We have 2 large dogs who have beaten a path in our back yard. They have
done this in our previous house's yard as well. The problem is that this
path naturally is all dirt since no grass can grow because the dogs walk on
it everyday. When it rains, the path becomes a giant mud pit. We had so
much rain for awhile there that the dogs started forming *another* path
around the original path because they didn't want to romp thru the mud. I
personally am getting tired of having to wipe their paws off all the time.
We are looking for a solution to help combat this problem. I was thinking
of maybe putting flat stone on the path, but wonder if they will still walk
on it.

Have you or do you experience this problem w/ your large dogs? If so, have
you done anything to the path so that the dogs aren't walking on the dirt?
Thanks for any input!

"ChitaShines" wrote in
. com:

We have 2 large dogs who have beaten a path in our back yard. They
have done this in our previous house's yard as well. The problem is
that this path naturally is all dirt since no grass can grow because
the dogs walk on it everyday. When it rains, the path becomes a giant
mud pit. We had so much rain for awhile there that the dogs started
forming *another* path around the original path because they didn't
want to romp thru the mud. I personally am getting tired of having to
wipe their paws off all the time. We are looking for a solution to
help combat this problem. I was thinking of maybe putting flat stone
on the path, but wonder if they will still walk on it.

Have you or do you experience this problem w/ your large dogs? If so,
have you done anything to the path so that the dogs aren't walking on
the dirt? Thanks for any input!

We have exactly this problem. Our solution, which has held up
brilliantly well in a Pacific Northwest monsoon, was to lay 2" of 1/4"
gravel screenings over the pathway area to the house. We also bedded
16" square concrete pavers into the gravel.

Our path funnels down the side of a shed to the house, so dogs have no
option but to take the last 15' of their journey to the house over the
gravel and pavers.

We ended up covering the entire area that never grows satisfactory grass
anyway. It's neat and much more attractive than the old mud pit was.
We also take good care to get a well-rooted, healthy lawn in the
remaining grassy area. It's much more resistant to damage now. I hope
to teach my next pup to pee in the gravelled area, thereby sparing the
grass more damage.

The mud situation in my kitchen has *significantly* eased this winter
over last year.

Hope this helps.

--
Kate
and Storm the FCR

You could also try wood chips which are abundant and often free before
investing in paving stones or gravel.
"ChitaShines" wrote in message
. com...
We have 2 large dogs who have beaten a path in our back yard. They have
done this in our previous house's yard as well. The problem is that this
path naturally is all dirt since no grass can grow because the dogs walk
on it everyday. When it rains, the path becomes a giant mud pit. We had
so much rain for awhile there that the dogs started forming *another* path
around the original path because they didn't want to romp thru the mud. I
personally am getting tired of having to wipe their paws off all the time.
We are looking for a solution to help combat this problem. I was thinking
of maybe putting flat stone on the path, but wonder if they will still
walk on it.

Have you or do you experience this problem w/ your large dogs? If so,
have you done anything to the path so that the dogs aren't walking on the
dirt? Thanks for any input!

"John Bennett" wrote in
:

You could also try wood chips which are abundant and often free before
investing in paving stones or gravel.

For what it's worth, we did try that, and a small area of pea gravel, with
minimal success. Chips and gravel both were prone to being flung about by
running dogs. In addition, the chips, in a PNW winter, quickly returned to
the earth from whence they came.

The crushed screenings stay put, as long as you have a nice firm boundary,
like railroad ties or sturdy garden edging.

--
Kate
and Storm the FCR