You have a lot of choices that should pose minimal to no risk of toxicity to dogs (i.e. many palms and bananas). In general I think worries about this can be overblown. Most ornamentals will be left alone by dogs. I have a tropical-themed bed and two dogs that roam unsupervised, neither of which has shown interest in chomping on Colocasias and a few other things that technically pose hazards.

If your beagle is a confirmed vegetarian, you may want to Google poisonous plant lists and avoid the most toxic ornamentals (i.e. oleander).

Also avoid daturas, brugmansias and castor beans. All very toxic - these are the few things I adore but won't grow because I adore my leaf-munching pooch too!

Check out my photos here:
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=269
I have 2 small dogs, one is a chewer, I've not had any problems with them chewing on my plants. I have castor bean
and just get a ladder out and cut the seed heads off. Most of the poison is in the seeds, I only have to do this every couple of weeks. If you want any more photos for ideas just let me know. Steve

Add Oleander to your toxic list...all parts of it!

Oleanders are so bitter that almost nothing will munch on one ,, there are LOTS of dogs living in areas with oleaders hedges. ( southern CA. Texas, Florida, Arizona, all over the Mediterrean and the Caribbean Islands. that poor plants get the worst rep ,,if any knows just one poisonous plant it is an oleander .

If you internet search words like "canine" and "toxic plants" you should come up with many websites which have articles. The only bad thing is some websites list the common name of plants not the botanical name and the common names of plants can vary.

I have a 7-month old pug who seems determined to chew everything and it is sort of scary when you start reading these lists as plants you might have not thought toxic are.

But, I think it's important not to over react as sometimes it's only a certain part of a plant that's toxic (example, the berries of holly, the seeds of apples) and the effects can really vary depending on the plant, the amount the puppy eats, etc. Some plants may give the dog (or person) an upset stomach, others can be fatal. I removed a yew from my back yard as it appears that's a plant you don't take a chance with.

If you see a plant on a certain list, maybe do just a separate search for that plant to try to find out more details. Don't just go by one website.

Best Wishes,
Glen

Here is a link that might be useful: Purina website

I have so many different plants in my home and yard, and some lists seem to have all of them on there! There are different degreees of toxic. I know a nurserywoman who actually ate a poinsettia to prove that they aren't poisonous!

My dog only seems to nibble on stray leaves that are on the floor, so I try to get them picked up right away. He does love veggies, and if I give him raw green beans and carrots, I think he is more inclined to leave the plants alone.

Now a puppy, or a confirmed plant chewer, you would have to be much more careful about. (I remember worrying about my toddler chewing on plants, but she was good and never messed with them either!)

Something else to note about the poisonous is that a lot taste bad. The nibble it takes to get the bad taste isn't big enough to be poisonous. (This is a generalization, but not an OVER-generalization.)

Add to the list some common vegetables like tomatoes and bell peppers (the leaves of the plant), which are related to brugmansia. Also, rhubarb stalks make great pie, but the leaves are poisonous.

So, the moral is as others have said -- do some research and don't overreact.

Dave

ekoboat, well, when cleaning out seed jar in my fridge, I found some castor beans and figured, what the heck, I'll plant them. The dog is never let loose in the yard; he's always on a leash and doesn't go into the garden beds.

I couldn't believe how fast they sprouted, and how huge the seedlings were right away! I planted them into larger pots but they are kind of stalled out now. I have them in a bright window but it's been overcast. I'm sure they'll take off once they get outside.