Most dogs love spending time outside, even if it’s just in the backyard exploring. It gives them the chance to get some exercise and have fun. But, if you’re a pet owner, you must recognize potential risks your dog might face and create a dog-safe garden.
Whether you have a garden or a specific backyard landscaping setup, ensuring no potentially poisonous plants should be a top priority.
Certain plants pose risks to dogs that humans don’t have to worry about. Identifying those hazardous plants and understanding their potential dangers is essential for your canine companion’s well-being.
Which plants are poisonous?
The first step in keeping your dog safe in the yard is understanding which plants can be toxic to them. Some of the most common plants that are poisonous to dogs include:
- Begonias – bright and full flowers with petals that often look like clamshells.
- Daffodils – long stems, six petals, and a yellow or white trumpet in the middle.
- Daisies – spoon-shaped leaves, typically with white flower petals and a yellow center.
- Irises – a variety of colors with three upright and three drooping petals.
- Lilies – small, downward-facing petals that come in a variety of colors.
- Foxgloves – tall plants with large, soft leaves and bell-shaped flowers.
- Tulips – bright, solid flowers with tall stems and various colors.
Obviously, these flowers are staples for many gardens, but they are all hazardous to your pet. Thankfully, they can also be easily removed. Make sure you’re getting rid of the entire root system and not leaving any bulbs behind for regrowth.
Even certain bushes, shrubs, and trees can be toxic to dogs, so it’s necessary to look beyond your garden and focus on your landscaping.
Varieties like ivy, oleander, and most fruit trees can be toxic if ingested. Ivy is a woody vine that typically “crawls” up trees. It’s a dull green color with light veins. You can normally peel away ivy reasonably easily from the ground or trees, but it’s essential to make sure you’re pulling away the roots so it doesn’t grow back.
Oleander shrubs blossom with colorful flowers in the summer. Otherwise, their leaves are thick, leathery, and dark green.
Providing emergency care
What can you do if you’re worried your dog might have ingested part of a poisonous plant? First, educate yourself on some of the common signs of toxicity.
Some of the most common symptoms of dog poisoning include vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, excessive drooling, and coughing.
Skin irritation and visible sores can appear if your dog brushes against a poisonous plant instead of eating it. While these can also be signs of other types of sickness, if these symptoms start to occur after your dog has spent some time outside, don’t ignore the idea that they could have been poisoned.
So, what do you do if you’re relatively sure a plant has poisoned your dog? First, take stock of their condition. If they’re struggling to breathe, for example, you might have to perform life-saving measures quickly, including CPR.
With the proper techniques, you can effectively perform CPR on a dog. Check their responsiveness, breathing, and pulse before performing CPR, and educate yourself on the correct procedures.
If your dog has just started to exhibit symptoms, the best thing you can do is contact their veterinarian or an emergency vet clinic immediately.
You can also contact the ASPCA’s poison control center and tell them what you think your dog ingested.
They’ll provide the next steps to ensure your dog’s well-being. A veterinarian will likely want you to bring your dog in for an examination or potentially induce vomiting so the poison can be expelled from its body.
Create a dog-safe garden
Seeing your dog in distress from a poisonous plant can be a terrifying experience for a pet owner. While understanding what to do in an emergency can help, the best thing you can do to keep your dog safe is to ensure that your garden — and your entire yard — is free from toxic plants that could harm your furry friend.
You can create the outdoor space of your dreams while keeping your pet in mind. For example, consider planting herbs like rosemary or lavender if your garden is essential to you. They’re non-toxic and can help to soothe your dog’s senses.
Consider ramping up your outdoor living space by installing a deck or patio with furniture and lighting. Doing so will allow you to spend more time outside with your dog — day and night. You can watch them to ensure they don’t get into the wrong things.
If there are certain plants or flowers that are “must haves” for your home garden, try an innovative backyard design idea, like vertical gardening.
You can plant your favorite flowers higher up so your dog can’t get to them. Vertical gardening is becoming more popular, and it’s a great way to change the look of your landscaping while keeping your pet safe.
Finally, focus on dog-friendly plants near the ground. Roses, snapdragons, violets, sunflowers, and marigolds are all popular floral options that aren’t toxic to dogs. So, you don’t have to give up your garden, but you might want to consider changing your varieties.
Many dog owners consider their four-legged friends part of the family. So, do what you can to ensure a safe environment for them outside the home. By keeping poisonous plants away and knowing what to do in an emergency, your dog can enjoy spending time outside, and you’ll have peace of mind knowing they’ll be safe.
Miles Oliver is a proud dog lover and an outdoor enthusiast. He often writes on his patio with a hot cup of tea and his 4-year-old border collie mix by his feet. When Miles is not working as an independent freelance writer, he is most likely mountain biking and roaming the great outdoors with his four-legged companion.
Unlock the secrets to your furry friend’s health with our roadmap to optimal dog health guide