There are lots of plants that repel dogs; some will resist dogs because of their strong smell, while others are point-blank dangerous, they can lead to the death of your dog.
Aloe vera, Pear, Huckleberry, and Barberry are prickly plants you can use to prevent dogs from entering your plantation. Plant any of these around your garden and I can assure that even the most daring dog will think twice about moving further.
Plants That Deter Dogs From Peeing In Your Garden
If you are looking for ways to prevent your dog from damaging your garden or plantation, then you should be looking at prickly plants as mentioned above, or plants that have strong odors like garlic, onions, or citrus.
But if you are thinking of protecting your dog from a dangerous plant, then you should pay attention to the list below.
Some plants are very toxic to mammals which include dogs, but then other plants will only repel dogs- those will be our focus because we don’t want litters of dead dogs; that will be cruel.
There are lots of plants that can keep inquisitive dogs away from your garden. There are herbs, grasses, flowers, and more especially, thorny plants that will serve as deterrents for dogs. For instance, you can plant mulch in your garden- it is a known fact that dogs hate to walk on mulches.
You may consider planting chunky pine cone or thorny plants like roses or berries, but you have to be careful with thorny plants. You probably bear the brunt more than the animal you are trying to keep away.
Therefore, the type of plants that can successfully repel dogs must be;
- Thorny or prickly plants
- Plants with an overpowering scent
- Shrubbyor ornamental plants
Dog-Deterrent Plants
The following are the plants that repel dog;
Aloe Vera: This plant has a short stem with leaves that appears fleshy. It is a beneficial plant in medicine and is used as a beauty product. However, the sharp teethed leaf can deter dogs, especially if you plant it around the garden to fence off the dog.
Agave: This plant has succulent leaves with a very short stem that makes the plant appear stemless. It’s very sharp leaves can easily pierce the skin. A dog as a sensitive animal will stay away from danger, and this plant is more like a danger to the dog
Prickly Pear: A prickly pear is a perennial shrub, very thick and lush with stems. It produces a beautiful colorful flower- green, light green to red and deep red. It is a prickly plant, which is why it will deter dogs from visiting your garden or vegetation, especially if you plant it around your plantation.
Blackberry: These are also prickly plants that can give you blisters easily, most times, with this plant around, you might just end up with blisters no matter how careful you are. Although some cultivars that are not prickly have been developed, since you are using this to prevent dogs from entering your garden, you should plant the prickly ones to deter dogs.
Coleus Canina: This is also known as the Scaredy Cat plant because its odor scares cat away. Interestingly, you can also use this plant to scare dogs too. It has an awful smell and the only way you can find out is to rub the leaves of this plant in your hands
Citronella: This plant is a highly effective repellent, warding off cats, dogs, and even a wide range of insects and mosquitoes. If you do’ have this plant, another option is to get the citronella oil which is obtained from lemongrass, and spray it around the garden, the smell alone is enough to send dogs away
Pepper Plants: the active ingredient in a lot of pepper that causes mouth burn is Capsicum. Capsicum is beneficial in sending dogs away from your garden. No dog wants to mess with pepper
Citrus Trees: Citrus trees also have an overpowering scent that sends dogs far away. However, planting a tree is not an immediate solution, so the better alternative is to get citrus oil and spray it around your garden. The other option is to get citrus peels and spread it around your yard or in any area you don’t want your dog to be found.
Marigolds: these are beautiful flowers that come out in yellow or orange. They have strong odors that send off a lot of animals away from them. They don’t only repel dogs; they can also send cats, rabbits, and even deer away from wherever they choose to stay or be planted.
Lavender: I love the smell of this flower, it helps to alter any awful odor and it is an essential ingredient in a lot of air fresheners. The beautiful thing is that it can help to keep dogs away from your garden or yard
Rue: The rue plant is not only an attractive shrub with foliage that is unique (blue-green). If this plant is situated next to a tomato plant, it will keep the dog away and get rid of the ants. However, you have to be careful with this plant because it is highly toxic to us, mostly younger children.
Curry Plant: This plant is a reminder of our regular and essential cooking ingredients. It is shrubby; dogs hate shrubby plants. Also, it has a strong odor which is offensive to most dogs.
Small Holly Shrubs: While some plants just won’t be as useful, this particular shrub will do the trick. It is not only a shrubby plant; it also has some pointy leaves. If you use this plant as a fence around your garden, no dog will ever want to find out what’s in it.
Boxwoods: This plant does not grow fast, but once you have it, it serves as an excellent way of getting dogs off your yard or garden. The leaves of this plant are leathery and they appear opposite with flowers that come out in yellow-green. This shrubby plant serves as a dog repellent plant
Burning bushes (Euonymus alatus): This is a shrubby plant with stems that are known for their ridges or”wing.” The flowers are green, producing red fruits that are found inside a pink, yellow, or orange cover. Going through this plant will be too much pain and trouble for a dog, so planting this is a brilliant idea.
