What Houseplants Are Safe For My Dog?

Plants And Pets: Can They Co-exist?

You don’t have to compromise a lively green home because you’re afraid your dog might nibble on the plants while you’re away. In fact, some house plants are great for air quality and improve concentration, memory, and productivity...maybe not for dogs but humans!

Best practice would be to keep your plants out of the dog’s reach like on the countertops or by the kitchen sink where there is plenty of light. Luckily, there are a variety of houseplants that can coexist with you and your dog even if they decide to eat them. 

Dogs often eat plants to help their digestion when they do not get enough nutrients. Once on a raw dog food diet, they get the nutrients that they need for proper digestion so they won’t have to eat grass to smooth the process. 

Greens in our formulas like kale, broccoli, zucchini should curb your dogs’ need to find vegetation to munch on. If you decide to keep your house plants around your dog let’s make sure they are non-toxic and safe to be consumed if they do.

Which House Plants Are Safe To Keep Around My Dog?

Here’s a list of common household plants you can find at your local nursery or home improvement store. You might find some fresh new greens to fill your home with and impress your house guests. These are great as gifts for pet parents as well!

• Spider Plant
• Money Tree
• Polka Dot Plant
• Birds Nest Fern
• Orchids
• Banana Plant
• Areca Palm
• Some Herbs
• Boston Fern
• Burros Tail

Spider Plant

Infamously known for being low maintenance and fast-growing, spider plants are a great addition to any home. They grow very quickly when placed in bright, indirect light, and look beautiful as a hanging decoration piece.

 If you decide to hang them be sure to snip the ends regularly so they don’t tempt your dog. Even if they do end up reaching it spider plants are non-toxic to animals so do not be alarmed if your pup gets a taste. They probably won’t like it anyways.

 

Money Tree

A tree that looks cute and known to bring good fortune, no wonder it’s safe around dogs too! With twisted roots and bright green leaves, this tree is a perfect coffee table piece for every home. They also work to reduce toxins in the air and can make breathing easier for humans or dogs that have asthma. 

The money tree comes in many sizes but starting off small and transferring it into bigger pots is half the fun! This tree is pretty resilient so even if you forget about it you can nourish it back to life very easily. Just leave it in indirect light and you’ll notice the leaves and your fortune will grow.

Hypoestes aka Polka Dot Plant

Cute and safe to keep around pets, this plant has a color splash of pink to boost your mood and accent your pink decor! Keep the soil moist and leave it in indirect sunlight for the leaves to grow. 

The key is to not give it too much sun or else the leaves might fade into a light almost white color. Either way, this is a great addition to your work desk or countertop!

Bird’s Nest Fern

Let’s say you don’t get too much sunlight in your home, this plant is the one for you. Grows well even in low-light situations, this particular houseplant will have bountiful green leaves before you know it. You don’t even have to water it every day, just once a week will do or if the soil feels dry. 

 

Orchids

If you want something pretty to look at and safe for dogs to be around, you can add orchids to your list of safe house plants. These bloom in the winter when days are short so they can survive off of partial light. Water them scarcely and feel free to gift them as house-warming presents for your dog owner friends. They’ll be stoked to know these are pet friendly plants!

Banana Plant

Want something bold and eye-catching in your living room? The banana tree has large green leaves that can provide some shade for your dog to lay down under during hot summer months. 

Some large houseplants are toxic to animals but this one is safe to leave by a large window with lots of light and moisture. Be sure to water this guy often so the leaves get plenty of hydration. You can also use banana leaves for cooking like steaming tamales!

Areca Palm

Another tropical-esc plant to keep in your living room areca palms can be found at most home improvement stores. Re-plant this in a woven basket planter or a ceramic pot to add some excitement to your bedroom. 

Just be sure to give it plenty of light and suggested care for this plant says to let the soil dry out between waterings. Keep the window open to hear the rustling of the leaves, your dog will love taking naps next to this plant!

(Some) Herbs

Be careful which herbs you decide to grow indoors. While some are considered toxic like lavender and oregano, some cooking herbs likebasil, thyme, and sage are safe to have around your dogs. 

These herbs are probably more practical to have in the kitchen anyway. If you have a kitchen window give these herbs about 4-5 hours of direct sunlight every day and of course plenty of water.

Boston Fern

These are some top tier hanging plants for a moist, humid area like your bathroom perhaps? That is to say, if you have some source of sunlight shining through this will add a beautiful green element your guests will sure to compliment you on. 

