Since it looks like spring might hit us early this year, I thought it was time to mention cocoabean hull mulch. The outer hull of the cocoa bean is often sold off by chocolate companies as landscaping mulch. It's available at yard and garden centers, as well as some of the big box home improvement stores. Yes, it's biodegradable and smells plesantly of chocolate, but what some people don't realise is that it contains the same ingredient as the cocoa bean (theobromide?) that is toxic to dogs. The chocolate smell makes it tempting to the dogs, and that ingredient can make it deadly. There have been posts and e-mails and news articals in the past aobut this, but I thought I'd mention it again just in case. This message is not only for dog owners, but for anyone with a yard that might be doing a little landscaping. Be careful what you use and where you put it.
