I used it as an experiment in one part of my flower gardens that were fenced away from my dogs when the mulch first was becoming popular. The dog issue is real, but apparently most (but not all) dogs apparently won't touch it. http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/cocoamulch.asp My dogs like blood meal, I wasn't about to try cocoa mulch where they had access.

There are other issues. It is lightweight and can blow away so you might need to water it down when it is new and not yet settled. It also can develop an unattractive mold, especially if you live in a wet climate or it has been really rainy.