Some of the best suited dog-friendly plants for your yard are native species. Natural durability and sturdy growth habits make native plants a perfect fit for backyards shared with our pooches. In spite of bitter cold, searing heat, drought and floods, they bloom year after year. These plants are better able to handle what pets throw at them …
Many stunning plants make their ancestral homes in the U.S. – columbine, phlox, black-eyed Susan, honeysuckle, sunflower and many other colorful, hardy, disease resistant varieties. Another benefit of landscaping with natives is that they tend to attract local wildlife, particularly beneficial insects such as bees and butterflies, which pollinate garden fruit, flowers, and vegetable crops.
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) publishes a list of plants (at www.aspca.org) that are toxic to dogs and cats. The list includes more than 80 flowers, shrubs and trees, including many common plants such as lilies, tulip and narcissus bulbs, azaleas, holly, periwinkle, rhododendrons and yew.
Chewing on the branches, stems, roots, seedpods, etc., of many of these plants can cause a variety of ugly symptoms, from vomiting and diarrhea to drooling, twitching and even death. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have these plants in your yard …
The bottom line is to exercise caution, especially if your dog has non selective eating habits. Much of the risk lies in your dog’s personality and how he uses your outdoor environment …
Pet owners should try to break dogs of their plant-nibbling habits. In addition, unsupervised or bored dogs are more likely to eat troublesome greens – so make sure your dog is exercised daily …
Plants To Avoid In the Garden
Many plants are toxic to dogs. For this reason, it’s always a good idea to discourage them from chewing on or ingesting any vegetation, especially the following plants.
The following plants are the most toxic to dogs and should never be made available to them under any circumstances:
- Castor bean or castor oil plant (Ricinus communis)
- Cyclamen (Cylamen spp.)
- Dumbcane (Dieffenbachia)
- Hemlock (Conium maculatum)
- English Ivy, both leaves and berries (Hedera helix)
- Mistletoe (Viscum album)
- Oleander (Nerium oleander) thorn apple or jimsonweed (Datura stramonium)
- Yew (Taxus spp.)
- Any mushroom you cannot identify as safe
These types of vegetation are to be avoided for a variety of reasons. Do not plant them near your home or bring them inside as plants or cut flowers:
- Amaryllis (Amaryllis spp.)
- Autumn crocus (Colochicum autumnale)
- Bleeding heart (Dicentra spectabilis)
- Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis)
- Chrysanthemum (Compositae spp.)
- Flower bulbs of any kind
- Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea)
- Jerusalem cherry (Solanum pseudocapsicum)
- Larkspur (Delphinium)
- Lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis)
- Marijuana (Cannabis sativa)
- Peace Lily or Mauna Loa Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum spp.)
- Pothos (both Scindapsus and Epipremnum)
- Rhubarb (Rheum rhaponticum)
- Schefflera (Schefflera and Brassaia actinophylla)
- Stinging nettles (Urtica dioica)
- Tulip/Narcissus bulbs (Tulipa/Narcissus spp.)
- Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia)
Take your canine friend for a long walk and a rousing frisbee or ball toss & fetch session. A happy, tired dog is much less likely to get into mischief or exhibit nuisance behavior such as munching on your posies, digging in your garden, or excessive barking at passersby.
