Berkeley Parents Network: Landscaping a yard with dogs

Berkeley Parents Network

Landscaping a yard with dogs

Berkeley Parents Network > Advice > Advice about Pets > Landscaping a yard with dogs

Dog-proof ground cover?
Pave our yard for dogs?

Dog-proof ground cover?

March 2005

does anyone know of a good ground covering for the area of yard where the dog goes potty? we need to landscape our yard but have not done so yet. because of this our yard is mainly dirt and mud. i'd like to put something down for the area where the dog goes to the bathroom so that she doesn't get so dirty when i take her out. it will likely be a temporary solution until we get some permanent ground coverings and plants. many thanks. dirty dog owner!

I'm a horticulturist and owner of 3 dogs- 1 male, 2 females. Forget any thoughts you might have of plants for this area! There is nothing that can take the traffic and the urine, and poop is a drag to clean out of plants.

Gravel, 2-3" thick, preferably packed with a heavy hand tamper, is perfect. Dogs like to 'go' on gravel. My dogs naturally go to my gravel driveway for most of their business, but still like to do some in the garden (dealing with that is a whole other story of tricks and tactics).

Use a 3/4" gravel, which is unlikely to get stuck to feet and tracked inside as a smaller gravel can. Choose an ornamental one (there are many) if it's where you see it, or if it's an out-of-sight area, you can use something cheap like drain rock. Cecelia

Pave our yard for dogs?

Feb 2003

I'm trying to figure out a way to pave our yard, 900 sq ft, cheaply and nicely given that we have two dogs and nothing will grow. I was thinking to use pavers or bricks and just have a border of ivy for them to do their business in. But it's very expensive! Any suggestions on alternatives? Cathleen

If pavers or brick are too expensive to landscape a whole yard, maybe you could section off a portion with bark? Bark is inexpensive. Our dog is trained to go on bark, however she will pretty much go anywhere on command. At our prior house, we landscaped a lot of the yard with something called snowstorm. It looked pretty, with little white flowers, plus it was hardy even though our dog peed in it. A picture can be seen here: http://www.provenwinners.com/catalog/details.php?ID=611 We bought this at Navlet's Garden, however I have also recently seen it at Home Depot. It grows well and spreads nicely. Hana

Nothing is going to be dirt cheap! But soft paving is less- like wood chips (1/2'' bark), or decomposed granite (''path fines''), or gravel. Fines make a nice, solid surface if laid in 3- 2'' layers, moist power-tamped at each layer. Gravel will be loose & rolly if laid too thick- use only 1-2'' of a sm to med size. Fines can be laid over gravel & packed in- very nice. Dogs love these surfaces for kbusiness. Re plants: ivy is so boring & invasive- reconsider! Check out easy, low maintenance shrubs & perennials. cflittle

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