Can I Use Liquid Weed Killer on a Yard If I Have Dogs?

Boiling Water

• Plain boiling water is a non-selective weed killer that will destroy all plant life with which it comes into contact. Simply pour a substantial amount onto the root area and wait for it to work. Repeat daily for stubborn weeds. This will definitely not harm your pets, nor will it result in sterile soil in which nothing will grow.

Vinegar

• The acidity in vinegar makes it an ideal pet-friendly liquid weed killer. Spray vinegar onto the weeds or plants you want to eliminate, and repeat until they show signs of dying. Vinegar is also non-selective and will kill anything it is sprayed on, although stubborn weeds may take a few applications.

Salt and Sugar

• Salt and sugar sprinkled around the root of the weed make excellent organic, pet-friendly weed killers. Mix chili pepper powder with the sugar to deter the local army of ants. While these substances will not harm your dog if they are consumed, the chili pepper will prevent the dog from eating it.

Corn Meal

• Sprinkle basic corn meal on an area you want to protect from weeds. This will not harm the current plants, but will act as a pre-emergent to prevent anything else from growing -- including weeds. Corn meal is used in commercial dog food and is completely safe for dogs.

Organic Liquid Weed Killer Recipe

• Make an organic liquid weed killer by combining 1 gallon of white vinegar, 1 cup of table salt and 1 tablespoon of liquid dish soap. Apply this with a spray bottle or pressurized sprayer. The dish soap will cause the vinegar and salt to stick to the weeds, giving the solution more time in which to work.

  To use this recipe selectively on weeds growing among your plants, wipe it on the leaves of the weeds only. It may take longer to work, but will not kill the plants you want in your garden. This solution is likely to sterilize the soil for some time to come, so use it in minimal quantities and avoid getting it into the soil.

Commercial Weed Killers

• Roundup is a common glyphosate-based weed killer that is safe for pets once it has completely dried. The Extension Toxicology Network of several university extension offices conducted laboratory tests in which animals were fed glyphosate for up to two years, without showing any side effects. This indicates that weed killers containing glyphosate are safe for dogs, provided the products contain no other harmful ingredients.