Hi All

After months of looking at the mud bath that used to be my garden i have decided i must do something about it. I originally decided that i was just going to pave the whole lot and be done with it. However, today i saw an advert for artificial grass, it claims to be dog friendly and look like real grass and i was wondering if any of you dog friendly people had ever tried it and if so is it worth having?

Where did you see that advertised?
i would be interested to know if it could withstand our kai ( who thinks he's a JCB) and his digging.

Think im going to have to gravel our back garden, as its cheaper than flags.

My garden is an absolute mess. We had new lawn laid about a month before we brought our puppy home, and now it is just mud, with track lines down where she runs at high speed down to the bottom of the garden to chase the birds!

Hiya

It was on a card that was put through my door this morning, you can find them at www.artificiallawn.co.uk. I called them and asked about dogs and they said that the lawn was very dog friendly, my shepherd is a bit of a digger as well. They are going to send me a sample through the post so that i can see wether or not i think it would be suitable.

I thought about gravel but wasn't sure wether it would be a good idea with a dog that has a dodgy stomach or not

Thanks mich :)

Ive had a look round their website, from what i can see unless all the edges will be hidden under stone or flags, our kai will dig it up and chew it to pieces. Oh well, thanks anyway, guess its back to gravel or flags if i can get them cheap enough ;)

I think you might be right,i hadn't thought of that. If you find a good alternative that is doggy proof i would love to know.

doggy proof! LOL
I think it will have to be more like JCB proof for my dog ;) :D

We had gravel down after being left with a mud pit too, and its been great i had to fence it off for a while to get the dogs used to peeing elsewhere and then they were let on it and told off when they cocked their leg or squatted.

Could you not do that? designate them a piece of grass/mud just for them? its really quite easy to re-train them.

mygirl
my entire back garden is designated for the dog, The nice lookin front one is for us LOL
So toileting on gravel is not an issue for me as that is where he goes now. I must say i find it very easy to clean up and keep sweet smelling ;)
My problem is finding something he cant dig throu :D

Hmm, sounds interesting if only I had any money (looks out at swamp in back garden). :-)

I dont understand your point? Surely you can fence off one area for the dog only i have danes and its not even much space and they do it only in that area.

(edit thats to kai)

Mygirl

>its not even much space and they do it only in that area.

sorry they only do what it that area?

HI Mitch and all
Sorry for getting into this a bit late but.... I am a gardner. Nothing flash just self employed for16yrs.
What you need is slabs. Chippings are cheaper but get a quote from a builder to put slabs/paving with additional drainage so you can wash down easily. It wont be a low price but when its down it stays down.
Do not use brick paving as a client of mine had this done (not by me) and within 1week Her two Rot x dogs had ripped 25% OF IT BACK UP.
Regards
Hairy Bear

>It wont be a low price

LOL your not kidding, the flags/slabs alone for my small back garden will cost around£300 and thats without anything to lay them on or someone paid to do it, oh and the fact that the whole lot needs to be levelled first thanks to Kai's diggin

oh well it will be drier weather soon ;)
she says hopefully

May be I should have asked the size first.
But slabs and extra drainage are the only dog proof answer but it is as you say expensive
Slabs on there own just give you more problems .
H.B.

Hi,

I am inclined to agree with Hairy Bear, after many ideas and different solutions in the end I cordained off a piece of garden and laid slabs, it stops mud being trailed in, and is very easy to keep clean.  I would have thought that the artifical grass would still get dirty aswell.  My best solution that would have still looked lovely and green and been easy to clean was that stuff they put on childrens playgrounds, looks like tarmac, but is soft to walk on and to have it specially fitted. But it was more than the slabs............ so slabs it is!!!!