10 Dog Friendly Plants for Your Garden

Gardening has always been a favorite activity among many. There's just something special about eating fruits and vegetables grown from your own backyard! If you're a dog owner that's new to gardening and are looking to start your own garden, there are a few things you need to know. 

Having a good understanding of what fruit, vegetable and herb plants are safe for dogs all the way to helpful dog-friendly gardening tips, will help set up your dog-friendly garden for success. In this post, we'll be covering all of the above and more!

Dog-Friendly Fruits & Vegetables​

If you've always wanted to grow your own fruits and vegetables at home, it's important to keep in mind which ones are safe for your dog, especially if your dog will have access to the area they will be growing in.

Below are a few dog-friendly fruits and vegetables for your garden:

• Green Beans
  • All forms are safe for dogs to eat (i.e. raw, steamed or chopped) as long as you don't cook them with salt. 
• Cranberries
• Blueberries
• Strawberries
• Raspberries
  • All berries are safe in small quantities!

Dog-Friendly Herbs​

Adding the perfect seasonings to your food can be fun and safe for your dogs! There are actually a handful of herbs that can be added to your dog's food or used in treats in moderation. 

Below is a list of dog-friendly herbs for your garden:

• Rosemary
  • When given in small quantities, rosemary has many benefits including being rich in antioxidants.
• Parsley
  • Parsley is actually a common breath freshener ingredient in many dog dental treats! However, ONLY buy curly-leaf parsley. Spring parsley can be toxic to dogs and make sure to only give your dog parsley in moderation. 
• Basil
  • This herb has a ton of antioxidant and antimicrobial properties.
• Thyme
  • This plant has both antifungal and antibacterial properties. 
• Dandelion Greens
  • Both the stem and leaf parts of the plant are safe for dogs and are filled with Vitamins A, C, K, B and D! This plant can also aid in digestion. 

Poisonous Plants For Dogs To Avoid​

Since there are many plants that are poisonous to dogs, we highly recommend checking out this list of Poisonous Plants For Dogs from AKC and/or the Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List For Dogs from ASPCA to see if any of the plants you are looking to plant in your garden are toxic to your dog.

In addition to the plants listed in the article, if your dog has ingested a poisonous plant, please call the Pet Poison Hotline (855-764-7661) immediately and someone will be able to help instruct you on next steps. 

Some additional tips when calling the Pet Poison Hotline or your vet:

• Try to provide as much information about your dog as possible (weight & symptoms)
• Describe the plant they ate and when they ate it (you can even take a photo of the plant to have!)

Dog-Friendly Garden Tips​

When creating a dog-friendly garden, in addition to choosing plants that are not toxic to dogs, it is also important to keep a few extra tips in mind:

• Stay away from sharp plants like roses. They might be pretty, but they can really hurt your dog.
• Keep all pesticides and plant food in a safe place, away from your dog. These items can cause severe problems for your dog if ingested. 
• Block off your garden area from your dog. This can help prevent your dog from overeating certain plants and keep them away from certain parts of some plants that might not be safe for dogs (i.e. leaves on tomato plants!).

Are you excited to create your very own dog-friendly garden? We are too! If you create your own, take a selfie with your pup in your garden and tag us on Instagram @carlsonpetproducts so we can see all of your luscious garden greens!