Toxic Toads (continued)

How to prevent your dog from attacking toads

Toads are a nocturnal menace. They regularly poison dogs, such as Terriers and working dogs such as Cattle Dogs, Border Collies and Kelpies due to the strong predatory drive such dogs have. However, any dog can become excited enough to chase and mouth a toad.

Preventing toad predation means:-

Only allowing your dog outside at night if you are with it. Take it out on a lead if need be.

Place two or three bells on your dog’s collar. The bells will not affect the toad, but you will learn to recognise the tell-tale jingling sound the bells make when your dog is ‘suspiciously active’. Immediate investigation when the bells are ringing may save your dog’s life.

Eliminating toads from your garden by installing toad-proof fencing.

How to construct toad proof fencing

Much research has been done to determine how to construct toad-fencing. So, that means it is quite easy to create a toad barrier that stops toads entering your garden.

Your two alternatives are to:-

Toad-proof your entire garden

Build a small night-time enclosure which is made in a toad-proof manner

There’s no point re-inventing the wheel so you should refer to the organisation Stop the Toad who have already done the job for us all.

In summary, Stop the Toad advises that a toad fence can be created using one-metre high shade-cloth.