Why not just large pine bark nuggets?

hee-hee, well you're not crazy; they just don't realize that some dogs will eat anything! under the sun and I can see your concern especially since you own a dog-grooming salon..When I lived in an apartment complex I remember this very! cute beautiful Pomeranian that would actually try to eat lavarocks out of all things, LOL!

It's true that many mulch that Lowe's or Home Depot carry have artificial coloring added to them and in all likelihood some sort of additive to make them "last longer"... It's the nurseries that you want to visit...They will carry the all-natural stuff...rhizo's suggestions work real well...plus pine bark is excellent! for roses. They really like those...

Red cedar is a nice mulch, and takes a little longer to break down. It is reddish in color, but not eye-popping red. (I hate dyed-red mulch!) Premium western cedar mulch is darker in color and takes a lot longer to break down. Plain pine mulch will work just as well. I don't trust cypress mulches to be sustainably harvested. Just don't get anything dyed and you should be good to go.

I don't know any reason why shredded hardwood mulch wouldn't be safe for dogs--even if they eat it. Most of it is sterilized to kill weeds, but the gases dissipate after its been spread. So maybe spread it on a three-day week-end if you can. Dog stomachs are pretty hardy, considering what dogs eat. Unlike shoes, rubber balls and teddy bears, it's organic; unlike cat turds, it hasn't been through a digestive system picking up worms and germs; unlike 10-day old dead squirrels and birds, it doesn't have small, brittle bones.

I used just plain shredded cedar mulch in our very front rose bed. It packed down great and I'm hoping will break down easily so I can just refresh it next year. Bagged it wasn't that pricey and I feel safe with it around our neighbors puppy.

I was going to suggest compost mixed with coffee grounds. That would probably work but above mentioned puppy came over to my house this morning and promptly stuck his whole head in a five gallon bucket of the wet (from rain) coffee grounds. Since I put those grounds around my roses this morning I'm hoping there isn't something so interesting about them that he starts digging in my rose bed now:)

Hope this helps.

Kate

Chocolate mulch is unsafe for animals as there is an article posted on the board at our Vets office.
We have been using red cedar mulch for years now with no problems to our pets.

{{gwi:301275}}

JIM

We have used Western Bark Mulch for 20+ years, with no problems, and we have always had multiple dogs here.

Never had a problem, tho some youngsters will find a large chunk, and play with it.

Jim's right about that cocoa-mulch, with the wonderful chocolate smell. It can be deadly to dogs.

Jeri

I use the very small redwood bark chips in my yard. I have corgis -- well known (infamous) for eating absolutely anything. Mine don't eat the bark. I do make sure it's natural from a nursery supply, not the colored stuff from the big box stores. I've never had any health problems.

The dog websites and the AKC health websites all have warnings about cocoa hulls. Don't ever use them. Terribly poisonous and they smell truly yummy to dogs.

This will sound odd, but the one lesson I learned about getting bark chips is that the size of the chips counts. How shall I delicately put this? If you feel you will need to pooper scoop in the bark chips, make sure the chips are a different size than the stuff you scoop or it will camaflouge itself and be very hard to find it to scoop it. I went to the really small size chips and now scooping is easy. Only a fellow dog person could have this discussion!

Debbie and her friends Seamus and Magic

The dogs drag in mulch all the time. I just consider the house a poorer, shady extension of the garden away. ;)

@ Kate : Just an FYI ... Coffee (including coffee grounds) is very dangerous for pets and is on the poisonous list at our veterinarians office.