Ways you can prevent your pet from harming itself or the plants

Sometimes, we spend so much time beautifying our gardens that we forget some plants can be hazardous to our pets. What you do and the insecticides you use in the garden may be harmful to your dog or cat. So, be extra careful when you bring a new puppy home, or any pet for that matter, as they tend to chew on anything, harmful or not.

Landscape architect and pet lover Nicole Van Den Steenhoven has some pointers on making your garden pet-friendly. She also identifies some poisonous plants.

1) Poisonous plants
While the list of poisonous plants is non-exhaustive, just remember that plants that are poisonous to us are also poisonous to dogs. Once eaten, these plants may cause some kind of reaction in dogs, but not all are life-threatening. Mature dogs and cats normally know what and what not to eat. Things get quite complicated if you have rabbits hopping around because they try and chew almost everything.

2) Fertilisers
Ever notice that your dog likes to help itself to fertilisers? If non-organic fertilisers are consumed in large amounts, they can upset the dog’s stomach and result in life-threatening gastrointestinal obstruction. So, if you use chemical fertilisers, water the area sufficiently after application and wait a day or so before letting your dogs run in the garden without supervision.

3) Mulch
Although the mulch that is generally used in Malaysia is not poisonous, make sure your dog does not eat it. The thick and hard shells of oil palm mulch may cause blockages in the throats and intestines, especially in smaller dogs. The oily smell may attract dogs to eat it, so it is best not to use mulch if you have puppies or playful dogs.

4) Insecticides
All insecticides are harmful, so go organic instead. Take note that snail and fly bait and rat poison are life-threatening. Once consumed, and should your pet start to foam at the mouth, it is often too late to save it.

5) Compost
You must think: compost is all organic, right? Yes, compost is organic but coffee, mouldy food, some fruits and vegetables are toxic to dogs. Either avoid having these in your compost or ensure that your dogs cannot get to the compost.

6) Garden tools
Follow a strict regime when using tools; never ever leave them on the ground. If you are leave these on the ground, even for a short while, ensure that the sharp edges face down. Dogs can get tetanus too. A rusty tool that creates a small puncture wound in your dog’s paw may seem like nothing but it may develop into tetanus. Put away your tools and keep them clear of rust.

7) Fencing
If you let your dogs run free in the garden without supervision, ensure that all exit holes are closed. Some dogs will try to push themselves through a hole that is too small. They may get stuck and hurt themselves. Many dogs get nervous when they get stuck and will keep trying to free themselves.

Tips on preventing your dogs from digging up new plants.

• Plant new plants close together, without much exposed soil. Fence off the area.
• Go for plants that cannot be easily damaged. Cover the base with wire until the plant has grown sufficiently to survive an attack.

This article appeared in haven, Issue #40, Dec 2009 + Jan 2010, the deco and garden publication of The Edge Malaysia