I just can't seem to get it right when it comes to shrubs. I learnt tonight that azaleas are highly toxic to dogs, so I'm going to have to choose a new location for the one I have coming in. Now I have an open spot in partial shade/filtered sunlight (in front of my dogs' fence), and I'm unsure of what to fill it with. I've sort of picked 3 shrubs I like, but i have no idea if they can take partial shade/filtered sunlight. What I've picked is Show Off Forsythia, Wine & Roses Weigela, and Judd Viburnum. On top of them apparently being shade tolerant, they're all non-toxic to dogs! I just need your help to figure out if it will work in the area I need it to!

I don't like Forsythia, it gets huge and rangy and not pretty except the week in bloom.
I have straight old fashioned Weigela, blooms acceptably well in all day shade I think the shape of Weigela is much like the shape you would have had with Azalea. But not evergreen.
Not sure about the V.
P S. Azalea is about the most common yard shrub in Maryland. Yes, sources say quite toxic but no one knows that and they all have dogs.

There is such a thing as overthinking. Unless your dogs are regularly chewing up your shrubs, plant whatever you like. It's mostly puppies that chew to experiment. If older dogs are chewing shrubs they are either very bored or are lacking some nutrients. Hundreds of thousands of Azaleas are surviving in places where dogs live.

Azaleas and rhododendrons are very common in the Pacific NW as well. I've often heard they are toxic to dogs, cows, and horses. Likely cats as well. I've never had any problem with animals munching on them, so perhaps they don't taste good to them. The toxicity is pretty well documented (grayanotoxin) and the animal only needs to ingest .2% of its body weight, so smaller animals would be at a higher risk. Some animals are more/less prone to sampling plants, so it's a judgment call. It seems to me if I only planted non-toxic things, my yard would be pretty bare.

I've had azaleas and rhododendrons and dogs and cats. No problems. Only plant I've ever seen a dog or cat eat is grass.

sallyg said:I don't like Forsythia, it gets huge and rangy and not pretty except the week in bloom.
I have straight old fashioned Weigela, blooms acceptably well in all day shade I think the shape of Weigela is much like the shape you would have had with Azalea. But not evergreen.
Not sure about the V.
P S. Azalea is about the most common yard shrub in Maryland. Yes, sources say quite toxic but no one knows that and they all have dogs.

This post made me so happy because I love weigela! I may just have to give it a try, then!

As far as the dog + azalea issue goes, I know my dogs. If it's in their yard, they'll eat it. The only place they don't eat my plants is the deck. They have eaten anything from highly toxic catipillars, to wasps, and have even torn a part of a tree off to chew on. On top of that, they're all just 6-18 pounds, so the amount they would need to eat to get sick, is pretty small. The current shrubs I have against their fence, are all dog friendly. Common lilac, knockout rose, butterfly bush - I would like to keep with the theme.

I second my own vote for Weigela, esp Wine and Roses purple foliage
Would probably bloom around now for you, I think- my old type one finished recently