Dogs Trust Takes Centre Stage at Ideal Home Show 2026 with Dog-Friendly 'Bark Yard' Garden
Dogs Trust Takes Centre Stage At Ideal Home Show 2026 With Dog-Friendly ‘Bark Yard’ Garden
1 week ago 
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Dogs Trust, the UK’s largest dog welfare charity, has teamed up with this year’s Ideal Home Show to launch The Bark Yard, a brand‑new feature for 2026 that puts dogs at the heart of home and garden design.
Between 10th and 16th April, Dogs Trust will step into the spotlight at the UK’s biggest home show, sharing its canine expertise through this innovative, design-led installation. Created in collaboration with top designers, the Style Makers, with input from Dogs Trust’s behaviour experts, The Bark Yard demonstrates how thoughtful, informed design can support dogs’ natural behaviours while enhancing their safety, comfort and overall wellbeing.
Designed with a bright and bold Miami summer colour palette, it aims to boost furry friends’ mood with a ‘yappy hour’ self-serve drinking bowl station, a ‘ball of fame’ toy display and a ‘pawformance area’ with a splash pool.
Drawing directly on Dogs Trust’s expert advice, The Bark Yard brings the top tips to life, from choosing safe, nontoxic plants and creating sensory zones to adding playful climbing features, providing safe water play, and ensuring shaded rest areas. The space gives visitors clear, practical inspiration for creating gardens that look beautiful while meeting the needs of four-legged family members.
While furry friends won’t be padding through the show themselves, visitors to The Bark Yard will discover plenty of practical, design-led ideas to take home, from smart layout and planting considerations to simple features that encourage play, rest and enrichment.
Hannah Harris, Behaviour Manager at Dogs Trust said: “A well‑designed garden can make a huge difference to a dog’s quality of life. By working with the Ideal Home Show on The Bark Yard, we’re helping to highlight simple, thoughtful design choices that support dogs’ natural behaviours while keeping them safe at home”.
Giles Perry, Director of the Ideal Home Show, said: “The Bark Yard is a brilliant example of what the Ideal Home Show does best, bringing together expert advice and inspiring design to reflect how people really live today. Pets are a beloved part of the family, and this new feature shows how gardens can be designed to support dogs’ wellbeing without losing out on style”.
Hannah Harris, Behaviour Expert at Dogs Trust’s top 5 tips on making your garden home-friendly, in collaboration with Ideal Home Show:
- Choose safe, non‑toxic plants: Opt for dog‑friendly herbs and flowers such as rosemary, sage, calendula, cornflower and sunflower, which provide scent, colour and interest without posing a health risk. While safe, any plant can cause issues if eaten in large quantities.
- Create sensory enrichment zones: Give dogs space to explore naturally by planting herbs at different heights, offering varied textures (like grass, sand or woodchip), and encouraging sniffing and foraging behaviours through hidden treats or toys.
- Add features for fun and stimulation: Incorporate small climbing elements such as railway sleepers to let dogs explore different levels, helping to keep them mentally and physically engaged.
- Provide safe water play: A shallow paddling pool can be a great way for dogs to cool down in summer, just ensure constant supervision, easy exits and that the pool is drained when not in use.
- Include a shaded rest area: Designate a quiet spot with shade, shelter and fresh drinking water where your dog can relax, especially during warmer months.
The Style Makers said: “Our aim with The Bark Yard is to show that dog‑friendly design can still be beautiful. By combining considered materials, smart layouts, and Dogs Trust’s expertise, we’ve created a space that feels aspirational, practical and achievable for homeowners”.
The Bark Yard will debut at the Ideal Home Show, returning to Olympia London from 10-19 April 2026, alongside a host of new and re‑imagined gardens, interiors and lifestyle features. Visitors can also expect headline experiences spanning cutting-edge smart home innovation, design inspiration for keen home chefs, a thriving edible garden for those keen to live more sustainably, live DIY demonstrations, a BBQ Academy, and al fresco cooking.
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