Hi all!
So I'm thinking of replacing part of my lawn with Thyme next Spring. I am considering using the following ground cover:
Woolly Thyme
Creeping Thyme
Elfin Thyme

Does anyone know if the above mentioned varieties are toxic to dogs? Has anyone tried using Thyme in place of grass and had their dog urinate on it? I'm curious to know if Thyme will burn like grass does when peed upon.

I'm not replacing the grass with Thyme just due to the grass burning. It's because we have crab grass and it's really ugly. And the area I want to do this in has a slight slope where it's hard to mow. So I figure some type of ground cover that doesn't require much upkeep will suit our needs better. Red's potty breaks usually take place in this area anyway and occasionally she will eat/dig up grass.

The only thing I did find regarding Thyme toxicity to dogs was on the ASPCA's website and it lists the following as a big No-No:
Spanish Thyme (AKA: East Indian Thyme and Stinging Thyme)

Thyme is fine. I haven't heard of it having issues with burning either. My dogs won't mess with the stuff so if yours are anything like mine you might not have to worry about digging in the yard as much once you get it established.

Red has a habit of trying to bite anything that's long or sticking high out of the ground and our braches on our willow tree......such a brat. So this news about the Thyme makes me VERY excited since it will be relatively low to the ground and I can get away with not mowing.

The Elfin Thyme sits the lowest of the types you mentioned I believe. It's almost like moss so next to nothing for him to grab at all. If My yard wasn't so crazy huge I would be switching to it or clover in heartbeat.

I may just plant all 3 varieties just to get a nice mixture. And whatever is not hardy for my zone will just die out so I wouldn't mind experimenting with more than just one kind. Knowing my luck, that is exactly what will happen!

This is a cool lawn idea. I might try it in my dead spots and see how it does.

We planted Dutch White Clover in our lawn - it keeps its green when other cool season grasses go dormant (like in August when its hot and dry.) In addition, our "lawn" is really not planted at all - resulted just from mowing down the native flora - grasses took over but it is filled with mints, dandelions, plantain, asters...all sorts of things. I call it my herbal lawn - the only grass seed is when the ground has been disturbed (either construction or the occasional/not so occasional marauding husky )

This has proven to be a very sturdy lawn - the clover - at least the Dutch White, is naturally low growing - unmowed in my garden, I think it is at best maybe 5".

The thymes should do well, too, but don't know how sturdy they will be for foot traffic.

Has Ami ever shown a tendency to eat the Dutch White, and if so has any adverse symptoms shown up? I have no idea how sturdy the thyme is to foot traffic but wanted to try that when I saw the Woolly variety at a nursey since it looked so cute for what I wanted as ground cover. Maybe the Dutch White could be my backup option if the thyme doesn't hold up well.

No eating on the clover - does like to nibble the tips of the daylilies, though And loves to lie down in the hosta...

I would rather doubt dogs would eat the thyme - the oils are rather pungeant.

At least if she rolled in the thyme then she would smell pretty nice. I was sewing up her stuffed elephant toy last night and it smelled god awful! I almost rolled over into a fetal position. I wasn't even holding it up to my nose but her saliva stains sure are "stanky"!! Yes, with an -a rather than -i.

redlattinville wrote:

At least if she rolled in the thyme then she would smell pretty nice. I was sewing up her stuffed elephant toy last night and it smelled god awful! I almost rolled over into a fetal position. I wasn't even holding it up to my nose but her saliva stains sure are "stanky"!! Yes, with an -a rather than -i.

Ugh... sounds like Archer's collars. Somewhere between old vomit and dead fish.

amymeme wrote:

 Somewhere between old vomit and dead fish.

This made me laugh!