Safe Plants for Dogs: Creating a Pet-Friendly Backyard

5 min readJun 21, 2024

Why Proof Your Backyard?

By puppy-proofing your backyard through safe plants and optimized landscaping. You will create an environment that both you and your precious pet can enjoy, free of stress and worry.

Safe Plants for Dogs:

Include these dog-friendly plants in your garden:

Camellia

Picture of a pink flower hanging from a branch — Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

Dill

A yellow green plant — Photo by Mick Haupt on Unsplash

Marigolds

yellow and red flowers growing in the ground — Photo by Rebecca Niver on Unsplash

Fuchsias

Purple and pink flowers hanging from a bush — Photo by Jet Stouten on Unsplash

Magnolia bushes

Pink flowers on a bush — Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

Purple basil

Purple leafy plant — Photo by Tatevik Vardanyan on Unsplash

Creeping thyme

Purple flower with a bee on it and green leaves and stems — Photo by Aleksandra Sapozhnikova on Unsplash

Sunflower

Yellow and black sun flowers in a field — Photo by Jordan Cormack on Unsplash

Rosemary

Yellow and green bush spiky green branches — Photo by Paul Hanaoka on Unsplash

Coral bells
Snapdragons

Yellow and purple flowers in a bunch growing — Photo by Katrina Wright on Unsplash

Nasturtiums

Yellow flower with red spots closer to the center surrounded by green leaves — Photo by Gary J Stearman on Unsplash

Gerber daisy

Pink flower with a yellow green center — Photo by Dhruba Shit on Unsplash

Raspberry

Red berries hanging from green leaves and spiky green stems — Photo by Stan Slade on Unsplash

Strawberry

Green and red berries hanging from green stems and leaves — Photo by Oliver Hale on Unsplash

Goji berry

bunches of red berries hanging from green leaves — Photo by Wesley Tingey on Unsplash

Blackberry

Black berries hanging from green leaves — Photo by Ulvi Safari on Unsplash

Violet

Purple flowers with white and yellow centers all growing up in a bunch — Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

These plants are non-toxic but should still be monitored. Although harmless in small amounts, large ingestions can cause stomach discomfort.

10 Toxic Plants:

Begonias: Can cause mouth irritation and digestive issues in large amounts.

Pink flowers hanging down from a bush — Photo by Wang xiaoqi on Unsplash

Chrysanthemum: Contains pyrethrin and sesquiterpene, leading to vomiting, drooling, and more severe symptoms.

pink flowers with a yellow center thickly laid over the ground — Photo by Yoksel 🌿 Zok on Unsplash

Daffodil: Extremely toxic; ingestion can lead to vomiting, diarrhea, and serious cardiac issues.

White flowers with yellow centers growing from long green stems — Photo by Albulena Panduri on Unsplash

Daisies: Eating several can cause spasms, convulsions, and vomiting.

White flowers with yellow stems growing thick over the ground — Photo by micheile henderson on Unsplash

Foxglove: Fatal if ingested, causing seizures and nausea.

Many stems of purple growing up — Photo by Slawek K on Unsplash

Tulips: These can cause mild irritation or severe heart and respiratory problems.

Several different bunches of various colors across the ground — Photo by Ioann-Mark Kuznietsov on Unsplash

Aloe Vera: Moderately to highly toxic, affecting blood pressure and red blood cells.

Green spiky stems — Photo by pisauikan on Unsplash

Azalea: Contains grayanotoxin, causing vomiting and potentially cardiac failure.

Bunch of white pink flowers — Photo by Tina Xinia on Unsplash

Hydrangea: Cyanide poisoning symptoms like fever or increased heart rate.

One bunch of purple blue flowers against green leaves — Photo by Summer Quinn on Unsplash

Peony: Symptoms include lethargy and depression.

Two big pink flowers — Photo by Jaroslava Petrášová on Unsplash

When planning your garden, remember that some plants are only toxic in large amounts, so you can still consider planting them if you keep a close eye on your puppy. You can also utilize landscaping by putting the toxic plants in areas your dog tends to avoid like the back of a garden or by a wall.

Trees and Other Concerns:

While trees like fruit and nut varieties can pose risks, most dangers come from ingesting fallen fruits or nuts:

Plum, apricot, peach, avocado trees

Yellow apricots growing thick on a branch — Photo by Elena Mozhvilo on Unsplash

Black Walnut

Walnuts in a pile on a table — Photo by Avinash Kumar on Unsplash

Horse Chestnut

Broken chestnut shell on ground with leaves on it — Photo by Georg Eiermann on Unsplash

If you do have any of these trees, there’s no need to worry. Just rake up anything that falls, and your puppy will be safe from harm.

Keeping the dogs out of the garden

Pathways and Grass Areas: Encourage dogs to use designated areas.

Rocky pathway with trees and grass on either side — Photo by niklasfotografics on Unsplash

Raised Beds and Barriers: Use larger plants or barriers like chicken wire to restrict access.

Two raised garden beds in the middle of a lawn with a house in the background. One bed is open but has a glass covering that can go over it — Photo by Isaac Smith on Unsplash

Discipline and Training: Consistently discourage entry into off-limits areas using proper disciplining methods.

Dog looking at camera with house in the background — Photo by Tobias Tullius on Unsplash

Puppy play area: Make sure that a portion of your yard is set up to be the puppy’s play area. This can be as simple as some grass. You want to make sure your puppy does some Fun activities every once in a while.

Dog playing with a toy on grass — Photo by Justin Veenema on Unsplash

creating a safe and enjoyable backyard environment for your puppy involves thoughtful planning and consideration of both plant choices and landscaping strategies. With these precautions in place, you can relax knowing your dog is safe in your backyard.