My dog is left outside without supervision a lot, if I'm working in the garden she'll be around somewhere but I have a overgrown hectare so there's no chance of seeing what she's up to. We have all sorts on the field, from buttercups to hemlock and even a bit of waterdropwort, also daffs, bluebells and delphiniums. She obviously has better sense than to taste test everything, she is half lab and will eat anything of even slightly animal origin, getting into the chicken feed/crap is a favorite.
The only thing her and the pug eat from the garden is plums, apples and pears the labX swallows the stones from the plums (mirrabelles) so leaves some interesting deposits behind, whereas the pug has the sense to spit them out. I did once look up the dosage of apple pips a dog of 20kg would need to even get a symptom and it was something like 100 apples worth, so very hard to get to.
One of my work colleagues dog had a very bad reaction after eating his owners unattended mashed avocados on toast breakfast. Emergency trip to the vets required and an overnight stay for observation due to breathing worries. He thankfully made a full recovery. His dog is a 2 year old yellow lab. A lady from my village was distraught when her spaniel had surgery to remove a chewed up wooden clothes peg he'd found on her lawn The metal peg spring had caused damage to his insides. He's ok now. I have a new puppy, she's now nearly 7 months. She was the first dog I've had in my lifetime ( I've had 4 wonderful dogs ) that has ever been troublesome with plants in the garden. I downloaded the PDSA pdf on toxic plants and household substances, so l could take evasive action and remove ( to the front garden or to sisters garden) anything that would give me worry. So the lupins came out, the foxgloves, the irises and the daffodils in pots. All of these she paid attention to. She wasn't, and isn't in the garden unattended. But she's quick and had managed to chomp off a bit of leaf or flower stem whilst under supervision. I have dug up my emerging crocus bulbs and replanted them in my front garden as a precaution. Other plants like my Hellebores she has taken no interest in yet so they can thankfully stay for now. She is also the only dog I've had who likes to pick up and carry stones and pebbles, though only now is she becoming less interested in doing so. She's been a complete rascal and is only now really responding to "leave it " training. Love her dearly though. I personally wouldn't plant anything new in my garden that was on the toxic list, because of my new dogs behaviour.
Sorry to hear your cautionary tales, lillysilly. Once a dog has nicked their first human food, the humans tend to learn and never leave anything within reach - it’s just food lying around saying ‘eat me’ to a dog. Still, you can’t anticipate everything, like clothespegs... I do hope your puppy grows out of his teething/mouthing/eat everything in the garden phase, as Dove says, most will, and you may be able to reintroduce some of your favourites in a year or two.
Thanks for your input, Skandi and Lantana. I think, on balance, I am going to risk the Nandina and keep a close eye out for any interest, perhaps removing low hanging berries if necessary.
Here he is, @Dovefromabove - for some reason the one of him being welcomed on arrival by his great auntie won’t post, so here’s another:
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
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Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
A lady from my village was distraught when her spaniel had surgery to remove a chewed up wooden clothes peg he'd found on her lawn The metal peg spring had caused damage to his insides. He's ok now.
I have a new puppy, she's now nearly 7 months. She was the first dog I've had in my lifetime ( I've had 4 wonderful dogs ) that has ever been troublesome with plants in the garden. I downloaded the PDSA pdf on toxic plants and household substances, so l could take evasive action and remove ( to the front garden or to sisters garden) anything that would give me worry. So the lupins came out, the foxgloves, the irises and the daffodils in pots. All of these she paid attention to. She wasn't, and isn't in the garden unattended. But she's quick and had managed to chomp off a bit of leaf or flower stem whilst under supervision. I have dug up my emerging crocus bulbs and replanted them in my front garden as a precaution. Other plants like my Hellebores she has taken no interest in yet so they can thankfully stay for now. She is also the only dog I've had who likes to pick up and carry stones and pebbles, though only now is she becoming less interested in doing so. She's been a complete rascal and is only now really responding to "leave it " training. Love her dearly though. I personally wouldn't plant anything new in my garden that was on the toxic list, because of my new dogs behaviour.
Sorry to hear your cautionary tales, lillysilly. Once a dog has nicked their first human food, the humans tend to learn and never leave anything within reach - it’s just food lying around saying ‘eat me’ to a dog. Still, you can’t anticipate everything, like clothespegs... I do hope your puppy grows out of his teething/mouthing/eat everything in the garden phase, as Dove says, most will, and you may be able to reintroduce some of your favourites in a year or two.
Thanks for your input, Skandi and Lantana. I think, on balance, I am going to risk the Nandina and keep a close eye out for any interest, perhaps removing low hanging berries if necessary.
Here he is, @Dovefromabove - for some reason the one of him being welcomed on arrival by his great auntie won’t post, so here’s another:
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.