For those with yards and outside spaces, it is vital to keep lawns weed-free.
While this might not seem problematic, what about those with dogs in the house?
Unfortunately, many traditional weed killers are loaded with chemicals that could be highly toxic to your furball.
Now, it’s not clear whether or not popular weed killers such as Roundup containing glyphosate are safe for pets. There’s simply not enough data available. There is, however, some evidence to suggest the inert ingredients in products like Roundup are anyway problematic for dogs.
Bottom line, weed killers laden with chemicals might trigger an allergic reaction or worse in your dog, and is that really worth the risk? When there are so many pet-friendly weed killers out there, we think most pet owners would agree it makes sense to go organic.
Now for the good news: most of the really toxic products containing sodium arsenate, borax, and arsenic have been phased out.
Today, then, we’ll be reviewing ten weed killers safe for pets so you can easily assess which makes the best fit for you.
As an aside, there are some methods of killing weeds that are entirely safe that you might also consider. Boiling water is enough to kill some common weeds. Vinegar is another safe bet and an active ingredient in many of the products we review today. The drawback here is that you’ll need a vinegar with a concentration between 10% and 30% rather than the 5% used for cooking vinegar. Salt also works well, especially when it is mixed with water.
Before you explore our showcase of the best natural weedkillers, here are some pointers to consider:
Bear these aspects in mind on the buying trail and you should find an effective weed killer that’s also safe for your furry friends.
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The 10 Best Weed Killer Safe for Pets
1. Our Pick Doctor Kirchner Natural Weed and Grass Killer
Features
The first thing that impresses us about Doctor Kirchner’s natural weed killer is the fact they disclose all four ingredients (salt, water, vinegar, soap). In a vertical where many manufacturers are less than forthcoming with ingredients, this is refreshing.
While the salt does the bulk of the weed killing here, the vinegar and soap also play a role.
Now, this is a non-selective solution, which means you should keep it away from the lawn. This weed killer won’t discriminate, so unless you want scorched grass, reserve it for use on unwanted weeds.
This dog-safe weed killer is available in a variety of sizes to suit. Think closely about the coverage you need and buy accordingly. This bottle is 128oz.
The spout is designed to simplify applying this weed killer, so you can stay clean while keeping Rover safe.
As long as you’re OK with keeping this solution away from the lawn, you can kiss goodbye to weeds without endangering your furball. Even better, this weed killer is priced very keenly, so what are you waiting for?
2. Green Gobbler Weed and Grass Killer
Features
All dog owners with yards require weed killers that are natural and dog-safe while still being capable of getting rid of weeds. Green Gobbler strikes this challenging balance with this formulation that’s certified organic. Is it any good, though?
The first ingredient in this formulation is vinegar. At a concentration of 20%, this is far stronger than regular vinegar typically used for cooking. This is generally just 5% pure.
Although the manufacturer reports that this formulation is free of glyphosates and biodegradable, no other ingredients are revealed. We would prefer more transparency.
You can spray the acidic solution straight from the bottle directly onto the weeds in your garden. It starts working right away, killing weeds as well as grass quickly.
Safe for use residentially, commercially, or agriculturally, this multi-purpose weed killer is ideal for eco-aware pet owners looking to drive out weeds from the yard.
The only gripe we could find amid a shower of positive user reviews concerns the fact this won’t kill all weeds and it won’t kill the invisible portion of the weeds either. The weeds will return so peg your expectations. To avoid repetition, the same applies to all the formulas we review today. The compromise you make for keeping Fido safe is in the overall efficiency in killing weeds.
3. Natural Elements Weed Killer
Features
Natural-elements has a heavy vinegar base undercut with salt making this organic weed killer one of the most efficient methods of dealing with weeds at home without endangering your dogs.
The commercial-strength vinegar is much more concentrated than the stuff you use for cooking, and that’s essential if you want to kill weeds. The 5% sodium chloride is a nice addition.
This solution works for the majority of common weeds and grasses. You can use it around your flowerbeds, trees, and landscaping. You should bear in mind that the formula will kill grass so don’t go spraying it everywhere unless you want a scorched brown lawn.
You’ll be good to go right out the bottle with no need to dilute this solution.
The 1-gallon bottle provides generous coverage, and this organic and pet-safe weed killer is also competitively priced.
4. Energen Carolina Weed Killer
Features
Energen Carolina produces a predominantly vinegar-based solution that works to aggressively kill weeds without causing any harm to your puppies.
