Dog safe gardening !

[grahama]

Hi all,

just wondering if there are any plants, rhubarb for instance which has poisonous parts that an inquisitive puppy may eat and be harmed by??

My pup is 6 months old and into everything !!

Thanks,

Graham

[sarraceniac]

I think that it would take an awful lot of oxalic acid (the poison in rhubarb) to do your puppy much harm Graham. If he eats too much he may be sick, but I don't think he would get that far without being bored. After all, the trendy veg Oca contains quite a lot of it but I've never heard of a case of Oca poisoning.

If you grow ornamentals, especially exotic ornamentals, which I do and I have a dog of very little brain, then you have to be careful with a few things. Brugmansias/daturas spring immediately to mind. And Ricinus communis, the genuine castor oil plant, not the Fatsia, which is fine. Most 'everyday plants' are no problem though, except on the wallet. Ed has a taste for quinces (Japanese only, the tree is too big) and camelias, of which he has consumed several. I have also lost a blackthorn (sloe) and one or two soft vegetation plants. But he is still here. Just take sensible precautions if a plant is known to produce a poison.

[stella]

I was thinking of growing hops until I read somewhere that they are bad for dogs.

[sarraceniac]

I was thinking of growing hops until I read somewhere that they are bad for dogs.

I grow hops as well Stella but I don't think Ed (unlike his servant) even likes them. He's never tried eating one and won't drink the produce either.

[Bigmallly]

Run a wall of net round the plants Graham till he/she learns the command NO!..........

[scarey55]

One thing to think about is if you want to spread cocoa as a mulch - dogs can get sick from eating a lot of chocolate. I think if you do a search on here, we spoke about it some when back last year.

[sarraceniac]

One thing to think about is if you want to spread cocoa as a mulch - dogs can get sick from eating a lot of chocolate. I think if you do a search on here, we spoke about it some when back last year.

Actually scarey, dogs can die from eating chocolate. They also don't take kindly to pesticides and slug pellets. You have to use common sense.

[Paulottie]

Truth, many dogs are VERY allergic to chocolate...but that wouldn't dissuade them from eating it again or going on your garden....try training the dog and fencing the veg patch.

PS. Rhubarb was used as a purgative in Victorian times....so that will be enjoyable for you!!

[Creemteez]

Gotta be careful with pup. If they happen to take a fancy to eating slugs and snails (blurgghhh) as some do, they can end up with lung worm which is potentially fatal if not caught quickly.
Read somewhere that it's possible for them to pick it up even if they just chew on something that a snail has crawled over! Close eye called for. Definately restrict his movements and take something "chewy" from home to keep him out of mischief.
Having said that Beau spends most of his time helping himself to my pea stcicks and reducing them to "mulch" for me!

[sarraceniac]

PS. Rhubarb was used as a purgative in Victorian times....so that will be enjoyable for you!!

Is that why we are convinced Ed is going to purgatory?

[grahama]

Thanks for putting my mind at rest, and she has never really bothered with slugs thus far. Having alot of gravel around the garden stops alot of them sliding them around so will keep the gravel for paths I think !!!

Graham

[Eco-Chic]

If she takes it into her head to help with the digging put a stop to that immediately too.

[Apple Betty]

My dog used to eat small stones (ie gravel) when he was a puppy!!

[HayleyB]

Tomato plants, potato plants, chilli and pepper are all members of the deadly nightshade family, I was paranoid about them when Joy was in her puppy hood, even this year I wouldn't trust to grow them in the back garden so they'll go out front again.

Chocolate is deadly, a member of vine's dog died from eating a bar a year or so back...

[grahama]

She plays with the gravel nut doesn't eat it so thats one off the list, the toms and chilies are going in greenhouses, plastic ones, so can easily put up a fence to those.

As for the digging, mmmmmmmm, will have to have eyes in the back of my head till she gets used to the new layout, especially with horse muck arround

Graham