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Cotoneaster cornubia - how toxic to dogs? Should it be removed?

rsmith040rsmith040 Posts: 5
edited November 2020 in Plants
We are planning on welcoming a puppy to our family and wanted to get a definitive answer on whether we should remove our catoneaster cornubia trees? The Gardeners World website says this tree can be toxic to dogs - but the tree doesn't appear on other lists of plants that are poisonous to dogs (RHS/Dogs Trust).  I would welcome any views. Thanks.
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  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    Cotoneaster cornubia makes a tree that can reach 4 to 8m high and wide.   A puppy or dog may get a stomach upset or diarrhoea from ingesting berries as can humans.  on the other hand, the flowers, berries and shelter these plants provide are invaluable to many insects, birds and small creatures.

    There will be far worse things your puppy will investigate in your garden and on walks so the best advice is to go to puppy training classes where he will be taught his social manners and also learn the commands "No" and "Leave it".
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • rsmith040rsmith040 Posts: 5
    Thanks for speedy reply.
  • rsmith040rsmith040 Posts: 5
    Yes - that's what we were thinking when we saw the list of everything that could be harmful. I agree - we won't be leaving her to her own devices and she will be supervised - just wanted a sense check and to avoid obvious risks.  Thanks for taking the time to reply.  I'll have a look at the other threads.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited November 2020
    Not to mention foil wrapped chocolate Father Christmases hanging on a Christmas tree ... these can be sucked empty by a determined labrador ...leaving the  foil still dangling by the gold thread on the tree ...  fortunately he was a sturdy chap and very resilient and suffered no ill effects other than a squiffy tummy. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Singing GardenerSinging Gardener Posts: 1,237
    @Dovefromabove - my husky didn't bother to remove the foil wrappers, she just ate the whole lot, destroying the large Christmas tree in the process. Fortunately she also didn't suffer any ill effects (and the foil wrappers reappeared the other end...)
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    @Singing Gardener  :)    @WonkyWomble's Lego, wax crayon wrappers, and the plastic wrappers from defrosting meat were regularly scattered 'in heaps' around our garden when our labrador was young  :o 🙄  Wax crayons seemed to have a similar effect on the digestive system to Liquid Paraffin. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • rsmith040rsmith040 Posts: 5
    Thanks for all your replies. Good reminder re chocolate and Christmas tree chocs. 
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    It'll be like having a toddler come to visit.

    When we adopted Bonzo Labrador at between 30 and 36 months he was totally untrained and constantly hungry but then he did only weigh 18 kilos.  I left him on his own with our Rasta doggy while I went to the shops and came back to find he'd eaten the lid off the kitchen bin and half the contents.   Never seen anything like it.   

    The bin was relocated to the garage and training has sorted out much of the rest of his problems but we still can't afford to leave any food lying within reach of him.   No off button provided in Labradors.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • KeenOnGreenKeenOnGreen Posts: 1,831
    Our puppy is 6 months old now.  We only removed two plants from the garden (Cycas palms, and Castor Oil Plants), but we left all other toxic plants in situ, as she would have to ingest lots of them to be seriously ill.

    We have a large Cotoneaster in our garden, and she eats the berries daily.  It's impossible to stop her, and she also wolfs down any other berries she can find outside.  We suspect it's why she gets diarrhea quite often, but we assume she will grow out of it.  3 months of daily munching and the Cotoneaster has not killed her.

    Unless a plant is listed as really deadly/toxic in small amounts, like the others advise, I would just leave it in your garden. Stopping your puppy from destroying your garden will be your real challenge!
  • rsmith040rsmith040 Posts: 5
    Thank you. Really appreciate these replies. Helpful and practical advice. 👍😀 Yes - some friends came to visit over the summer (outdoor socialising only) and the young daughter asked her Mum why the garden was so nice and the Mum replied it was because we hadn’t got a dog.... 😳
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