Short answer: pets break sprinkler heads and chew or dig up lighting wire when those things are in their path. Keep wire buried, use sturdy fixtures, place heads and lights out of the main run, and fix damage quickly. Our minimum service call is $95.
What pets do to a yard system
A dog does not know that a pop-up head costs money. It runs over it, digs next to it, bites a riser that sticks up and drags a toy across it. A dog with a favourite digging spot can expose buried wire and break a line. Cats scratch at mulch and push soil off wire. Even a quiet pet wears a path along a fence line, where lights and heads often sit.
Georgia clay makes it worse. After rain it is soft, so a dog digs easily. In dry spells, it bakes hard, so any head sticking up is a hazard to paws.
Where damage tends to happen
| Problem | Why | What helps |
|---|---|---|
| Broken heads along a fence | Dogs run the line | Move or lower heads, or use sturdier risers |
| Chewed wire | Exposed surface wire | Bury it, use conduit near trouble spots |
| Dug-up wire | A favourite digging place | Reroute or protect |
| Knocked-over fixtures | Dogs brush or lean on them | Brass fixtures, firm stakes |
| Hot, dry spots | A broken head stops watering | Fix quickly |
| Muddy patch | Leaking line | Find the leak |
A pet-friendly layout, step by step
- Watch where your pet goes. Dogs make paths.
- Move fixtures away from those paths, into beds or behind plants.
- Keep wire buried and covered, not lying on mulch.
- Check heads along the pet’s path for height and damage.
- Use sturdy fixtures. Brass resists chewing and bumping better than thin shells.
- Fill in digging spots so wire and pipes are not exposed.
- Check your system weekly when a pet is hard on the yard.
Safety around wire
Low-voltage wire carries little current, so a chewed section is unlikely to hurt a pet, but it can still cause a short or a dark run, and it is better to stop chewing than to risk it. If you find chewed wire, turn the system off and call. See our lighting page. Do not tape a splice and bury it. A bad splice will fail.
Sprinkler heads and pets
A broken head can spray constantly, wasting water and creating mud. Flush-mounted heads are less likely to be hit. Heads with a sturdy riser can survive a mower and a dog. If you see a geyser, a head has been snapped off, and the zone should be shut off until it is fixed. A service call is $95. A valve replacement is $275–$1,200 depending on the valve, if a valve was the problem. See sprinkler repair.
Pets and chemicals
Many pet owners worry about fertilizer and what pets walk on. Water your lawn on a schedule that lets it dry before play, and check what is sprayed. Early morning watering within Georgia’s 4 p.m. to 10 a.m. window lets the grass dry before the afternoon.
What it costs
Landscape lighting starts from $195 per fixture. Our minimum service call is $95. We give you a firm number before any work begins, and the estimate is free. We offer lifetime-brass fixture options, which are tougher around pets.
Design with the pet in mind
If you are planning a new system, tell us about your pet. A dog that patrols a fence line needs fixtures set back from it. A digger needs wire buried deeper in that area, or a different route. A small dog that squeezes into beds needs lower hardware and fewer exposed risers. These are easy to plan at the start and awkward to fix later. We design each zone around your soil and slope, and your pet is part of how you use the yard.
When to call us
Call when a head is broken, wire is chewed or dug up, or a section of lights has gone dark. We offer same-day service, answer day and night, and are family-owned, licensed and insured. See our landscape lighting design page.
FAQ
Will my dog hurt itself chewing landscape lighting wire? Low-voltage wire carries little current, but turn the system off and call if wire is chewed.
How do I keep my dog from breaking sprinkler heads? Move heads out of running paths, keep them flush and fix broken ones quickly.
What should I do if I find a geyser in my yard? Shut off the zone or main valve and call for a repair.
Are brass fixtures better with pets? They are sturdier than thin shells, and we offer lifetime-brass options.
Prices from our price list. Updated October 2026. Watering hours: Georgia EPD, epd.georgia.gov/watershed-protection-branch/water-conservation.