** Toxic Flowers and Plants list by state or area. Different regions have different dangers. But some plants are toxic to humans and will also be toxic to animals. Lilies, daffodils, hydrangeas, azaleas, and oleander are some of the flowers that can be deadly.
Poison control center: ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center Phone Number: (888) 426-4435 https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants?
** Plants and Gardening Components Too much caffeine from cocoa is bad for dogs. That is why chocolate is bad for dogs. Even though you may know what is bad for your dog you might not have planted your garden with that thought in mind. So be aware that tomatoes, chocolate, onions, chives, garlic are bad for dogs to eat. So when Fido is playing in the backyard you’ll want to make sure he/she doesn’t have unlimited access to plants you wouldn’t otherwise consider harmful.
** Sticks dogs chew and splinters and other parts get stuck on the throat. When monitoring a dog, get a sense of what kinds of objects he/she tends to try to eat and watch out for those things in the backyard.
** Fences Dog could get stuck under or try to climb and get hurt. The best kind of fence is one your dog can’t jump over, climb under or get stuck between the slates if trying to climb through. Be sure to do a perimeter check and make sure that there is no damage to the fence that your dog might interact with in a harmful way to your dog. Think about the agility and climbing ability of your dog as well. Does he or she tend to dig or burrow? Is he or she more of a climber or jumper? Although having a perfect fence is ideal, the real deal is having a fence that is specifically awesome in the way that keeps your dog safe.
If you have a climber, then a tall fence that can not be climbed is ideal. If you have a burrower, you don’t want to have your dog escape or worse, get injured on sharp things as he/she is trying to burrow out.
** Sun Exposure and Overheating Especially if left unattended. But in the hot climates different breeds of dogs acclimate differently. Never leave your dog outside for long periods of time. When leaving your dog outside, gradually increase the time to monitor the dog. Sun exposure can lead to heat stroke and heat exhaustion for your dog, the same as people. Signs including painting and dizziness. Be sure your dog has shade and access to water when he or she is playing outside.
** Cold Weather and Inclement Weather Be aware of temperatures that are too cold as well. When outside temperatures fall below freezing be sure to provide your dog adequate shelter when he or she is outside.
** Pesticides If you have a well manicured lawn that means you are probably fertilizing or using pesticides. A dog walking through a wet or treated yard can cause the animal to absorb the pesticides into its system. Be sure to let the lawn dry 48 hours before letting a dog play outside to reduce chemical exposure that could cause kidney damage or health problems over the long term. Also be sure to watch out for non-poisonous plants where you’ve applied pesticides. Eating plants or laying in grass fresh with pesticides can be unhealthy for your animal.
** Lakes or Ponds Dogs can run into wildlife in a lake or pond and a dog could potentially drown. He or she could also just do swimming in a lake or pond that isn’t clean and obtain some kind of infection in an open wound or swallow water that causes diarrhea or upset tummy. Blue green algae is poisonous to dogs. It’s often referred to as pond scum because it forms floating mats on the surface of the water. The blue green algae is not true algae and releases toxins that are poisonous for a dog to ingest. It could result in vomiting, diarrhea, and lethargy.
** Snakes A curious dog is likely to try to play or fight with a snake and many states in the U.S. have poisonous snakes.
** Insects Mosquitos carry disease and spiders can bite and poison your dog.
** Larger Wildlife In Florida it’s alligators, in Northern climates it could be brown or black bears. And if you are in in Maine you could have Moose. Each state has some wildlife that although might be unlikely in city areas, still occasionally show up in smaller towns. Being aware of the potential dangers are important.
** Antifreeze Antifreeze is poisonous for dogs to drink, but it seems delicious to the dog. Be careful and dispose of any antifreeze and do not leave it in a place where Fido can reach. Also be careful of other people not disposing of antifreeze properly. It’s a bright green color, so it’s hard to miss as a person. But if your dog finds it and drinks it call a poison control immediately. Gardening Tools
Although gardening shears are not an immediate danger, most dogs don’t tend to want to use them as toys. You want to make sure that all the gardening tools or sharp pointy tools are put up in general. Because dogs don’t have an instinct to play with them you might not have considered them a hazard, but if your dog gets a case of the zoomies, he/she might run into them or accidently cause one of them to fall on their heads by knocking it off a table.