Dog-Safe Kitchen Decor: Stylish Spaces That Protect Your Pup

Our kitchens are the heart of the home — but they can also be full of hidden hazards for curious canines. From wobbly vases to scented candles and artificial fruits, some décor choices can pose serious risks to your dog’s health and safety.

✅ Quick Answer: How do you create dog-safe kitchen decor?

To create dog-safe kitchen decor, avoid fragile or toxic items like breakable vases, scented candles, essential oils, artificial fruits, and certain plants. Choose flameless candles, wall-mounted decor, and dog-friendly greenery instead to keep your space both stylish and safe.

In this guide to dog-safe kitchen decor, you’ll discover the top household items to avoid, plus smart, stylish alternatives that keep your space beautiful and pup-friendly.

Guest Post by BARKING ROYALTY

dog sitting near household items with humans close by opening boxes

What Happens When Pets Get Bored?

Just imagine that postcard... your furry friend on an ultra-sized boho-style pillow next to a new coffee table filled with candies in Mason jars and candles in different sizes. Sounds like a piece of heaven, right in your home.

Now, picture this: your dog was left at home alone for hours, got bored... tore up the pillow, jumped up at the candles, and accidentally flipped over the coffee table... all while the candles were lit. Not a happy scene, right?

Read on to see how to safely organize your home while keeping your pet safe and sound.

With that in mind, here are the five most common household decorations that you should be careful about putting on display.

Top 5 Household Items that are Dangerous to Dogs

The top five items you need to be aware of to protect your pet when you're out of the house:

#1: Breakable Items

A couple of tall vases are all you need if you want to give your home an elegant and sophisticated look. The thing with vases is that you put them where you want them and they don't move. EVER. And you will find them where you left them.

However, that's not the case with a four-legged buddy. With your dog's cheerful nature and happy wagging tail, fragile items are not a good mix.

Every ceramic or glass vase can be potentially destroyed and can harm your dog. But, if you insist on breakable decorations, keep them away from the dogs' reach.

Hanging decorative breakables could be used as art on the wall, so you should think about displaying it that way.

#2: Plants

People surround themselves with plants when they want to relax their minds and reach their calm zone. Having plants in your house is a great way to reconnect with nature.

However, as a dog owner, you should be well aware of the effects that some plants may have on your dog.  Some plants are even dangerous—regardless of their beautiful appearance.

#3: Candles

Who doesn't love candles? They smell nice, look good, and help you set a certain mood BUT we often forget about candle safety.

Candle safety is much more than keeping burning candles out of dogs' reach. This ultimate home decor item can pose a risk for your pet due to all those different fragrances available. Just like plants, certain smells are not desirable, especially any smell that resembles citrus.

If you can, use flameless candles which can eliminate the candle smoke that can irritate a dog's respiratory system. Health before beauty, or simply find a safe balance.

#4: Artificial Fruits

naughty dog trying to eat plastic fruit

Although having a fresh orange, grapefruit, and lemon on your table during the whole year looks GREAT, having an artificial one is not that great when you're a pet owner.

If your canine buddy is an adventurous explorer type, he will come to that fruit sooner or later and eat it. Helping your dog recover from eating plastics, or worse, is a long and expensive road.

Plastic is really not on a dog's eating list.

#5: Essential Oils

A wooden basket that contains a white sheet full of colorful essential oils, placed in your favorite corner, is something that adds to your home's atmosphere.

You can pass that corner, spray a little, and move on. Although smelling essential oils is fine, it's not something that your dog is truly fond of.

Do your research and learn about the safest oils. In addition, just having them out there is a potential hazard for your dog. One dog and his tail may be just enough to toss, break, and lick oil straight off the floor. Next stop?—Vets office.

If you are decor-savvy, you don't have to pace your passion just because you have pets. Evolve. Find a perfect way to present your personality while keeping your dog safe. They are totally worth it! Think safety first!

Editor's Note: Additional Household Items that are Dangerous to Dogs

Chocolate is a no-no for dogs!A "Chocolate Labrador," get it?

Here are some other potentially dangerous items dog owners should be aware of:

  • Chocolate - Chocolate contains theobromine and caffeine, which are toxic to dogs. Darker chocolates tend to be more dangerous.
  • Xylitol - An artificial sweetener found in many candies, gums, toothpastes. Can cause a dangerous blood sugar crash in dogs.
  • Grapes and Raisins - Contain an unknown toxin and can cause kidney failure. Even small amounts are a risk.
  • Onions and Garlic - Contain compounds that can damage dog red blood cells if large amounts consumed. Cooking doesn't remove the danger.
  • Alcohol and products containing it - Can cause dangerous intoxications due to differences in dog and human metabolism.
  • Cough/cold medicines containing phenol derivatives like acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and naproxen.
  • Moldy/spoiled foods - Can cause nerve and organ damage from mycotoxins.
  • Macadamia nuts - Contain unknown substances toxic to dogs' muscles and nervous system.
  • Yeast dough - Unbaked dough can expand in stomach or ferment, causing pain, gas, and bloat.

Prevention is key - keep all human foods and medications safely out of a dog's reach (just as you would a young child). When in doubt about if a "people food" or product is safe Google it, and avoid leaving it lying around OR feeding it to your dog.

Keeping your kitchen safe for your dog doesn’t mean sacrificing style — it just takes a little awareness and planning. By swapping out risky items for dog-friendly alternatives, you can create a space that’s both beautiful and safe for your furry companion.

🐾 Want to go a step further? Check out our homemade dehydrated dog treats and learn how to make healthy snacks your dog will actually love — all from the comfort of your own kitchen. Plus, learn how to make wet dog food here.

For humans: check out my free 5 Dried Food Recipes PDF below!

Grab 5 Dried Food Recipes You'll Actually Love

5 Easy Dried Food Recipes free PDF

Don't forget to grab a copy of our all new
5 Dried Food Recipes (That Actually Taste Great)
They're my all-time favorite easy dried food meals!

Get it here right now.

For Free!

You Might Like These

You Might Like These


Before You Go...

If you like the content, please give me some love by clicking on the 🩷 in the lower right-hand corner (on just about all my pages). This signals to me that you find it enjoyable and useful.

5 Dried Food Recipes That Actually Taste Good free PDF download!

And don’t forget to grab your FREE 5 Dried Food Recipes via the opt-in form — they're waiting for you! Thank you so much! (Get it here).