# Dog run maintenance?



## BarclaysMom (Aug 24, 2008)

I have a 'doggie courtyard' next to the house, accessible through a doggie door in the wall of the bedroom. The courtyard has grass, bushes, and a solid 6 ft vinyl fence all the way around, so we can feel the dogs are safe going out and using it anytime. Originally this area was a gravel surfaced space between the house and garage. Our oldest dog doesn't like going on gravel, so we scraped up much of the gravel and put down squares of turf and planted bushes around the edges for the indoor cats to enjoy. The entire area is about 12 ft x 12ft x 18 ft (it's a triangle)

Problem is after a few years the grass has died in spots and there are muddy areas. We put cedar chips down in the muddy areas a couple years ago, and the dogs tracked chips in on their paws for months - it was a mess. And of course after having been used as a potty area for the last 5 years or so, it smells like pee. Because of the unevenness of the dead spots in the grass, it is getting hard to pick up poo.

This is not their only area, but it's a convenience for them when we are away, or at night, because we have coyotes around here and it is safer for them to use the courtyard after dark than to go out in the main yard.

So I'd like to get rid of the pee smell, and either get grass growing again, or put down some other surface that would be easier to pick up the poo from. Any suggestions as to the best way to remodel/maintain this area?


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## zimandtakandgrrandmimi (May 8, 2008)

we are planning a run in our yard...

So's idea is basically to build a large sandbox..fence it in and cover it with straw...when the sand gets nasty just replace he says...we are still discussing ideas though...


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## Dakota Spirit (Jul 31, 2007)

zimandtakandgrrandmimi said:


> we are planning a run in our yard...
> 
> So's idea is basically to build a large sandbox..fence it in and cover it with straw...when the sand gets nasty just replace he says...we are still discussing ideas though...


That sounds like a bit of a headache...
How do you replace the sand? Do you have to dig out all the old first? How would you do that, with wheelbarrows and shovels? 

Lol having had to go through that process while laying down wood chips I wouldn't be eager to repeat it every time the sandbox needed changing


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## digits mama (Jun 13, 2007)

I sprinkle helpings of garden lime in my dog run and I also spot planted St. Augustine grass last fall. The lime contols the odors and gets rid of all kinds of bugs including fleas. Urine has nitrogen that most shallow rooted grass cannot take, The lime helps balance that out too. After almost a year and a half of daily use, the only bare spots is where they started digging for underground critters I also water it lightly twice a week in the evening.

Only thing bad about it is the dog run has to be shut down for about 5 days..3 to saturate daily and 2 to dry. I do this every 3 months or so.

Or i have heard of rubber mats


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## poodleholic (Mar 15, 2007)

I went to rock, and glad of it. It's easy to keep clean and odor free (I use Odoban in a container attached to the hose, and blast away). Wood chips and straw get nasty, and it's even nastier getting rid of it!


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## melgrj7 (Sep 21, 2007)

We are also trying to figure out what to do with our dog pen. Its all weeds and mud. My plan is to teach the dogs to go in one little part of it, like a 4X4 corner of it or something and put either wood chips or gravel down there. Then grass can grow in the rest of it so they have a nice area to hang out it.


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## BarclaysMom (Aug 24, 2008)

poodleholic said:


> I went to rock, and glad of it. It's easy to keep clean and odor free (I use Odoban in a container attached to the hose, and blast away). Wood chips and straw get nasty, and it's even nastier getting rid of it!


What sort of rock did you go with? Something small like pea gravel?


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## zimandtakandgrrandmimi (May 8, 2008)

Dakota Spirit said:


> That sounds like a bit of a headache...
> How do you replace the sand? Do you have to dig out all the old first? How would you do that, with wheelbarrows and shovels?
> 
> Lol having had to go through that process while laying down wood chips I wouldn't be eager to repeat it every time the sandbox needed changing


that's about what I said...he wants sand because they are digging demons. I told him we should do a little sandbox for them to huff around in and have a separate area for potty. men  he gets an idea in his pretty little head and is all for it and wants to see it through and THEN change it if it sucks...

plans are still in the works lol...

the area is fifteen by ten. with some natural shade but not much so we are building sweet doghouses, one for each dog as the area will be split in half into two pens. the dog houses are octogonal and raised about two and half feet off the ground with a pointed roof that overhangs the entrances so if it rains while the girls are out the houses should stay dry and they can lay in the shade under them if the weather is hot. I thought it would be cool to have recreational small sandboxes for the houses to sit on cuz shaded sand stays nice and cool and the parts of the sandboxes that get sun will be good for my sunbathing pups to dig a nook to get cozy in..they love dirt...but sand seems a little cleaner. grass is going to be a bad idea...it WON'T survive...lol

we will be doing some more on/off arguing about it...any suggestions would be appreciated...