Working well to counter a range of weeds, you can watch the organic acetic acid get to work quickly, and it degrades just as rapidly.
If you dislike the mess involved with glopping weed killer out of a bottle, opt for the spray version of this solution. The nifty dispenser takes the sting out of application.
Despite being proven safe as far as dogs are concerned, some customers raise concerns about the safety of this product for birds. If this is an issue for you, we suggest doing your due diligence.
As a non-selective herbicide, you should keep this solution away from your lawn.
5. ECO Garden PRO Weed Killer
Features
ECO Garden delivers a glyphosate-free weed killer that’s made in the US and completely safe for your pooch. What’s in this stuff, then?
Vinegar (8%) and salt (5%) are the active ingredients in this product. These two agents come together to eliminate most standard weeds. Water and inert ingredients complete the mixture. As with so many of these weed killers, we are always wary when ingredients are not listed.
The natural and organic solution is effective for a variety of applications. From driveways, patios, and pavements to flower beds and mulch beds, eliminate weeds throughout the yard.
Several users have also praised the way this vinegar spray combats poison ivy but does so without bringing about any negative outcomes for your pooch.
Completely biodegradable and with no complaints from pet parents concerning complications or toxicity, pop this dog-safe weed killer on your shortlist.
6. Natural Armor Weed and Grass Killer
Features
Natural Armor serves up a solution ideally for killing weeds without harming your hounds.
Designed to stifle more than 250 common weeds, what’s in this stuff?
Well, the formula is much like many natural weed killers. You get vinegar – that’s the acetic acid – along with citrus, sodium, glycerin, essential oil, and water. It’s great to have this information, but we would appreciate more detail on the composition of the citrus and sodium ingredients as well as the exact type of essential oil used. Only then can you be absolutely certain whether or not they’re entirely pet-safe.
With no glyphosate and all-natural ingredients, though, we feel you can take the manufacturer at their word here. We could find no complaints about any mishaps with pets, although we did unearth the expected complaints from some users about the effectiveness of this formula. Bottom line, a natural weed killer will never work as efficiently as one laden with chemicals. As a pet owner, though, you need to put your pup’s welfare first.
7. Just For Pets Weed Killer Spray
Features
Next up in our quest for the best dog safe weed killers is a substantial 128oz-bottle from Just For Pets. As the name of the brand makes clear, this is the ideal treatment if you have dogs at home and want to avoid harsh, chemical-stuffed weed killers.
The bottle comes with a spray attachment to make application a breeze. You won’t need to fiddle around diluting this solution either, so get going right out the box.
This spray generates a large body of positive user testimonials with many satisfied customers raving about the effectiveness against a variety of weeds.
As far as ingredients are concerned, the manufacturer has ensured you cannot properly see this on the listing. The photo is blurred when you zoom in, so you should see how you feel. The manufacturer makes assurances that this is a pet-safe solution, and we were unable to find any complaints from pet owners.
As an added kicker, the company channels some of its profits into animal shelters so you can do your part for dogs not as fortunate as yours.
8. Just For Pets Weed Killer Spray Refill
Features
This refill allows those who invest in the Just For Pets spray to enjoy cost-effective top-ups without needing to buy an additional spray unit.
Not only does this formulation get rid of common garden weeds, but it achieves this without introducing any potential danger for your hounds.
This formulation comes ready to use right out the box, so you won’t need to mess around mixing the solution.
This product gives you everything you need and nothing you don’t need when you’re looking to remove niggling weeds from your lawn.
9. Espoma Organic Weed Preventer
Features
Next up we have another stellar solution for weeds in homes with dogs to worry about.
Now, as a preventer, this gets to work and stops weeds from growing in the first place. In many ways, this is a more effective approach than treating the problem when the weeds are above ground.
The only ingredient here is corn gluten meal. This is proven effective for inhibiting common weeds like crabgrass and dandelion, but don’t consider it an all-purpose guarantee against weeds.
Once you’ve applied the Espoma, your lawn will be ready for use immediately, ideal if you have kids impatiently waiting for you to finish yard duty and Rover straining at the leash.
The important proviso with this treatment is that it will only work on established lawns. If this is what you’re looking for then you’ll be delighted with your organic defense against weeds.
10. OrganicMatters Natural Weed Killer Spray
Features
OrganicMatters delivers this first-class organic weed killer that’s a wonderful addition to any pet owner’s tool shed.
The formula is free of glyphosate and is made of all-natural ingredients. We can’t understand why the manufacturer doesn’t openly disclose what these ingredients are, but that appears to be commonplace in this industry.
