Gardeners’ World host Monty Don issued a warning to dog owners during an episode of his BBC hit show
Monde Mwitumwa and Emmanuella Ngimbi
14:43, 28 Feb 2026
Monty Don warned dog owners(Image: BBC)
Monty Don made his return to the BBC with the latest instalment of Gardener’s World, though as the programme began, he felt compelled to issue viewers with an important warning.
With Spring approaching, the cherished horticulturist showcased early-season produce, with rhubarb taking centre stage. Throughout the segment on the BBC show, the 70 year old was spotted working in his garden and harvesting the robust vegetable stalks from the ground, whilst disclosing that his plant has been thriving for 36 years.
Monty advised viewers: “Never cut it, you always pull rhubarb,” he delivered a critically important message regarding the foliage on the plants.
The gardening expert cautioned: “Of course, you don’t eat the leaves, and in fact, rhubarb leaves are poisonous for dogs. “Not that I’ve ever known a dog want to eat a rhubarb leaf, but if you find your dog eating it, stop it.”
Monty Don’s dog Ned makes regular appearances on the show(Image: BBC)
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As Monty explained the dangers of the rhubarb leaves, his adorable golden retriever, Ned, appeared on screen with his eyes closed as the BBC star placed the basket of vegetables behind him.
According to Rover.com, the leaves of rhubarb contain soluble oxalate crystals, which can cause two main areas of concern for dogs, including a calcium level drop, as the chemical compound binds itself to the calcium in the dog’s body.
It can also cause kidney failure, as soluble oxalate crystals accumulate in the kidney and damage the organ.
The signs to look for include drooling, vomiting, diarrhoea, loss of appetite, and abdominal pain. Advanced symptoms include tremors, weakness, bloody urine, and potential kidney failure.
Monty Don warned of rhubarb leaves being poisonous to dogs(Image: BBC)
Monty’s dog warning comes days after he shared a “tragic” update about his life at home with Ned.
Addressing his 1.5 million followers on Instagram, the presenter shared a sweet clip of his golden pooch who had a ball in his mouth as he avoided handing it over, which, according to the host, was a very normal thing to take place in their house.
Taking to the caption, Monty wrote: “It’s tragic how much pleasure this endless game gives Ned (and me).” But while he may have thought it was tragic, his followers felt very differently as they flooded his comments with glee.
You can catch up on Gardeners World on BBC iPlayer
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