Best mulch for dog? (safe, eat, pine)

[ECM08]

Hello, and I hope everyone is enjoying the beautiful weather!

Over the last week, I've established substantial flower/planting beds in my backyard -- several thousand square feet. I haven't decided whether pine straw or hardwood mulch would be best for the beds.

For those of you who have dogs, which do you prefer? I'm not talking about for the safety of the dog -- no matter which I choose, I'll make sure it's not treated with chemicals, safe in case she eats it, etc. I'm talking about cleanliness.

I would like to put down whatever would make her paws least dirty when she goes outside. She's not the kind of dog who rolls around in the yard, but just walks and sniffs around. I'd prefer not to have to wipe her feet each and every time she comes back inside!

Any recommendations? I'm not interested in using stone or rubber mulch, thanks.

[joanchris2000]

When we had the pine straw (builder put it in) it kept getting stuck to my dog's fur...if you have a short haired dog (beagle type) I don't imagine it'd be much of a problem. We have cedar mulch and that doesn't make his paws dirty and doesn't stick to his fur either.