Anyone have a designated potty area in their yard for their dog?

[Anonymous]

We are getting a puppy soon. Before then, we are considering building a designated potty area. I've read about how to do it online and it seems pretty easy. I'd like to hear from some others who have done this and how it has worked out.

Also, what is the top layer of material that your dog actually goes to the bathroom on? I've read about using small stones or K9 turf.

Any negatives I need to be aware of?

[Anonymous]

My 2 dogs go in one area. But we didn't do anything special.

[Anonymous]

I take my dog to the sane spot to owe since it kills the grass. She always poops in the same spots if I let her run around.

[Anonymous]

1. Choose a spot. Dirt or grass, it doesn't matter.
2. When you bring the dog home for the first time, this is where you bring him as soon as he gets down from the car.
3. Every time the dog has to go, you bring him, on his leash, to his spot. The smell of previous bathroom trips will naturally encourage him to keep using that spot.

Easy.

[Anonymous]

We have a fenced "dog run" beside our house. We put down water permeable black gardening paper (mainly to keep the weeds down), and it is covered with gravel. We originally had mulch, but the dogs tracked it into the house. We scoop the poop immediately after the dogs have been out there, and it stays pretty clean. There is a short fence between the dog run and the yard. We have to add gravel a couple of times a year.

We first took the dogs out on a leash into the dog run, but I leave the gate open and now both dogs know to go straight into the dog run when let out our back door, and even if we're just hanging out in the yard, they generally will go into there to use the bathroom.

One of our dogs actually likes hanging out there. It's a nice, sheltered area with a dog house and covered by shade trees, and I think it makes him feel safe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have a fenced "dog run" beside our house. We put down water permeable black gardening paper (mainly to keep the weeds down), and it is covered with gravel. We originally had mulch, but the dogs tracked it into the house. We scoop the poop immediately after the dogs have been out there, and it stays pretty clean. There is a short fence between the dog run and the yard. We have to add gravel a couple of times a year.

We first took the dogs out on a leash into the dog run, but I leave the gate open and now both dogs know to go straight into the dog run when let out our back door, and even if we're just hanging out in the yard, they generally will go into there to use the bathroom.

One of our dogs actually likes hanging out there. It's a nice, sheltered area with a dog house and covered by shade trees, and I think it makes him feel safe.

Thank you! Does the area smell? I read using some sort of rock makes it easy to spray off with the hose and eliminate a pee smell.

[Anonymous]

I wish I'd thought of doing this when we first got our dog!!

Is it too late to create a designated area in the yard? Any tips on helping the dog get the idea when previously he could just go anywhere?

[Anonymous]

We did this for two puppies that joined our family this December. They picked it up very quickly. That part was nice - it could be quite cold and they generally would get right down to business when we took them to the designated area. The problem was that the area got in bad shape pretty quickly. The grass died due to frequent use + winter, so it was pretty muddy (from melting snow or rain, plus puppy potty output) and we were having to wash their paws every time they came in the house. We tried shifting them to an area covered in mulch, but that area was not appealing to them.

[Anonymous]

We made a "go spot" - larger rocks on the bottom, smaller rocks on the top. Dog pee goes straight through (it's at least 6 inches deep with a permeable lining underneath it - NOT PLASTIC SHEETING). Dog poop is easy to pick up. We trained by taking her there EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. and giving her a treat as soon as she used the "go spot". She figured it out fairly quickly and heads there automatically now. I did not want a minefield of dog poop all over the yard where our kids play, and every time I watch our neighbor wander around and pick up dog poop all over, I'm SO glad we made the "go spot".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I take my dog to the sane spot to owe since it kills the grass. She always poops in the same spots if I let her run around.

We've started giving our dog a probiotic that is supposed to stop the pee from killing/burning the grass. It works.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I take my dog to the sane spot to owe since it kills the grass. She always poops in the same spots if I let her run around.

We've started giving our dog a probiotic that is supposed to stop the pee from killing/burning the grass. It works.

Link?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I take my dog to the sane spot to owe since it kills the grass. She always poops in the same spots if I let her run around.

We've started giving our dog a probiotic that is supposed to stop the pee from killing/burning the grass. It works.

Link?

http://www.nutri-vet.com/grass-guard-max-chewables/

We buy it at Petvalu. Amazon and Chewy both have it, too.

[Anonymous]

I take my puppy to our pine tree. Nothing grows there since the ground is carpeted with pine needles, and the rain doesn't often get through, so it's usually dry as well. A comfy pee spot!

Poo is different. The dog has to move a little before passing it, so he will likely not do this if you bring him straight to the pee spot before your walk. We have gotten into the habit of going to the pee spot, then starting our walk, and he does number two somewhere during the walk, NEVER on people's property, but on the grassy verge between the sidewalk and the street. I pick it up every single time, and have even gone back for a poo if I ran out of bags. Don't leave the bag in people's trash cans if they've just been emptied on trash pick up day, it will stick to the bottom and create an ungodly mess. Carry it with you until you can get rid of it in a city trash can, or your own.

[Anonymous]

We don’t have a fenced in yard but did fence in a small 4 x 10 feet area off our deck which we put in pet turf (professionally installed with gravel base). Easy to rinse off, no filler needed and keeps the dog’s feet clean. It has been great and I highly recommend doing this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We don’t have a fenced in yard but did fence in a small 4 x 10 feet area off our deck which we put in pet turf (professionally installed with gravel base). Easy to rinse off, no filler needed and keeps the dog’s feet clean. It has been great and I highly recommend doing this.

This is OP. We ended up doing this, but we installed it ourselves. Our area is maybe 5x8. We are still waiting for our puppy, but wanted to get the potty area done before winter. We put ours in the back of out lot behind a tree. I also plan to put more landscaping around the area.