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Allowing your dog access to your yard means they have a convenient place to potty and extra opportunities for exercise and enrichment. But before giving free rein to roam, learn more about the most common backyard dangers for dogs. That way, you can puppy-proof those outdoor spaces to make your yard as dog-friendly as possible.
Of course, it’s always sensible to supervise your dog’s yard time, as accidents are possible, no matter how much prep work you do. If you suspect your dog has eaten something toxic, or they’re displaying signs of poisoning, don’t delay in seeking veterinary assistance.
Compost Bins
Home composting is a great way to recycle food waste, yard trim, and even your own dog’s poop. However, ensure your pet doesn’t have access to a compost pile or bin. “If any of this organic material develops mold, tremorgenic mycotoxins may be present,” says Dr. Renee Schmid, the senior veterinary toxicologist at the Pet Poison Helpline.
The smell of the molding matter might be tempting for your dog, but ingesting even a small amount of these toxins can result in fast-acting life-threatening symptoms. Dr. Schmid says these include neurological signs, such as ataxia (difficulty walking), tremors, and seizures. Your dog may also drool, vomit, and appear agitated.
Faulty Fencing
That loose fencing plank or wonky chicken wire might not seem like a big deal, but many dogs are experts at squeezing through the gaps. Keep up with fencing repairs, and if you have a dog that loves to dig, install a chicken wire L-footer to prevent your dog from escaping the yard. Also, consider self-closing gates and increasing the height of your fence or adding coyote rollers for those athletic jumpers and climbers.
Fertilizer
Organic fertilizers, such as bone meal, blood meal, fish emulsion, and manure, can be appetizing for dogs. Dr. Schmid says that, fortunately, most residential fertilizers only cause an upset tummy if ingested. However, being mindful of where and how you apply them will prevent your dog from having a fertilizer feast.
“Milorganite [a popular brand of fertilizer made from treated sewage sludge] may also cause neurologic signs including ataxia (difficult walking) and tremors,” Dr. Schmid says. “Fertilizers that contain high concentrations of iron [such as blood meal] may cause more significant gastrointestinal signs and organ damage.”
Foxtail Grasses
Don’t underestimate the dangers of innocuous-looking foxtails. The seed heads of these tall, fast-spreading grasses easily get caught in your dog’s fur. The shape of the spiky, barbed seeds means they can burrow under the skin or enter the body via the eyes, ears, nose, or mouth. This exposes your dog to the risk of a severe infection or migration of the seed heads to vital organs. Opt for dog-safe ornamental grasses, such as miscanthus, instead.
Lack of Shade or Water
Because dogs can’t regulate their temperatures as well as humans in hot weather, providing shade in your yard is incredibly important to prevent life-threatening canine heatstroke. Options include a gazebo, a spot under shady trees, or a sun umbrella.
Remember, the shade in a yard can move or vary depending on the position of the earth to the sun at various times of the day. Check on your dog often. What may have been shady could become full sun in just an hour. Better yet, try to never leave a dog in a yard for any lengthy period of time unattended.
Shallow dog pools or soaked sandpits can also help your dog stay comfortably cool. Also, be sure to always provide access to fresh water.
Limit yard time if a heatwave hits. Keep your dog indoors as much as possible to reduce the risk of dehydration, overheating, or burning their paws on heat-absorbing hardscaping.
Mulch
If your dog eats mulch, it can lead to upset stomachs, vomiting, diarrhea, and intestinal blockages. The worst offender is eco-friendly, sweet-smelling cocoa bean mulch. It contains theobromine (the ingredient that makes chocolate dangerous for dogs) and caffeine. Eating a lot can lead to heart rate increases, arrhythmia, hyperactivity, and seizures. Pine straw is a suitable alternative pet-safe mulch, which dogs rarely want to eat.
Mushrooms
It’s not uncommon to find fungi growing in damp, woody parts of your yard. While it’s safe for dogs to eat mushrooms you find in the fridge, many wild species pose a significant risk to your pets, and others can be deadly. “Some only cause stomach upset, while others cause neurologic signs, liver failure, or kidney failure,” Dr. Schmid says.
Unless you’re an experienced mycologist, removing all mushrooms growing in your garden is the safest option.
Poisonous Plants
Plants frequently make the annual top 10 list of toxins from the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center and the Pet Poison Helpline. While removing plants that are poisonous to dogs is a sensible strategy, it doesn’t mean you have to opt for flower-free landscaping. There are lots of pet-friendly plants to choose from. Some popular species that pose a significant risk to your dog include:
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Onions: If you have a vegetable garden, avoid planting members of the allium family. It’s not just onions that are harmful to dogs. Garlic, chives, and leeks can also cause damage to red blood cells that results in hemolytic anemia.
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Japanese yews: “All parts of the plant are toxic, except for the flesh of a ripe berry,” Dr. Schmid says. “They contain heart toxins and can cause blood pressure, heart rate, and heart rhythm abnormalities.”
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Rhododendron and azalea: “All parts of the plants are toxic, and they also contain heart toxins that can cause blood pressure, heart rate, and heart rhythm abnormalities,” Dr. Schmid says.
Parasites
With ticks and tick-borne diseases on the rise in the U.S., using tick preventatives reduces the risk of your dog picking up one of these parasites in your yard or other outdoor spaces. Regularly inspect your dog for bugs after playing in the yard, and keep your grass short and free of leaf litter to make the space less attractive to ticks. Ticks are often also attracted to piles of wood near a house that may be there for future use as firewood.
Pools and Water Features
Pools, ponds, and water features can be great for cooling down in hot weather, but they aren’t without risks. Toxic cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, form in slow- or non-flowing water during the hot months. Ingestion of the blue-green or red-brown algal blooms can lead to potentially fatal neurologic or liver damage. Drain, regularly clean, or fence off ponds to remove the risk.
Drinking too much chlorinated pool water can make your dog sick, and drowning is a real risk, so also fence this area off when you aren’t able to supervise.
Pesticides and Herbicides
“Most residential pesticides will cause stomach upset if ingested,” Dr. Schmid says. “Organophosphate or carbamate pesticides may cause significant neurologic signs and potentially death when larger concentrations are ingested.”
Fortunately, allowing pesticides to dry completely before allowing your pet access to your lawn reduces the risk significantly. But always read the labels and consider using natural, pet-safe alternatives (like diatomaceous earth) to keep pests at bay. They’ll also be better for beneficial pollinators and the environment.
Avoid using slug and snail bait. Metaldehyde, the common active ingredient in these products, is toxic to dogs. With early treatment, the prognosis is good, but if you don’t catch it in time, ingestion can be fatal.
Rock Salt
While too much salt is bad for dogs, unless your dog tries to eat big clumps of rock salt piled at the side of your driveway, it’s unlikely to cause serious damage. But rock salt can still get stuck between your dog’s paws, leading to discomfort, redness, and inflammation. Regularly licking away rock salt trapped in the paws could also lead to mild cases of sodium poisoning, dehydration, and, in extreme cases, liver damage.
If you can’t keep your dog off your salted paths and driveways, clean their paws when they come back inside or consider using protective boots.