We recently brought home a beautiful puppy, who we’ve named Lenny. OMG, he is the cutest thing, especially when he’s asleep and not getting into trouble…
At a few months old he’s still a baby and loves to explore everything and everywhere. Pups learn by putting things in their mouths, which isn’t really ideal when there’s a garden to be adventured through with some possibly poisonous plants and pests, and plenty of sticks and stones they love to chew and swallow.
Truth be told, it can get draining pulling berries, mud and leaves out of your puppy’s mouth every time they set foot in the garden.
And while it would be lovely to let Lenny have free rein so he can roam around as much as he wants, to keep him safe in the garden – and to protect our lovely plants – it’s necessary to employ a few tips and tricks.
Plant herbs
Keep your pooch out of the flower beds by planting some pungent herbs that they can sniff in an area you don’t mind them using.
Dogs like some plants for their interesting smells and healing properties. There’s mint, which is great for skin complaints and stomach upsets, rosemary and thyme help with diarrhoea, and lavender which can calm a stressed-out puppy.
Wheatgrass and hops are also the stuff of dreams for dogs to sniff.
Fix fences
Repair any gaps in your garden fence to keep pets safely inside.
If your pooch is wandering onto the garden beds, you could also add a small, temporary fence around the edges to keep puppy out and deter him from wandering through the flowers and plants.
Choose pet-safe chemicals
If you need to use weed killers or fertilisers, make sure they are pet safe, and that your puppy isn’t in the garden when you use them. Best to wait at least 24 hours after applying a product before letting your dog into the area.
It’s also a good idea to use another part of the garden for toilet training and play time if you’re using chemicals.
Remove toxic plants
Many common plants in Australian gardens are actually poisonous to pups. Protect your pooch by removing lilies, which are extremely toxic to all dogs. Another garden bloom, commonly known as Yesterday-Today-Tomorrow (Brunfelsia bonodora), is beautiful but deadly. Sago palms look pretty in a tropical garden, but are highly toxic to dogs. Consumption of sago palm is often fatal.
There’s a huge list of other Australian plants that are poisonous to cats and dogs, including ivy and aloe vera, over at ABC.
Dog friendly garden buys
Do you have a pet? How do you keep your pets safe at home? Let me know in the comments below!
