When my dog ate catnip, immediately I wondered if he was going to start running around like a nut or whether, instead, he’d die. I had no idea what to expect. I think you will feel rest-assured after we discuss a few things.

• It won’t poison your dog! Most dogs have no negative reaction at all. At the most there may be some upset stomach but nothing major. That would also only be if he ate A LOT of it. My dog managed to eat the cat’s two catnip mice. No problem. His stool was a bit runny the next day but nothing of major concern.

• He might start sneezing but that will be the worst of it. You won’t see your dog get overly sick and sneezing to the point of not being able to do anything else. It may seem more like he got dust in his nose. Basically, depending on where the catnip was when he accessed it, it very well could be from the catnip going into his nostrils. Was it loose in a bag or was it part of a mouse that stayed together for the most part. If he chewed the mouse to shreds then he probably got some catnip in his nose!

• It would be a good idea to double-check when you purchase catnip or a catnip toy for your cat that you buy natural, non-sprayed catnip. You always take a chance of something unknown being in the product if it’s been sprayed with something for whatever reason. If you start out buying the catnip in a more natural state, you’ll have less of a chance of your dog getting stomach upset if he does decide to pursue it.

• You may find catnip to have the same effect on your dog as it does on your cat. If your dog starts running around and going crazy (but happy), then you get a 2 for 1 deal when it comes to toys for your animals. You may need to buy a more sturdy one for your dog, though!

• You can make your own “dognip” toy by taking the stuffing out of a normal dog toy and re-stuffing it with anise seeds or anise extract. This makes a WONDERFUL, cheap toy. Especially if you have some extra toys lying around that have seen better stuffing days. It’s a great way to recycle.

• If you do notice that your dog is getting fatigued and sick a lot, and that catnip doesn’t seem to be the real problem, you may need to inspect your dog food choices for him. There are lots of dog foods that aren’t safe and you may be seeing the symptoms of that. It takes some time to research the foods but make sure you take the time to do it.