Pampas grass: This is a wild plant; it grows very fast and takes over the place in no time. It is handy in keeping dogs away from your garden, but you have to be ready for the difficult task ahead. You will to constantly trim it and while trimming, you’ll have to go through the blade-like leaves, which is also harmful to birds.
The above are plants that pose little or no harm to dogs, but then, some plants are significant threats to dogs.
It is essential to beware of such plants, and you don’t have to plants dangerous plants to keep dogs off when there are lots of shrubs that are not toxic and will effectively keep dogs off your yard or garden
33 Plants That Are Toxic To Dogs (Trees, Herbs, Flowers, Vines, Fern, and Vegetables)
I know you don’t have the intention of planting any of the below. However, you must know the types of plants that are dangerous to dogs so that you’ll know how to keep your curious dog away from such if you have one as a pet.
Some of the plants that are dangerous to dogs are;
- Apple Tree
Apples are great treats for dogs, but the tree- it’s a no-no for a dog. Parts of the tree- the leaves, stems, seed- contain cyanide, which is highly toxic to dogs. The crabapple tree is not an exception; they contain high-level toxicity while they are wilting.
If any dog eats any part of the apple tree, it may cause a red mucous membrane. Such a dog may have dilated pupils or develop breathing difficulty and shock
- Asparagus Fern
Asparagus fern is also called Emerald fern or Lace fern. It is an ornamental plant, charming but also hazardous to your pet when it is touched or eaten.
If a dog is continuously exposed to this plant, it can cause allergic dermatitis. It can also cause abdominal pain, diarrhea, or vomiting when your dog eats the berry.
- Autumn Crocus
This plant is highly toxic to dogs, especially when it is blooming, it can cause an extreme gastric upset and possibly respiratory or kidney failure, which eventually leads to death.
A dog that eats the autumn blooming crocus can come up with bloody diarrhea, black stool, drooling, loss of appetite, seizures, and even death.
- Bleeding Heart Flower
This beautiful flower, especially in the springtime, is also poisonous to dogs. It disrupts the digestive system. A dog who takes in any part of this flower will experience diarrhea, vomiting, staggering, and tremors.
- Burning Bush
This is also an ornamental plant having pink and orange berries. Its leaves turn bright red in fall, making the yard a stunning beauty.
However beautiful, this plant’s seed or berry is particularly dangerous not only to dogs; it is also hazardous to the rest of us.
It can cause diarrhea, abdominal pain, and vomiting. If a lot of the berries are eaten, it can cause an abnormality in the rhythm of the heart.
- Castor Bean
In a warm climate, the ornamental castor bean plant is a big, bold, and beautiful. In sit of its alluring presence, its beans contain poisonous seeds.
If the seeds are ingested, it may cause weakness, abdominal straining, bloody diarrhea, drooling, hypotension, sudden collapse, and even death- that dangerous.
- Chamomile
This herb is usually used in aromatherapy for soothing nerves and in relaxing. However useful to humans, it is highly toxic to dogs- I mean the plant.
The leaves of this herb can cause contact dermatitis, allergic reactions, bleeding tendencies, and anorexia
- Cherry Tree
The parts of a cherry tree, just like an apricot tree, contain cyanide. The leaves, stems, and the little seed are poisonous to dogs and can cause res mucous membranes if eaten.
It can also cause breathing difficulty, dilated pupils, panting and shocking.
- Clematis
This lovely vine brings forth star-shaped blooms. The plant is bitter, so you probably have less to worry about. But when ingested, it can cause salivation and diarrhea.
- Gladiola
This is a bulb flower that makes an impression in gardens with its stalks of large blooms. The toxins are concentrated in the bulb or corm.
It will be a bad idea to try what it tastes like. It can cause salivation, diarrhea, vomiting, lethargy, and drooling.
- Hops herbs
You need to look out for hops sprouting in your backyard; they are climbing vines and, therefore easy to spot.
Hops are highly toxic- fresh, dried, cooked, or raw. You should keep your dog as far away as possible from this plant. Eating can cause a rise in body temperature, seizures, and death.
- Hydrangea tree
This tree is a beautiful and decorative tree that brings out clusters of blue, purple, or pink flowers. It can be used as house plants, but the leaves and flowers are hazardous. If eaten, it can cause diarrhea and lethargy.
- Iris
Irises are beautiful flowers that bring out bright-colored blooms. However lovely, it is quite dangerous for your pet to eat any part of it.
It will likely cause diarrhea and drooling
- Ivy
The Ivy is also referred to as needlepoint Ivy; some call it Sweetheart Ivy, Glacier Ivy, or Branching Ivy. Whatever it is called, it’s leaves are quite poisonous if eaten by your pet.
It may cause hypersalivation, diarrhea, and abdominal pain.
- Lace flower
This flower is a member of the carrot family. It is also called Bishop’s weed, Queen of Africa. Queen Ann’s lace or Greater Ammi.
