'Dog Yard' anyone?
 

Two years after losing and mourning for our family dog we were ready for another dog. We got two! Lola is a 5 yr old that a co-worker could no longer care for (supposedly she's a basset mix, but the only basset we really see in her is her bark!) Hank is a 2 yr old rescue basset, he's very large - both physically and personality-wise!

The problem is, in the 2 yrs since our last dog died we've been able to get the yard looking nicer. We've planted a few evergreens and bushes, lavendar, forsythia, etc. The dogs are not in the yard that much as they get 2-3 nice walks every day. We've been trying to research and find some kind of solution, at least for the little yard they can go in when they need to 'potty.' The little yard is a smaller, fenced in area adjoining the larger yard. Just the traffic of them being in and out has worn down the grass and with all the rain it is now quite muddy. Also, Lola is a digger, so there are some holes now.

We've thought about mulch but that doesn't seem to be a great choice. There are some artificial products, I think they're kind of like the rubbery mulch-like stuff some children's playgrounds have. Has anyone tried anything that you can recommend? Thanks for any and all suggestions!

There is a product that is added to the water dish that somehow neutralizes their urine so that it is not so destructive on the grass or plants. That doesn't help much for dogs tearing down bushes ande such. Taking them for a walk twice a day should help give some relief to your yard.

You can get mountain lion urine at some stores to put on your shrubbery to make the dogs avoid it, but of course it won't keep them from making walking paths. You may want to just put down some sort of patio stones.

You can put down pelleted lime, it strengthens the grass and neutralizes the urine. Home Depot sells it.
http://m.homedepot.com/p/Soil-Doctor...ime/100348791/

I also have two wonderful basset hounds!!!! I am no help with the yard. My two have their own fenced yard in the back and do not go into the front. Enjoy your new babies!!!!!!

I"m always amazed at the people who can train their dogs to use a certain part of the yard to potty on.

Try using some paving stones in the area that you allow the dogs to use. Then put in some raised beds for your plants so that it is difficult for the dogs to get into them and dig. You could put some low fencing around the beds as well. That might work - but some dogs are more determined than others, if you know what I mean!

We have a dog yard. It is fenced and runs 15 feet wide by 50 feet long. It turned into a mud hole with 4 dogs using it. I gave up on grass long ago because the yard is very shaded for their comfort. My solution, which has worked great for the last 3 years, is pine chips from Tractor Supply. 2 bales will do their entire yard for less than 10.00. When the chips get funky looking we rake them up and put them in the burn pile ( I can't compost them because of the dog doo) in the summer months I mix in 1 bale of cedar chips to 1 bale of pine to keep the fleas away. We change the chips on average 3 times a year.

Mitch's Mom -- I am going to try your pine/cedar mix. My long hair chihuahua is a flea magnet. I have to put Advantix on her twice as often as I do the other 2 dogs.it gets a bit expensive. And maybe they won't bring in as much mud either

A friend of mine had an area that was all rock/ pebbles that her dogs went on then she just had to wash it down once a week. Worked really well. Hope it might help!