If your dog is as mischievous as Angus then you will understand the constant difficulties of maintaining a household. No matter how tired he is, how many treats I bribe him with and how many toys I buy him he still manages to cause chaos wherever he goes.
From stealing tools, attacking cleaning props or ‘burying the evidence’ I am constantly chasing him and making sure everything is out of reach. I even have a ‘checklist’ before I go to work. You may think it’s bad training but it really isn’t, he is so clever and wise that its just his character and we love him all the more for it even when he is hanging off my sock or ‘killing’ the hoover.
He is literally into everything, if it moves, he will chase it (spiders and flies don’t stand a chance) if it’s on the ground he will lick it. Also, if it looks tasty, he will eat it. Likewise, if there is dirt he will dig for China. This makes things not only difficult in the house but extremely stressful in the garden; I never realised before I had Angus how dangerous your little paradise could be. So, after days researching and various trips to garden centres, I managed to create a space we could both enjoy without fearing if it would lead to a trip to the vets.
So, if you are a dog parent like me and you are about to start your annual garden planting here is a little guide to help you make your garden a little more Dog Furiendly.
Note: this does not cover all plants/flowers, just a few common ones, to see a couple more, download our free guide.
Plants Not Safe For Dogs
If your dog chews or eats any of these, seek veterinary help immediately
Poppy
Ingestion of any part of the plant is toxic and can cause sedation, depression coma or even death
Snowdrops
Snowdrop bulbs are highly toxic if ingested and can cause gastrointestinal upset or effect the nervous system
Tulips
Ingestion can lead to intense vomiting, depression, hyper- salvation and loss of appetite
Daffodils
These beautiful spring flowers are extremely toxic to pets, especially the bulbs
Foxgloves
Extremely poisonous to dogs, cats and humans. Can cause cardiac failure.
English Ivy
Especially the leaves can cause serious gastrointestinal distress
Marigolds
Mildly toxic to dogs when ingested and can cause irritation when touched
Holly
The leave and berries can be toxic to humans and pets when ingested
Plants Safe For Dogs
Pansies
These are considered safe for domestic animals. But ingestion may cause an upset stomach so be careful if using in hanging baskets.
Roses
This plant is considered non-toxic to pets (make sure they are actually a part of the rose family and don’t just have the word rose in the name)
Rosemary
This plant is great for creating a sensory garden for your dog. Rosemary helps energise
Chamomile
This plant has a calming effect on dogs. It also helps to soothe irritated eyes, relieve itchiness or ease gastrointestinal issues
Lavender
This plant has a calming and soothing effect on dogs.
Barley Grass
This plant can help dogs if they have an upset stomach
Snap dragon
Colourful snapdragons are non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses
Mint
This plant is refreshing for your dog to sniff. Also, it can help bad breath too
Garden Tips and Advice
Some other garden tips that I’ve found useful to remember include:
- Make sure your dog doesn’t eat slugs and snails (this is something that Angus tries to do) but these can contain diseases such as lungworm.
- Be careful not to use non-organic slug/snail pellets as these are toxic to cats, dogs, and birds.
- Avoid using chemicals in your garden as these can be harmful to all wildlife
- If you have a pond make sure you don’t treat the water with anything that can harm your dogs if they drink from it.
- To make your garden a more sensory use dog friendly herbs and grasses, have a mixture of dog friendly textures such as cobblestones, sand, hay etc. Have different paths around your garden for them to explore and make sure all your plants are dog friendly so they can sniff away safely.