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## winniec777 (Apr 20, 2008)

We moved and haven't set up a new area yet, but at our last house we had a mulched area in the side yard with a privacy fence. We kept a lined step can and a poop scoop there so we could pick up after every visit. We changed the mulch every 2-3 months and sprayed with a mixture of bleach and water in between changes. We used a larger mulch, not cedar, and the dog rarely tracked any around. We also had a cement path down the middle of it that we would stand on while the dog went potty on the mulch so there wasn't an issue with our tracking anything into the house either. The area never smelled.

The gravel is a good idea but it's heavy when you pick up enough of it with the poop -- can break the trash bag. You wouldn't want that mess!


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## poodleholic (Mar 15, 2007)

BarclaysMom said:


> What sort of rock did you go with? Something small like pea gravel?


I used "pea rock" not pea gravel. It's the same rock that is used when they mix rock into asphalt for paving, but much smaller. It shifts much less, as the rough edges grab each other, so the rocks don't slide around. Easier for the dogs to walk in and easier for YOU to walk on.



> The gravel is a good idea but it's heavy when you pick up enough of it with the poop -- can break the trash bag. You wouldn't want that mess!


If you're picking up rock along with the poop, then your dogs poop must be sticky or mushy. I never have that problem, but, my dogs' poop is firm and formed, and if left, disintigrates into dust.


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## wvasko (Dec 15, 2007)

I use very tough rubber mats as thick a tire if I have a 4 by 12 ft kennel run you can order a 5 by 13 ft mat put kennel on top of mat and you are set easy to clean and Clorox etc easy on pads and I have some that are 15 yrs old they are indestructible. They will ship but they are expensive.


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## txcollies (Oct 23, 2007)

Can you put Garden lime down in a small run? Currently all I have is dirt runs. I have a 12 x 12 and 6 x 10.


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## klip (Jul 22, 2008)

digits mama said:


> I sprinkle helpings of garden lime in my dog run and I also spot planted St. Augustine grass last fall. The lime contols the odors and gets rid of all kinds of bugs including fleas. Urine has nitrogen that most shallow rooted grass cannot take, The lime helps balance that out too. After almost a year and a half of daily use, the only bare spots is where they started digging for underground critters I also water it lightly twice a week in the evening.
> 
> Only thing bad about it is the dog run has to be shut down for about 5 days..3 to saturate daily and 2 to dry. I do this every 3 months or so.


So is it important to keep the dogs out if you are putting down lime?


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## BarclaysMom (Aug 24, 2008)

I think lime is caustic. How do you know when it is dissolved enough to put the dog run back into use?


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## klip (Jul 22, 2008)

BarclaysMom said:


> I think lime is caustic. How do you know when it is dissolved enough to put the dog run back into use?


There are different types of lime. Not all are caustic. This article explains quite nicely.


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## digits mama (Jun 13, 2007)

It is such a fine dust that I even use face masks and eye protection when using it. It does break down into its components in the soil. As long as it is saturated daily for 3 days or so and left to dry for a few days..it usually isnt a problem. It is of an alkaline nature and it will dry out your hands and nostrils if you dont use proper face masks and gloves. So I never would leave the dogs around it until it is amended properly.

Here is the safety data sheet for the stuff I use.
http://www.gardenhealth.com/msds/straights/gardenlime.pdf


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## klip (Jul 22, 2008)

thanks that 's a very useful document. And the fire precautions are amusing too


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## BarclaysMom (Aug 24, 2008)

That's good to know, I always thought it was all caustic, and I avoid dealing with hazardous stuff if I can.

It sounds to me like gravel might be the best solution for our dog run, if I can get the older dog to potty on it. The gravel that was there before was the chunky driveway gravel, and it wasn't pleasant to walk on. I guess bark chips would be a good second choice. It's hard to get a lawnmower back there to maintain the grass, so it gets overgrown and weedy between mowings.

I'll definitly get some odoban or natures miracle and spray back there. I hadn't thought of using that stuff outdoors.


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## animalcraker (Nov 9, 2006)

How about fake grass, that's what I have on my balcony and it's great. It never needs to be watered and it never gets any of those nasty yellow spots. The best part is I don't need to retrain my dogs to use a different surface, so my older dogs took to it straight away. It also looks nic and gves me a nice area to relax. It's very easy to clean and sanitize as well. I have one of those garden sprayers and just use a Lisol and vinegar mixture to spray it down every few months.


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## BarclaysMom (Aug 24, 2008)

I hadn't thought of fake grass. Where do you get it? Like at HOme Depot or something?


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## animalcraker (Nov 9, 2006)

We had to order it online a few years back, but it's becomming more popular so I'm sure you're local hardware store could help get it for you.


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