Until puppies know how to behave, are reliably toilet trained and have gone through the 'exploring by using their teeth' stage (at about six months old) it is better to keep them closely supervised or contained in a 'dog proof' environment. This means no access to:
You must ensure, however, that wherever you locate your puppy in these first weeks he/she has easy access to the garden. For most people, this will be their kitchen or utility room, or the puppy could be contained within a room by a child-gate, or in a puppy pen or large mesh crate, and taken out frequently under supervision. Make sure your garden is escape proof, if it is not, only take your puppy there on its lead.
Young puppies should not be put out or left out on their own in a garden for any length of time. They quickly get bored and frustrated, and become destructive, noisy and potentially territorial. Unsupervised puppies could:
It is much better to go into the garden with your puppy at regular intervals, so that it is clear that it is being taken there for toileting purposes. Avoid leaving the back door open because if your puppy can go in and out as it pleases, this can adversely affect its toilet training, as well as its recall response.
There are many house and garden plants that are poisonous to dogs, here are some of the most common ones:
If your dog chews or eats any of these, seek veterinary help immediately.