.com, $100-$340), or a Body Cooler Pet Mat (drsfosterandsmith.com, $20-$70). Both are sure to keep your pooch cool and pampered.

Extra Touches

Once your pet is safe from the elements, it’s OK to consider the aesthetics of a pet-friendly backyard. Those blankets-as-beds and faded plastic bowls just don’t paint a picture of the perfect pet paradise, now do they?

Let’s start with gravel. Not necessarily the first thing on pet owners’ minds, but once you’ve dealt with a digger, you’ll definitely weigh your options. Mitchell recommends filling in graveled areas with half-inch or three-quarters-inch (referring to the size of each stone) granite.

“Quarter-inch granite, which is much smaller, looks gorgeous when it’s raked, but you get one paw on it and it’s like a sand trap at a golf course. You can see every footprint,” he says. “With bigger pieces of granite you’ll still see footprints, but it won’t be as messy.”

Your dogs may not appreciate this little tip, but you (or whoever tidies your backyard) sure will. What they will appreciate, however, is a new set of doggie dishes and a new place to rest their weary doggie bones. Shop for raised dishes (better for your dog’s back and spine) and a raised (or at least washable) bed that’s easy to clean after dust storms and rain.

Finally, to add some extra pizzazz to your doggie door, check out Pet Door Décor, a Glendale-based company that not only installs doggie doors but also glams them up by adding decorative frames in a variety of prints and colors.

Again, your pets many not know the lengths you’ve gone to make their outdoor habitat the coolest one on the block, but as long as their basic needs are taken care of first, you can feel free to make your pet-friendly yard an eye-pleasing one, too.