Two dogs here plus 2 cats and 5 chooks wandering about. We have several hardy hibiscus in the garden plus two tender houseplant forms of hibiscus. No problems.
As has been said, train your puppy well and he and your garden will be safe.
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)."
When we got our puppy 2 years ago, we had similar concerns. We removed two highly toxic plants (Cycas palms and Cyclamen). We left all other toxic plants as they were. Our pup showed little interest in most plants, and after 6 months wasn't interested in any of the plants. We now realise that we didn't need to get rid of anything, and the Cyclamen had self-seeded themselves everywhere anyway.
I don't agree that puppies/dogs should always be supervised in the garden (sorry @Dovefromabove). For many puppy owners, it gives you a break from the constant supervision, which is time-consuming and stressful. Learning to give puppies some space, and accepting that they will cause some damage, is part and parcel of having them. Our puppy mostly caused damage from digging and ripping plants to pieces, but not actually eating them.
Training is part of helping to create a happy and well behaved dog, but for very young puppies, there is too much excitement and stimulation in a garden to expect them to respond to a No command from the owner. If there are one or two highly toxic plants, consider making them difficult to get to, by putting some sort of barrier around them. We used pots and one of those metal dog pen/cages, to keep our puppy away from certain areas. After a few months we were able to safely remove them.
The garden is a great place for your puppy, try not to worry too much, and just enjoy the both of them.
I agree with training a dog in a garden. This cocker spaniel of mine used to watch me plant something and it didn't take me long to realise that he would dig it up and shred it as soon as my back was turned. After a few severe telling offs he learned it wasn't a good thing to do. Now, after I've planted something, I give him a stern NO, he's got the message.
I agree with lots of the posters. Always had dogs, got a border collie on my lap now. They were supervised as young puppies, taken to various types of training classes. We've had dog flaps for 25 years,so you can actually go out without them. Never had any problems with any of them eating shrubs or plants. The veg plot is fenced off, originally to keep little grandkids and puppies out,a lot of the dogs rather enjoyed digging
It's simple. If you want a dog, you have to accept the responsibility, and the training, that goes with it. If you don't want that responsibility, you either : A - don't have a garden, or B - don't have a dog. It's no different to having children. The responsibility lies with whoever makes the decision. No responsible parent leaves a toddler unsupervised out in a garden for any length of time.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Thanks everyone for all your comments. I have been doing my best to train, exercise and keep my pup safe. I think I was getting too anxious about all the dangers. The problem was that I am a gardener and foolishly thought I'd be able to garden with a companion dog. I am using his needs as a reason for re-designing with dog safe plants. Just put in a fatsia, choisya, cistus and two roses. He has left these alone but is 'watering' the choisya. I am lucky in that I had fenced off the compost bins and had space to transplant some of the unsafe plants. Maybe they will be allowed back in when he is older.
He’ll be very good company in the garden when he’s older … at the moment he’s just a hyper-active adolescent with a very short attention span. 🤣 You have to do the groundwork first … just like with children. 😉
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
As the others have said, it's all part of his training and he will learn. I recalled a garden friendly garden for the Dogs Trust at Hampton Court (can't believe it was nearly 6 years ago), and found this on their website which may be of help https://www.dogstrust.org.uk/help-advice/dog-care/dog-friendly-garden
Our dogs like to be outside with you while you're gardening. They're nosy I think. My border collie insists on trundling in and out with me to the washing line,and the bins.
Posts
As has been said, train your puppy well and he and your garden will be safe.
I don't agree that puppies/dogs should always be supervised in the garden (sorry @Dovefromabove). For many puppy owners, it gives you a break from the constant supervision, which is time-consuming and stressful. Learning to give puppies some space, and accepting that they will cause some damage, is part and parcel of having them. Our puppy mostly caused damage from digging and ripping plants to pieces, but not actually eating them.
Training is part of helping to create a happy and well behaved dog, but for very young puppies, there is too much excitement and stimulation in a garden to expect them to respond to a No command from the owner. If there are one or two highly toxic plants, consider making them difficult to get to, by putting some sort of barrier around them. We used pots and one of those metal dog pen/cages, to keep our puppy away from certain areas. After a few months we were able to safely remove them.
The garden is a great place for your puppy, try not to worry too much, and just enjoy the both of them.
If you don't want that responsibility, you either : A - don't have a garden, or B - don't have a dog.
It's no different to having children. The responsibility lies with whoever makes the decision. No responsible parent leaves a toddler unsupervised out in a garden for any length of time.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Just put in a fatsia, choisya, cistus and two roses. He has left these alone but is 'watering' the choisya. I am lucky in that I had fenced off the compost bins and had space to transplant some of the unsafe plants. Maybe they will be allowed back in when he is older.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I recalled a garden friendly garden for the Dogs Trust at Hampton Court (can't believe it was nearly 6 years ago), and found this on their website which may be of help
https://www.dogstrust.org.uk/help-advice/dog-care/dog-friendly-garden