Dogproof Landscape?

I need some ideas for a dog resistant landscape. What I mean is my dogs have torn up my back yard and we are about to head into summer. I want to enjoy my yard but am not sure how to keep it nice. It's been really wet in my area this year and my dogs have all but torn up the grass from running around the backyard. I need some ideas of what to replace some if not all of the grass with. I have a concrete patio, and last year I mixed and poured an extension on to it so I could build a dog run. It turned out nice, but I never want to do concrete again. I am also not crazy about pavers but have experience with them and could make them work if I had to. Has anyone remodeled their back yard to accommodate their dogs?

 

Are they ruining the grass just from running around, are they digging it up, using it as their bathroom? I was able to train my dog to only dig in a certain area, and she has a specific restroom spot. That's all on the sides of the house. She can dig and crap at her discretion and it's kinda out of sight/out of mind. She only really lounges and runs around on the grass, she doesn't damage it.

 

They are ruining it just from running around. They stay in the dog run during the day while I'm at work. They do use the yard for their bathroom but don't dig or try to bury their crap. It's so wet that all they have to do is slide on the grass to tear it up.

 

down here, one popular thing is synthetic grass. My buddy had it done because he had the same issue with his dogs. It looks decent, and its very durable.

 

I actually looked into that before I did concrete for my dog run, but its really spendy, and I'm not sure how that would effect the resale value of my house. I don't plan to live in this house forever. I need a bigger garage and less neighbors.

 

Is it getting torn up b/c of it being so soggy? Have you looked at trying to help the drainage situation (if there is even one). Aerating heavily and adding sand in the spring is a easy way of helping. But if you're looking at a change, maybe the type of grass isn't ideal. I've heard that Kentucky Bluegrass is a pretty durable and could be good for you up in the Pacific Northwest.
There's some different techniques that you could try too depending on how the dogs are tearing it up. Reading the article below, it brought up a good point if damage is happening in particular areas, training your dog out of those areas can help (like previous poster mentioned). Rock beds along fences, moveable fences to divide up sections etc are all options.

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/lawn-types-can-stand-up-dogs-26746.html

 

Thanks! Drainage is an issue in yard but there is already a good amount of sand under the topsoil to help with that. I think rock beds along the fence will help to alleviate that some of the moisture seeping in from the neighbors yard as well. The grass itself is something I never put too much through into, but I will look into that now that I have to replant half of the yard.

 

So I am working on one section at at time to keep the dogs off the lawn yet still give them the space they need. I also switched to a better quality food and that has dramatically decreased the amount of fecal matter being deposited in the lawn. I raked, sprinkled top soil and seeded with bluegrass seed as that is supposed to grow well in my area. Hopefully it grows in and turns out nicely. I am reluctant to fertilize these spots as my dogs like to eat grass. Any pet safe alternatives?

 

You'd be a good candidate for artificial turf. Not the cheesy kind installed in the first football fields in the 80's, but the new kind that the actually make an effort to make look like real grass.

 

I use chicken litter on the farm and in my garden to add nitrogen and a few other nutrients back into the soil, if you have a chicken house close I'm sure they would give you some. Almost any manure would work specially cow waste. That would keep it natural. A general 10-10-10 bag of fertilizer is cheap (but not natural), just keep the dogs off the grass until you get a good rain or two and it gets absorbed into the soil.

 

This is true but I would rather spend my money on truck parts and gas

 

I just let my dog have at it. I like my dog better than grass. I do walk her 5 miles a day so she’s kind of worn out, but my yard still looks kind of Munster, and I’m ok with that.

 

My buddy has fake grass and my dogs hate it. They won't play on it like they do real grass. Here (Az) the fake grass gets very hot in summer months as well. Plus it's super expensive.

 

This has been my approach so far I really am just wanting to avoid the mud bog when it rains/snows.

 

Comes down to what is more important to you The yard or the Canines ??

To me the Canines win hands down .

 

I have been planting Zoysa grass for years..its really made for down south, but it works up here in MA also. Engineered to grow 1.5 inches tall, and grows thick. It crawls along the ground like a vine. You plant it in a checkerboard pattern, and it grows together, then you can take plugs from that, for more sections. Not an immediate fix, but it is a very sturdy grass for when the dogs "cut a turn" in the yard

 

Canines without a doubt.