# Aquatic plants safe for puppies?



## JanS (Apr 14, 2004)

We picked up a new Doberman pup a few weeks ago, and I have a winters worth of plant clippings out in the yard. Of course the first thing he wants to do is grab them and munch them down.
Are there any that could be dangerous to him? A good share of what he grabs is Taiwan moss, but there are other things too.

I'm trying to clean up what I can, but I don't want to take any chances in the mean time.


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

I've wonder the same thing Jan. Hopefully someone will chime in. _Any vets out there?_


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## Raul-7 (Feb 4, 2004)

I believe some aquatic plants are a health hazard if swallowed. I would get any plants out of his reach just as a safegaurd, IMO. The last thing he needs is the suffering and trauma of an emergency visit to the vet. 

Good luck. And when can we see him?


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## JanS (Apr 14, 2004)

Thanks for the replies Trena and Raul. I think I have most of it removed from the yard, and now he's moved on to deer droppings, which I had no idea how many there were until he pointed them out. :shock: 
Puppies are so cute, but it's also so nice when they grow up.....



Raul-7 said:


> And when can we see him?


Oh, you want to see puppy pics?   I have a progress album set up for him, and here's the link.


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## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

Boris looks good, Jan! Good looking sheltie as well! I had a sheltie when I was a teenager - quite a personality he had!


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## cs_gardener (Apr 28, 2006)

He's adorable! I love that pic in the snow where his paws look so huge. He definitely has a lot of growing to do. How old is he now?


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## DonaldmBoyer (Aug 18, 2005)

If they are true aquarium plants, then you have no worries. I think that some of the moss and java fern and anubias may give him a slight tummy ache (harder to digest), but he'll be fine! House plants are more dangerous to a pet then aquarium plants.


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## JanS (Apr 14, 2004)

Thanks all. 

I had to move all of my cacti out of his reach in the house right away, since I have some poisonous ones in the group.

Catherine, he's now 4 1/2 months old and has gained 10# in the 3 weeks we've had him. He definitely has some big feet, so I'm sure he's going to get pretty big.

Bert, was your Sheltie a yapper? This one would be almost the ideal dog if she'd just be a little more quiet. She sure doesn't take any gruff from this pup though.


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## Cliff Mayes (Jan 29, 2007)

JanS: Your Dobe puppy has a ways to go yet. Ten pounds? You aint’t seen nuthin’ yet!

Eating veggies is better than furniture. It is good to check out plants for bad effects though. I have heard canine horror stories about chocolate, onions, Poinsettias, Dumb Cane, some vaccines, but never anything about aquatics. I think Don is probably correct but it would be good to hear from someone who might know otherwise.

Shelties do have a tendency to talk and be very vocal. Some of my Sheltie friends de-bark their Shelties. I have a problem with that, probably because I anthropomorphize, but the Sheltie folk say they do it for self preservation. Shrug? The dogs seem healthy, both mentally and physically, so what do I know?


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## DonaldmBoyer (Aug 18, 2005)

After looking a little bit more, I found only two types of aquatic plants that would be harmful to pet to eat: Water Hemlock, and EMMERSED hygrophilia basalmica. Otherwise, I'm pretty sure that you should have to worry about anything. If puppy eats too much hard to digest anubias or java fern, he'll ***** it up and be fine! Also, Lobelia Cardinalis, whereas it isn't poisonous, will likely induce vomitting or "the runs," but isn't technically harmful to people or pets. Just causes undesirable effects if ingested.

Of course, if anyone else knows more info, PLEASE post it here!!!!


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## Cliff Mayes (Jan 29, 2007)

Incidentally. Watch the aggression from the Sheltie to the Dobe. Most Dobes are pretty well behaved and the dog’s sex will have some effect, but the Dobe, as it gets older and bigger, may tire of being "bossed around" and fight back. This is normal dog behavior but the consequences for the Sheltie could be tragic. A word to the wise here.

Remember, if you don't already know this, "crate training" a dog is a good, and necessary thing, especially when you cannot be there every minute. And too, regardless of their normally great personality, if ever a Dobe gets into rock n roll mode, they are a very formidable creature.


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## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

> Bert, was your Sheltie a yapper?


No, I don't recall him being that way. I always thought it was very funny when a stranger came to the door, his bark would drop about 2 octaves, and you'd swear he was a shepperd. Otherwise he was very playful. If he got bored, he'd look for something of yours to pick up - he'd love to get my father's wallet or my grandmother's underwear (if she left them on top of her bed), and run around the house with it in his mouth until you chased him to get it back.

I can't imagine 'de-barking' a dog. Just doesn't seem right.


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## LindaC (Nov 7, 2005)

Boris is awesome, I love the photo of him with the ball in his mouth and the stuffy right under his chin.

I have a chocolate Lab who is seven now but you'd never know it, he's still as hyper as ever. You don't want to rush them to grow up too quickly, they just don't stay small long enough. Although Cocoa (my Lab) is showing no signs of slowing down whatsoever and he'll be 8 in December. He also still has his puppy face too.


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## JanS (Apr 14, 2004)

Thanks Linda. Your dog still has a long life ahead of him. We recently lost our old German Shorthair and he was almost 16, but still getting around very well, aside from his sight and hearing getting bad. We have a friend who has a chocolate Lab too, and he's over 15 now, so it's nice to see the longevity going up with our pets. 

Great tips everyone. Thanks! I do have some emmersed hygro, but it's not that exact type. 

I agree about the crate training, and we started him on that the day he came home with us. I honestly don't know how we'd ever be able to leave him if we didn't have the crate. If there's something he shouldn't have within reach, that's exactly what he wants. 
I also agree that we need to watch the aggression with the Sheltie, so we've been trying to get them both to be calm around each other.

Wow Bert, I'm surprised that your old Sheltie would carry things in it's mouth. The only thing ours will carry is a treat or something, and it was the same thing in obedience school with some others too.


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## DonaldmBoyer (Aug 18, 2005)

Sorry.........I tried to answer the question. Didn't know we were going to start talking about doggies! Ummmm........I have cats(?)


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## JanS (Apr 14, 2004)

No, thank you for your help Donald. 

I'm sure some cats get into aquatic things too.  We used to catsit my Mom's cat (even though I'm allergic to them) and he was constantly on top of my tanks trying to dip a paw in.... 

Hey cool, I see you got yourself a spider pet. If I wouldn't have picked an egg, that's what I would have gotten..... How's that for veering off topic.... LOL!


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## DonaldmBoyer (Aug 18, 2005)

HA! LOL! 

Jan, you can do whatever it is you wish to do here at APC for one simple reason: You are more "powerfuler" than I am! 

Actually, I wanted a dragon, but I got a spider for some reason. Man, those things get attention starved pretty easily, don't they? There go my dreams of getting my plant points past 50,000. I have to keep buying cake slices to keep the damn thing happy!  Goofy spider!!

Yeah, I never really worry about pets getting into aquatic plant leftovers......they instinctively eat grass to help them with their digestion (helps 'em poop!), so I figure "Well, I have scoop your litter anyways, so whatever!" 

I would only worry about the plants that I mentioned earlier, or perhaps keep the dog out of plants that were in the tank if you had to use an anti-fungus or strong anti-biotic as they may have chemicals either in them or on them. I can't imagine that you have to do that very often, though. You should be fine!!

Hope you are well, Jan!

PS--yeah....I have my armchair pulled up to the 100gallon....makes great "Kitty T.V."!


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