You’ll be equipped to deal with hundreds of the most common types of weeds blighting your garden with this organic solution.
Once you’ve liberally applied this stuff, it dries very quickly allowing pets and children to start enjoying the garden right away.
If you’re not happy with the results, you can call in for a refund with no questions asked during the first month after purchase. What more can you ask for?
FAQ
1) Will my dog be harmed by products containing glyphosate?
As we mentioned above, the jury is still out. Glyphosate is the world’s most widely used herbicide. We would have to assume that if it were deadly to dogs, they would be dying all over the place as a result, but the data doesn’t suggest this is happening. That said, some countries like Thailand and Luxembourg have banned glyphosate outright. According to WHO (World Health Organization), glyphosate is “potentially carcinogenic to humans”. Stay safe and keep your pets and kids away from areas you have sprayed with non-selective weedkillers containing glyphosate.
2) How can I remove dandelions from my yard without hurting my dog?
It’s challenging to eliminate dandelions in a totally pet-safe fashion. Weeds often grown in the center of your lawn. Normally, you could use some selective herbicide to kill the dandelions without harming your grass. Unfortunately, such products are not considered safe for pets. You have two main choices: either pull up the dandelions by hand or choose a pre-emergent herbicide such as corn meal gluten. This product will effectively kill dandelions without causing any risk for animals.
3) Do any pet-safe weed killers out there not kill grass as well?
No. There are no selective weed killers that could be considered 100% pet-friendly.
4) How can I kill grass if I have a dog at home?
We would suggest that your best bet is either a salt-based or a vinegar-based solution. If you opt for vinegar, be sure to use a strong solution – from 10% to 30%. Compare this to the 5% strength vinegar used for cooking. The best method of applying salt-based solutions is to mix them with water and then liberally spray over your grass.
5) Can allelopathic plants kill weeds?
Some allelopathic plants can produce chemicals capable of killing other plants like weeds. This might not be the simplest solution for eliminating weeds choking your garden, but for those blessed with green fingers and lots of of patience, it is possible to construct natural defenses against weeds.
6) Should I spray weeds?
Now, spraying weeds once they are already poking through is one approach, but it’s not necessarily the best option. You can instead target weeds as they are germinating. If you catch the weeds at this stage, you’ll kill them off completely. When you spray fully-formed weeds, you may kill the portion that’s visible above ground, but the remainder is in place, ready to pop up again in a matter of weeks. If you know you’ll be spraying your weeds, ask yourself whether you already own a spray bottle. If so, this will widen your options and allow you to buy a regular bottle that you can simply decant into your existing spray bottle. If not, you may want to think about buying a bottle with a bundled spray can. An alternative is to pour your weed killer into a watering can and apply it just like you were giving your garden a burst of hydration. If you’re dealing with established perennial weeds, you should attack these at the start of their flowering period. Wait for a dry day with no wind. It’s also key that no rain is looming for the following few days. Strike when the time and conditions are right, and you’ll see those weeds off until the following flowering.
7) How quickly does weed killer safe for pets start working?
When you read the labels of pet-safe weed killers, you’ll find some claiming the weed killer will start working within a day or two, while others make it clear you’ll need to wait weeks, or even a month, to see the first results. We would suggest taking a moment to explore some user reviews. Here, you’re far more likely to get a transparent account of how long the stuff really takes to start working. You should consider the manufacturer’s listing as a marketing document: they want to sell this stuff at all costs! When you’re thinking about how quickly this stuff gets to work, you should think also about the time of year and the weather. These variables will impact the speed of action. The main advice we would give you when it comes to pet-safe weed killers is to pack plenty of patience. Also, remember that there may be some considerable time between the first effects that you notice and the weeds in your garden being completely driven away.
8) How often do I need to apply weed killer?
When you’re comparing organic weed killers, you’ll find brands offer differing guidelines when it comes to the frequency of application. Some brands encourage you to limit weed killing to once a year. This avoids any active chemicals building up in the soil over time. Others suggest using the weed killer several times a year with designated waiting periods between. What you should double down on here is the type of weeds you have growing in your garden. Ask yourself whether they are especially invasive, and whether or not they’ll need a product you can apply more often than once a year.
Conclusion
We trust today’s guide has highlighted the fact it is possible to eliminate weeds from your lawn without this causing any issues for your furballs.
As with most gear you buy with pets in mind, taking your time to familiarize yourself with the different types of weed killer can save you from making a rash purchase and ending up with an unsuitable product.
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