Safe Gardens for Your Husky other Dogs

For lots more information on gardens for dog owners, have a look at the website Dogs In The Garden.

The books Dog Friendly Gardens, Garden Friendly Dogs and Dogscaping: Creating the Perfect Backyard and Garden for You and Your Dog are very useful for any dog owners with a garden. They will give you garden safety advice, and planting and garden design tips.

Huskies and Sled Dogs in the Garden

Siberian husky and other sled dogs are naturally curious animals. Left to their own devices will often investigate plants and fixtures in the garden. They may dig up your flower beds, chew plants, and get into all sorts of mischief.

Unfortunately, all too often huskies and sled dogs come across plants and substances that are harmful to them. This can often lead to suffering on the animals' part, heartbreak for owners, and expensive vet bills. There are, however, many 'dog friendly' plants that you can safely grow in your garden (although keeping them intact when there are huskies about is always a challenge!)


Below is a list of plants that should not pose a threat to your dog. In addition you will find a list of some of plants and substances to be avoided.

Dog Friendly Plants

NASTURTIUM

A non-toxic annual that requires minimal sunlight. Safe for human consumption too - they are great for adding color to summer salads

COSMOS

Easily grown annual with pretty, colorful flowers. Requires a fair amount of sunshine.

SPIDER FLOWER

Another annual that requires little sunlight to flourish.

PRIMROSE

Popular annual, grows low to the ground - great for growing in tubs and decorative plant pots.

SNAP DRAGONS

Pretty, exotic looking annuals.

ROSES

Non-toxic, but watch out for thorns!

COLUMBINE

CORAL FLOWERS

BUTTERLY FLOWER

VIOLET

ASTILIBE

HOSTA

BUGANE

Plants to Avoid

BULBS

The bulbs of Daffodils, Crocuses, Amaryllis, Gladiolas, Hyacinths, Irises, Narcissus, Lilies and Tulips are all toxic if ingested - dogs may dig up the bulbs when digging in the soil. Also be wary of having bulbs stored in greenhouses or sheds - huskies will get into all sorts of places before you know it!

HORSE CHESTNUTS

Chestnuts/conkers can cause fits and death if eaten and are potentially tempting to pets.

GRAPE VINES

Grapes contain a toxin that can cause kidney failure in dogs.

PEACH TREES, NECTARINE TREES, PLUM TREES etc

The stones in the fruit of these trees contain toxic substances, and if eaten, the stones themselves can cause internal blockages.

HAZELNUT TREES

Fallen Hazelnuts play host to a toxic fungus which grows on their shell.

ALMOND TREES

Almonds are toxic to dogs if eaten.

FERNS

Repeated skin contact with ferns can cause allergic dermatitis, and if eaten, they can cause vomiting and diarrhea.

CYCLAMENS

FOX GLOVES

HYDRANGEA

KALANCHOE

CASTOR BEAN

OLEANDER

NIGHTSHADE

MORNING GLORY

LILLY OF THE VALLEY

JAPANESE YEW

ONIONS, CHIVES, LEEKS etc

TOMATO PLANTS

IVY

TRUMPET VINE

JERUSALEM CHERRY

PRECATORY BEANS

RHODODENDRON

MISTLETOE

YUCCA

SAGO PALM

Hints and Tips

Hanging baskets are a good way to increase color in the garden, and can be hung safely out of the reach of your dog.

Pots and containers provide more protection than flower beds that can be trampled underfoot.

Be aware of overhanging trees from neighbors' gardens or street planting that may drop hazardous nuts or fruit into your garden.

You can buy products such as the Simple Solution Pee Post Pheromone-Treated Yard Stake or Potty Rocks to encourage your dog to pee in one particular area of the garden, which helps avoid lawn scorching as well as improving hygiene.

'Poop Scoops' are handy for picking up waste around the garden. Long-handled types prevent you having to bend down to pick up after your dog.

'Dog Loos' are a good, environmentally sound method of disposing of dog poo. Basically, you just dig a hole in a corner of your garden and sink the container into the ground. You then just put the dog poo straight into the 'Loo', and once a week squirt in a little bit of the liquid that comes with it. The liquid breaks down the waste and it drains away into the ground below. These 'loos' usually come with a scoop for picking up waste.

Garden Safety and Security

Things to be remembered when 'Husky-Proofing' your garden:

Huskies Love to Dig

• Digging is a favorite pass-time of huskies and sled dogs - their chosen spots are usually in the middle of the lawn or under your prize rose-bush.
• Huskies can dig a surprisingly big hole in a few minutes, and they may 'landscape' your garden while your back is turned.
• More importantly, Huskies often dig under fences, and can dig their way out of a garden in ten minutes given the opportunity.
• You MUST either sink your fence at least 2 feet below the surface of the soil, or lay concrete slabs or other barriers on the ground around the inside of your fence.

Huskies Need High Fences

• Huskies can easily clear a 4 or 5 foot fence from a sitting start.
• Your garden should be entirely surrounded by a fence at least 6 feet tall, and you should be prepared that it might well need to be raised higher than this (ours is 8 foot).
• Some huskies can climb up 'weld-mesh' and other fences, and you may need an overhang to contain your husky if s/he is particularly agile.
• Remember that if you have garden sheds or greenhouses, a husky can jump on to these to find an escape route.
• They may also drag garden furniture over to a fence and use it to climb over - Sounds extreme? We've seen it happen (and it's usually the most 'well-behaved' 'docile' pets that do it!)

Huskies are Incredible Escape Artists

• Many adult huskies can squeeze through a 6inch gap in a fence.
• If a husky can get its head through, the rest of it will probably fit too.
• They will move objects around your house and garden, climb up them and use them as a means of escape.
• Huskies may jump through open windows while your back is turned for 2 seconds - ANY windows in your house left open are a way out.
• Huskies and other sled dogs may well learn to open doors and gates, slide bolts open etc. Some will figure out how to open dog crates from the inside!

ALSO - do remember that Siberian Huskies, Alaskan Malamutes and Sled Dogs are attractive, desirable and VALUABLE dogs.
There have been many instances of huskies being stolen from gardens, or even from inside locked dog-runs and kennels.
We would not recommend you leave your husky in the garden unattended, and you must take the possibility of someone stealing your dog into account if you have an outside dog-run.
Pedigree dogs are often 'stolen to order' these days, and we have known instances where thieves have cut through weld-mesh fencing in order to steal dogs from their kennels.
PLEASE, BE AWARE AND KEEP YOUR DOG SAFE!