Dog Friendly Garden

In this post we talk about dog friendly garden ideas. When planning your garden, It is important to know which plants and flowers are toxic to dogs.

We will talk through outdoor plants in the UK that are ok for dogs to eat. Signs that you might look for if you suspect your dog has eaten a toxic plant. And also, tips to protect your garden from your dogs.

Outdoor Plants Safe for Dogs

Although some plants may be toxic to dogs, that is no reason not to have your dream garden. There are many beautiful plants that are perfectly safe for your dog.

With a little bit of planning you can have a colourful dog friendly garden. Here is a list of pet friendly garden plants and flowers that won’t injure or poison your dog if eaten or chewed.

African Violet
Berry plants
Cornflower
Geraniums
Lavender
Orchids
Snapdragons
Sunflowers

Dog Friendly Herb Garden

This is where it gets interesting. Although certain herbs are toxic to pets, other herbs have health benefits for dogs and are actually good for their health. You can incorporate some of these herbs into your dog friendly herb garden.

Dog friendly herbs include:

Parsley – If your dog has smelly breath parsley can help with this. Parsley can also help your dog’s digestion.

Oregano – Oregano has antioxidant and antibacterial properties and is great for both people and dogs.

Basil – Similar to oregano, basil had antioxidant and antibacterial properties. Basil is also anti-inflammatory and is rich in minerals and nutrients so is very healthy for your dog.

Lemonbalm – Lemonbalm neutralises gas and has calming properties.

Sage – Sage can help with an upset stomach and can help your dog with digestion.

Thyme – Thyme is a natural antioxidant.

Poisonous Plants for Dogs

Although there are plenty of dog friendly plants and flowers available in the UK, there are even more plants that are poisonous to dogs. Avoid planting any of these toxic plant in range or your dog if you want a truly dog friendly garden.

Plants that are toxic for dogs:

Chrysanthemum
Aconite
Buttercup
Daffodil
Daphne
Delphinium
Foxglove
Hydrangea
Oak
Tomato
Wisteria
Yew

Signs of Plant Poisoning in Dogs

Sometimes it can be unavoidable that your dog comes in contact with one of the toxic plants listed above. If you suspect that your dog has ingested a poisonous plant there are a number of signs to look out for. These signs include:

Vomiting
Diarrhoea
Drooling
Nausea
Weakness

If your dog is showing any of the symptoms above and you suspect that he has eaten a poisonous plant, contact your vet immediately for advice.

Dog’s noses may become irritated by pollen. If pollen gets into their nasal passage your dog may sneeze or get a sneezing attack. This is generally harmless but dogs with allergies can be given certain antihistamines to alleviate the irritation.

Keep your Dog away from Snails

Don’t let your dog eat snails or slugs. Snails and slugs are the bain of most gardeners’ lives. Not only do they ruin your plants but they may also make your dog ill if eaten.

Snails and slugs may be infected with lugworm which can be contracted by your dog.

Natural Pest Control to Protect your Dog

Pesticides have chemicals in them that are extremely toxic to dogs. It is always a better option to use natural pest control to protect your dog and other wildlife.

Here are some natural pesticides that you can use in your garden:

Crushed eggshells can keep slugs and snails away from your plants

Beer traps are great for getting rid of slugs. Fill a small container with beer and set it in the ground. Slugs will be attracted to the beer instead of your plants and will get trapped.

Birds are the best natural pest control. Attract birds to your garden with bird feeders and seeds and they will stay to eat slugs, snails and other insects that may harm your plants.

Protect your Dog from the Sun

Dogs can get sunburn so its important to provide them with shade if they will be outdoors for extended periods of time. Protecting your dog from the sun can be as simple as creating a shaded area in your garden where your dog can choose to take a break from the sun.

Protect your Garden from your Dog

It’s important to look at building a dog friendly garden from the point of view of protecting your dog from hazardous plants. But some may also feel the need to protecting their garden from their dog.

Dogs can be boisterous, but there are certain choices you can make with your garden to protect it from your dog.

Robust Plants for Dog Friendly Garden

Delicate plants are at risk of damage by excitable dogs. Dogs can damage plants by digging them up or simply running through them. To avoid this, you can plant robust plants that can withstand harsh conditions.

Robust plants that are dog friendly include:

Nepeta
Astilbe
Certain hardy geranium
Lavender

Lavender is a perfect border plant for walkways that will withstand your boisterous dog.

Protect your Plants and Lawn from your Dog

Dogs love to dig. Creating a designated digging area for your dog may prevent them from digging up your flower beds.

Raised beds are also an option to keep your dogs from damaging your plants.

Dog Wee on Lawns

Dog wee can stain your grass yellow. To avoid this you can train your dog not to see on the grass. If your dog does wee on grass, hose it down afterwards to avoid it staining.