Just wondering if anyone has any ideas.

We are staying with a friend for the foreseeable future. Can't do any major garden alterations as it's not ours to change obviously. Beyond the conservatory doors there is an area of gravel that you have to walk over to get to the lawn. Talli is really struggling with the gravel due to arthritis and ligament problems in his paws. I need something to lay over it that is thick enough to completely cushion his feet from it, heavy enough to stay put, and suitable to be left out in all weathers. I have tried those interlocking yoga mats as they are all I have to hand but they are really not suitable and take off across the garden even if a mouse sneezes 10 miles away.

He has problems as it is with his feet but the gravel is making the problem 100 times worse. He limps heavily when walking over it and ends up going all over the place as he can't keep his balance on it due to not weight bearing evenly. He is now limping even when he's come off the gravel!

Any ideas?

I was going to suggest the yoga mat things, you can get different weights, perhaps a heavier one would work.
What about an old bit of carpet or rug ? It would get totally wrecked but should be cheap, you can get cheap rugs in Ikea.

Cheap lino offcut maybe?

I too would opt for a hessian backed carpet.  Try and get one that's made completely of natural fibres so that it absorbs water and will gently rot - a hessian sack will also do the job quite well but will need to be weighted down so look at tucking it under a couple of logs/sleepers or bricks.  Don't use man made fibres as they may leach chemicals into the soil, will be a problem for mice which may nibble at it, and it won't rot when you need to chuck it out eventually.

Ask on Freecycle for old wool carpets or rugs that someone may be chucking out or ask at your nearest carpet warehouse for a small long offcut or a redundant carpet 'book' from which you can make 'stepping stones'.

Turn the carpet over so that the hessian is the top surface, it will have enough friction to prevent slipping, be comfortable on his feet and joints, and look very natural after a bit of weathering too :)

Thanks for the ideas guys. Left a big roll of old carpet at our old house! Will ask on Freecycle and see if anyone has anything suitable going spare.

What about booties for the dog?  Maybe put a piece of closed cell ensolite in the bottom?

might be cheaper to buy a pack of paving slabs and make a pathway for him, if you can leave a gap between each one too so you don't need as many?   Easy to take up afterwards too and won't rot/smell like the carpet :)

He's got Neopaws boots but isn't particularly enamoured with them! Not sure they would really be practical anyway as he goes in and out alot on garden patrol and we'll have the doors open in the summer so I'd be taking them on and off constantly.

Thanks for the suggestion anyway :)

Rubber matting as used in stables and horse trailers? You might be able to find someone to let you have off cuts.

I thought of paving slabs Ruby Roo :) Only problem is that he is a clumsy oaf and goes flying out the door in a frenzy if he suspects that something is lurking out there, so he would probably end up doing himself even more damage!

I've looked into the rubber matting Zan. Found some large pieces for really good value on eBay but the courier charge was £60! Don't know anyone with horses unfortunately.

Just finished carpeting the gravel :-D Works great!

> Just finished carpeting the gravel

LOL - the things we have to do for our dog :) I have a dog that can't walk on gravel (she usually hops), so appreciate the problem you must have :( Fortunately we have loads of grass in the garden otherwise we would be carpetting it too :) :) Which vacuum cleaner are you planning to use ?? A wet and dry ???? :) :)

Haha!:-D :-D  I suppose I could hoover it in the summer actually though! Its location means that it will have direct sun on it for most of the day in the warmer months. Might even have a picnic out there on it :-D Talli seems to approve anyway.

> Talli seems to approve anyway

That's the main thing :) :)