Building a dog 'toilet' area in the garden

[Si Withington]

Hi

To save our lawn, I'm thinking of building a dog toilet area in the garden for our ESS. I was thinking of a 'sandpit' type thing, either filled with sand or something like pea gravel (http://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Pea-Shin ... g/p/224555)

Has anyone any experience of doing this? Any thoughts on sand v gravel and if it's to be sand, would cheap builders sand do the job? I'm thinking that the gravel will be more sanitary and easy to clean where as sand could get smelly after a while.

Any thoughts?

PS: beware future posts from me asking for advice on how to get her to actually use it!

Thanks in advance.

[Springfield Pointers]

How does doggy doo-doo ruin your lawn? isn't it just easier to scrape it off the lawn, bag it and bin it? Otherwise get a dog waste connection onto your sewer line coming off your home. You can buy them on line. http://www.thedogdunit.com/dunitdescription.html or http://www.doggiedoodrain.com/xcart//home.php

[Si Withington]

I guess because her poo isn't that solid, you end up taking a large clump of grass with you when you pick it up! Plus, she likes to walk around while pooing, which increases the number of clumps of grass that need ripping up.

[Stacia]

The urine can stain the grass SP! I built an area in the garden and put down bark (do not use the coco bark!!), someone I know used pea gravel and he was very pleased with that. I don't think you would like sand as she would bring it into the house on her feet, the sand that is!

[Springfield Pointers]

The urine can stain the grass SP! I built an area in the garden and put down bark (do not use the coco bark!!), someone I know used pea gravel and he was very pleased with that. I don't think you would like sand as she would bring it into the house on her feet, the sand that is!

Really?! - Never seen that before. Not discounting your observation, just never had that problem with my lawn. Maybe we have different grass (or water) out here.

I guess because her poo isn't that solid, you end up taking a large clump of grass with you when you pick it up! Plus, she likes to walk around while pooing, which increases the number of clumps of grass that need ripping up.

To much info. Eeuuww. Maybe the problem then isn't so much the lawn but what you're feeding. Dogs stools shouldn't be runny all the time.

[Si Withington]

I've only had her for a week so I'm hoping her 'consistency' will settle?

[Rascal]

The grass on our "dog lawn" is the best grass we've got....

I wouldn't use pea gravel she'll end up with a tummy full of the stuff if you aren't very careful....And an expensive vet bill..

If her stools remain loose I'd want to know why....

Rascal

[Stacia]

For the first time in forty years we have a pristine lawn as our last bitch died just before Christmas! The urine does burn the lawn - usually! Rascal is lucky

[station8]

you need to find a food that suits your dog,my spaniels were loose but since i changed to skinners salmon & rice (gluten free) they are fine,they still move along when doing it though

[Si Withington]

How do you do that though? Just keep changing? Surely every time you change the food you get soft poo as they adjust? Any advice?