Garden buddies!

Gardening and my girls (two yellow labs, Lucy and Lily) are a couple of my absolute favorite things! I take every opportunity to enjoy them together whenever I can. Turns out, gardening is one of their favorite hobbies as well! I plant in raised garden boxes and they love to lay in the shade, somewhere underfoot, as close to me as possible. Whether I'm planting, weeding or harvesting, they are always near. Ok...who am I kidding? They absolutely LOVE the harvesting part!

My older dog, Lucy is incredibly patient and smart. When I pick peas and set them off to the side, she'll wait until I'm not paying attention and gobble them until almost (but not quite) gone, then look at me as if to say "Is that all you picked?" At times, I'm sure I even hear a little doggie giggle from her green, drooling lips. My younger dog, Lily, is quite the little bean snitch. She will steal beans, usually right off the vine any chance she gets. My asparagus is absolutely not safe near either one of them, and carrots are quite the prize!

As much as they love to be in and around my garden, I'm always mindful of where they are and what they are eating. There are some veggies that they need to stay away from, such as onions and the leaves of tomato plants that are toxic to dogs. I don't use any kind of chemicals in my gardens, but you also need to think about the type of fertilizer you’re using. Whether you are applying a spray-on or pelleted product, check that the active ingredients are non-toxic and follow the instructions on the label carefully. The same thing goes for mulch. Even if your dog does not have unsupervised access to your garden, you don’t want him accidentally ingesting harmful chemicals if he does sneak past your fence.

Spring is here! Start planting and get your hands dirty. Bring your pups for great company and laughs. Let your garden bring them as much joy as it does you!