If you’re the proud owner of both freesia flowers and a dog, you may be wondering if the two can actually coexist or if your freesias may possibly even poison your dog! It’s a natural concern and one that I will be exploring here today.
So, are freesias poisonous to dogs? Freesias are not poisonous to dogs and will typically do them no harm. However, excessive consumption or consumption of pesticides or flower food can cause discomfort or an allergic reaction, where severe symptoms can be experienced.
Read on to discover everything you need to know, including how to keep your flowers (and dog) safe!
Will Dogs Eat Freesias?
A dog may eat Freesias if given the opportunity or they are particularly hungry.
While their primary diet should consist of quality dog food, many dogs will occasionally snack on plants too.
After all, they tend to be scavengers by nature, but plants do provide myriad nutritional benefits and aid their digestion too.
Thus, it’s no surprise that when it comes to your garden, your freesia will likely catch your dog’s eye.
The flowers are bright, sweet, low growing, and overall, entirely inviting.
What Would Happen To A Dog If They Ate Freesias?
In most cases, a dog that has eaten Freesias will not experience any negative symptoms or outcomes. However, in some cases, they may develop an allergic reaction to what the flowers may be carrying.
Typically, if your dog ingests freesias, you need not worry.
From a purely plant perspective, they are considered relatively harmless.
However, there are times when the reality can be quite different.
Whilst in the majority of cases, there’s no cause for concern; there are a few problematic scenarios that you ought to be aware of.
If Your Dog Eats Too Many Freesias
The first is if your dog eats far too many freesia flowers.
Whilst the flower will, of course, remain non-toxic, your dog is likely to suffer from an ordinary stomach ache.
It’s a normal side effect of overeating, and your dog will be back to its playful self in no time.
If Your Dog Has An Allergic Reaction
The second scenario is if the consumption of your freesias evokes an allergic reaction in your dog.
Whilst it’s a pretty rare event, your dog may find itself the reluctant recipient of a flurry of symptoms- from stomach upsets through to breathing difficulties.
If Your Dog Consumes Pesticides Or Chemicals
The final concern, and probably the most common and even worrying of the three, is if your freesias have flower food or pesticides on them, the latter of which are usually highly chemical and dangerous.
If consumed, your dog will suffer from an adverse reaction which could range from sweating to vomiting, muscle spasms, and, worst of all, death.
How To Keep Dogs Away From Your Freesias
Given the range of scenarios that could occur, it’s definitely worth taking steps to prevent your dog from eating your freesias.
Luckily, there are a number of ways to go about it.
Prevent Independent Grazing
Whilst it may feel unnatural to prevent your dog from roaming around your garden alone, it’s certainly one way to prevent them from munching on your freesias.
Essentially, when you let your dog out into the garden, go with it!
This way, you’ll be able to keep an eye on your dog at all times and, ideally, play with it plenty to prevent it from heading to your freesias.
Admittedly, this approach may be a little unrealistic, particularly if you have a pileup of daily activities to get through already.
However, it’s certainly worth doing at least once or twice to at least better understand at what point and why your freesias pique your dog’s interest. Information is key!
Scent Deterrents
I highly recommend this one!
Most gardeners swear by scent deterrents to keep their flowers and plants free from predators, and why should the relationship between your freesias and your dog be any different?
The idea is to place scents that your dog dislikes near your freesias to repel them. Quite helpful; there are a range of scents to choose from.
Dogs dislike everything from coffee and alcohol to fresh herbs and onions. Perhaps the two smells they dislike the most are that of vinegar and citrus fruits.
Go ahead and experiment!
I’m sure you’ll find something that works. And don’t forget to reapply the scent every day or two so that the approach remains effective.
Physical Barrier
Of course, there’s always the option of physically preventing your dog from accessing your freesias.
This method is a little more upfront effort, as it requires installing a fence or gate around your flowers to prevent your dog from trespassing into their area.
However, it’s effective and definitely worth a shot!
Keep Your Dog Feeling Full
Back to basics!
To prevent your dog from eating your freesias, you could try to feed it more regularly, or even larger portions, to keep it feeling full for longer.
A full-up dog is more likely to refrain from grazing around the garden than one that has room for more food.
Other Suggestions When Keeping Freesias Around Dogs
Observe!
If you suspect that your dog has been munching away on your freesias, be sure to monitor it closely.
It may quickly transpire that there’s nothing to worry about.
However, if you feel that your dog is acting differently or displaying obvious signs of distress, to the vet, you go!
The vet will be able to offer their well-qualified expert opinion and bring your dog back to good health if needed!
Train Your Dog
There’s a school of thought that maintains that dogs eat plants as a sort of coping mechanism to ease their anxiety or stress.
Thus, it’s worth thinking about if there could be an underlying issue at hand.
If you suspect that there is, or even if there’s not, you may actually be able to train your dog to keep away from your freesias, or any of your plants for that matter.
Whether you opt for powerful commands or you hire a professional trainer, your dog, and even its mental health, may benefit profusely. It’s a win-win situation.
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