Vigoro Mulch Safe For Dogs (2024)

FAQs

What mulch is safest for dogs? ›

Pine, cedar, and cypress are probably the three of the most popular mulch options and they should all be dog-friendly.

In 2022, Lead Safe Mama tested "Vigoro," a recycled tire rubber mulch brand sold at Home Depot. The results of her investigation showed positive for trace levels of arsenic and lead. Lead Safe Mama also tested Rainbow Mulch, tire-free, non-toxic playground mulch.

The colorants in colored mulch are safe for people, animals and the environment.

Dogs love to chew, and a fresh bed of mulch is a prime target for digging and chewing. If your dog is a mulch eater, precautions should be taken as complications can result. Dogs that chew on small pieces of mulch or sticks can develop gum irritation from splinters that embed in the oral cavity.

Finally, avoid large, bark type mulch or big wood chips. Since these big pieces take a long time to decompose, and they end up depriving the soil and plants of nutrients.

By choosing dog-friendly groundcovers like creeping thyme, creeping juniper, or stonecrop, you can create a lush and resilient landscape that can withstand the occasional yellow spot. With the right choices and a little care, your garden and your furry friend can coexist harmoniously.

The Environmental Protection Agency has studied rubber mulch and found it to be a safe, non- toxic material, posing no health hazards to pets or people.

Contaminates Soil

Rubber from tires contains many chemicals and heavy metals, even if it's undergone extensive cleaning and preparation processes. Aluminum, zinc, cadmium, chromium, and more can all leach into the earth as the rubber breaks down, contaminating your soil.

We know that rubber mulch is much safer than wood mulch on the playground but who comes out on top when the two are used in a landscaping application? This depends on the types of benefits you are looking for. Rubber mulch provides excellent drainage for the soil and supplies great insulation against harsh weather.

This dyed wood mulch does not break down to enrich the soil as good mulch should. Instead, it leaches the dye along with the possible contaminants (chromium, copper, arsenic, and others) into the soil harming or even killing beneficial soil bacteria, insects, earthworms, and sometimes the plants themselves.

Are dogs allergic to mulch? ›

Unfortunately, even though mulch is advantageous to the garden and soil, dogs may be allergic to this substance. Allergic dogs will show signs of a mulch allergy when they spend time outdoors and come into contact with the substance.

Pine bark, cedar bark, fir bark and cypress mulch are some of the best choices for dogs. Another good option is Coco Mulch, made of coconut husks (not to be confused with the dangerous cocoa bean mulch).

An area of mulch surrounding a tree will absorb the nitrogen-heavy urine. Once your dog picks a spot with rocks, gravel, or mulch, offer a reward. Take frequent dog walks so your pet can pee elsewhere. Enjoy the added benefit of more exercise for you and your dog.

There are many reasons why your dog eats wood, e.g. for dental care: Many dogs use wood and sticks as chew toys. They combine the useful with the pleasant: Chewing is not only fun, but also cleans the teeth and interdental spaces. Chewing helps puppies especially during the change of teeth.

Pine straw is a safe mulch as it is all-natural, plus animals and pets do not chew on it. In any situation, natural and untreated mulches are preferred over man-made materials. There are natural and synthetic mulch products made especially for dog runs and kennels.

If you want attractive mulch that doesn't need to be replenished often, gorilla hair mulch might be right for you. It can get stuck in a dog's coat though so this may not be the best choice for pet owners! Rubber mulch has been used in many playgrounds and other settings, but we cannot recommend it.

Though the bedding provides a soft, inexpensive filling for dog beds, cedar shavings contain phenols that can irritate the lungs allowing bacteria easier entry. For dogs who sleep directly on cedar chips in a crate or bedding area, contact dermatitis is another allergic reaction that can occur.

Rubber mats, straw, and wood chips are all safe and fast ways to reduce mud. If you lay straw and wood chips down, they will need to be replaced frequently to keep the mud at bay. However, these options will only work if you have a small area to cover. Pouring concrete is another option and may seem like a quick fix.