Landscaping a dog yard

[Yay Chicks!]

Dog poop is gross. But dog poop that hasn't been picked up in a couple weeks because of the incessant downpour of rain is super gross. I'm tired of taking divots out of the lawn trying to get it all up with the shovel.

I have a large backyard. One third of it has been fenced off for the dogs so that they don't run into the other side with the chickens, the garden and the compost. The ground is uneven and the grass is poor quality. So, I'm wondering what kind of ideas are out there for what to put down on the ground if I take up the grass. Also, any other landscaping tips for a dog yard would be appreciated, but I'm mostly concerned about the ground. Also, the least expensive the option, the more likely I'll be able to implement it.

My dogs are large, but are not diggers.

Thanks

 

[muddyhorse]

3/4 gravel and 1/4 dirt. they will just tear up anything else

 

[lcw1995]

Quote:
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[Tala]

Well if you switch to a raw diet there won't be enough poop to require scooping

But I agree with the others, gravel is probably the way to go. That's what I've seen in kennels and vet "potty break yards" etc. because nothing else is gonna last.

 

[4 the Birds]

Our dog pens are around 30' x 30' of grassy area. Most of the grass gets beat down and I add pine chips to muddy areas during the rainy season. I also lay 12" x 12" x 1" pavers in front of doors and along high traffic areas. I would keep the dogs confined to a smaller run area while you are away or can't supervise. Ideally this should be concrete or pavers and close to a water source so that you can hose down. They can run the yard for excersize but a daily bucket/scoop trip will go a long way to keeping the yard clean. I'm out there every day... rain, shine, or snow.

 

[BlacksheepCardigans]

Not gravel. Rock-eaters are major $$ for surgery and it always seems like they surprise you by deciding to eat rocks when they've never done it before.

I think the most successful long-term solution is pavers on a bed of sand; that's what most dog people end up doing, after years of struggling with it. Our high-traffic dog yard has a foot of sand over concrete. The concrete was pre-existing or I wouldn't have done it that way; pavers are better because the urine can run off.

 

[Yay Chicks!]

Thank you for the input. My dogs are older and in the house most of the time. They spend more time outside when the weather is nice, but when it's cold or rainy they just want back in after a potty break.
I'm not worried about rock eating as they have a tiny path of rock that leads to the yard and they've never eaten that, but thanks for the heads up.
So...3/4 gravel, 1/4 dirt...is that mixed? Or gravel over dirt? And what kind of gravel?
I wonder if it would work the do the gravel thing, but use the large playground wood chips for their major paths around the perimeter. They don't usually poop on those paths so maybe they wouldn't kick it up as much...
Anyway, thanks. A project for spring.