Or if you already run a humidifier somewhere in your home, it would thrive best near one. Your dog might not care too much for it, but at least it’s safe for them to be around if they ever snag a vine or two. Considered a more high-maintenance plant, they do require to be misted daily but they are a treat to look at.

Burro’s Tail

If you’re looking for a succulent type plant to care for and is non-toxic for dogs, this is a great choice. Most common succulents are not safe to have near pets so this is a good compromise. With soft, bulb leaves this plant produces pink flowers in the summertime and doesn’t require too much care. They are sensitive to overwatering so be cautious of that and give them plenty of sunlight.

  

Which House Plants Are Considered Toxic To Dogs?

There are many common household plants that are actually harmful to pets and you may not even realize it! They might even be in your house right now but your dog has been smart enough to stay away from it. To avoid any risk of your dog consuming these toxic plants it is best to just give them away to someone that does not own a pet.

• Aloe
• Monstera
• Devils Ivy
• Snake Plant
• Jade Plant
• Pencil Cactus

Aloe

The common plant that is a lifesaver for humans in the summertime is considered a threat to your dog. If consumed it will upset their stomach and cause diarrhea and abdominal pain. 

Not to mention the serrated edges of the plant are a choking hazard. Best to stick with store-bought aloe vera to soothe any sunburns on your body. Must be less of a hassle than performing the Heimlich for your dog.

Monstera 

These beautiful plants are every Pinterest home’s envy but any dog’s nightmare when consumed. With beautiful luscious leaves, it’s hard to not want this in your home but we advise against it. 

Some symptoms when consumed include a swollen mouth, drooling, vomiting, and pain when swallowing. These side effects affect humans as well so if you can’t eat it, your dog shouldn’t either! Compromise for a nice banana tree instead, your dog will thank you.

Devil’s Ivy

The name seems fitting for a plant that causes oral irritation, vomiting, and diarrhea for dogs if consumed. Because they are so easy to grow they are seen most commonly in low light homes. We recommend switching out this devil’s ivy for a non-toxic spider plant that we mentioned above.

Snake Plant

These toxic plant names are getting more and more obvious. Snakes are a danger to dogs so a snake plant must be as well! They grow tall and have snake-like designs on them and give the home a tropical vibe but you won’t be feeling so hot when your dog decides to take a bite. 

Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea are all the side effects they will experience when ingested. Their body tries very hard to expel the toxins but in a lot of cases, this leads to a trip to the doggie ER.

Jade Plant

In Asian cultures, this plant is called the lucky plant but in dog cultures, this is called the un-lucky plant. This cute but deadly house plant can cause incoordination, low heart rate, and even depression in dogs. 

For a plant to cause some serious mental damage that is more than enough of a reason to stay away from this plant forever! Maybe opt for a non-toxic burro’s tail succulent plant instead.

Pencil Cactus

Like most succulents, cacti are often very toxic to dogs. This one is common in the household because of its lack of spikes but little do people know the sap in these plants is especially dangerous. It causes skin irritations and if exposed to the eye can cause blindness! 

Even humans use gloves to propagate these plants. If ingested, dogs will experience burning of the mouth and you guessed it...vomiting and diarrhea.

What Do I Do If My Dog Has Ingested A Toxic House Plant?

Stay calm. These kinds of accidents happen often. Dogs are known to eat grass or certain leaves to aid in their digestion process but if you notice any symptoms mentioned above it is best to contact your local veterinarian. 

Over the phone, you also have access toASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center (fees may be included). If symptoms worsen it may be best to take your dog to the hospital immediately.

Tips To Protect Your Pet From House Plants

The best advice we can give to you is to always check online to see if a certain plant is poisonous to your pet. ASPCA has a very detailed list of toxic vs. non-toxic plants to keep around your pet.

 

Even if you know your dog is uninterested in eating houseplants here are some tips to keep them away.

• Pick up any loose or fallen leaves from the floor frequently to avoid any temptations.
• Keep potted plants off the floor.
• Hang plants with long growing branches and cut them often.
• Keep an eye on your pet while you are home and train them to stay away.
• Keep some plants in a plant designated area where pets are not allowed.

We hope while your dog is on a raw food diet they will not feel the natural need to consume greens on their own like in the wild. With our raw formulas, they have all the greens and nutrients their body needs in order to thrive. So, hopefully, they won’t eat your houseplants but even if they do we hope this list of nontoxic plants will ease your concerns about whether you can live with dogs and plants peacefully.