You need to make sure that your dog does not come any close to this flower because it may cause oral irritation, drooling, intense burning of mouth, tongue, and lips and cause a swallowing difficulty.
- Larkspur
Larkspur is a plant that loses its toxins as it grows older or in a particular season. However, ensure that your dog stays away from the Larkspur plant at all seasons.
It may cause neuromuscular paralysis, cardia failure, respiratory paralysis, convulsion, constipation, muscle tremors, and death.
- Leeks
This herb is not as popular as the other herbs in the allium family. Yet, it produces more tasty soup and dishes when added.
Whatever you do, never add leek to your dog’s meal. It may cause a lot of severe illnesses like weakness, elevated heart and respiratory rate, collapse, pale gums, abdominal pains, diarrhea, and lethargy.
- Lily flower
While a lot of members of the lily clan pose an acute danger to all cats, a few of them like calla lilies and palm lilies are quite dangerous to dogs. But my advice is to keep your pets away from all kinds of lilies.
Ingestion of this plant may cause oral irritation, swallowing difficulty, drooling, and vomiting.
- Morning Glory
This beautiful vine has a rapid growth rate, which forms purple trumpet-like blooms. It can be very toxic, especially if a large amount of its seed is consumed.
It may cause diarrhea, anemia, incoordination, and liver failure.
- Oleander
This tree has evergreen leaves that produce white, pale pink, or purple flowers, and it is known for its loveliness in a garden. However beautiful looking it appears to be, it is very toxic.
It may cause bloody diarrhea, breathing difficulty, and muscle tremors. If a large quantity of Oleander is consumed, it can lead to death from cardiac arrest.
- Onions and Shallots
This is a popular vegetable that means a lot to a tasty soup. But then, you have to keep your pets away from this vegetable.
It may cause oral irritation, abdominal pain, diarrhea, pale gums, elevated respiratory rate, weakness, vomiting, lethargy, etc.
- Peach Tree
Just like the apple tree, apricot tree, and cherry trees, the parts of the tree, including the little seeds are very toxic in their wilting stage.
It may cause red mucous membranes, breathing difficulty, dilated pupils, and shock when it is ingested.
- Periwinkle
This beautiful flower comes in blue or pink colors and makes the right cover plant. However, you might want to be careful with your pets around. If ingested, it may cause depression, tremors, seizures, low blood pressure, and even death.
- Primrose
This plant comes in different colors but they are toxic to dogs. It may cause mild vomiting if ingested. You don’t want to be careless just because it’s mild vomiting, do you?
- Plum Tree
Parts of the plum tree are just about as toxic as the parts of the apple, cherry, apricot, and peach trees. They contain cyanide which is highly poisonous and may cause a red mucous membrane, breathing difficulty, and dilated pupils
- Sweet Pea flower
This is a vine that has its flowers coming out in different colors. The sweet pea is quite toxic to dogs; it may cause weakness, lethargy, tremors, seizures, and even death, especially when a large amount of the sweet pea is consumed.
- Star of Bethlehem
It is indeed a star; it is a star-shaped flower, beautiful to behold but toxic that may affect the heart rate, it may also lead to cardiac arrhythmias collapse, dilated pupils, seizures, and even death.
- Tomato Plants
Tomatoes are essential vegetables in a lot of soups and food. Yet, the vines and leaves pose a significant threat to the health of pets (dogs) and surprisingly, humans!
It may cause hypersalivation, undue behavioral changes, drowsiness, diarrhea, CNS depression, dilated pupils, slow rate, etc.
- Tulip/Narcissus
You find these, especially in springtime. You must keep the bulbs that contain high toxins away from your dogs. If ingested, it may cause depression, hypersalivation, vomiting, and diarrhea.
- Wisteria
This belongs to the pea family, which contains toxins that can affect dogs negatively. If ingested, it may cause bloody diarrhea and depression
- Yarrow
This plant contains toxins that can cause discomfort in dogs if ingested. Some of the possible symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, hypersalivation, and depression.
- Yew
This green comes with different variations. The tree is extremely toxic to dogs to the point of no return. If you must plant it in your garden, you must keep your garden away from your dog.
If ingested, it may cause breathing difficulty, drastic changes in heart rate and blood pressure, tremors, seizures, and even death.
Summary
It makes no sense to spend so much time and money to have a beautiful garden, and then have some scrawny little dogs ruin it just because they are catching fun. If you never own a dog but always need to clean up after their litters around your yard. I am aware that this can be so frustrating.
The next best thing to do apart from building a fence (which is not feasible by the way or downright inappropriate) is to come up with other deterrent methods, including plant repellents.
Planting repellents to keep dog off is ideal, but you need to make sure that you are not going to get hurt in the process, especially if you decide to go with thorny or prickly plants.
More so, you must ensure that whatever it is you are planting to keep the dogs away is not toxic to the animal.
The ideal thing to do is get plants that will deter them from going close to the garden. But you have to be careful with those poisonous plants that can be dangerous to their health.