Lawn with dogs?

[KENLUDE97]

Ok i bought my house in Spet of 04. The yard was very neglected. So i "threw" down some seed and watered the bare spots. And i left it for the winter and focused on the house. And it seamed to look pretty good buy the time that the snow came. But the problem is that i have the dogs (2 small dogs 15lbs and 20lbs) fenced in and they have the run of the backyard and the kitchen via a doggie door. The dogs have a very distinct pattern for the yard. And everytime that they come out of the house the run the same path. And that is where the dead spots are.

The problem is that the seed that i put down will sprout, but then will promtly ran on and destroyed. Would putting down hay help out my casue? Now i can fence off areas of the yard for the grass to take root, but how to i keep it alive from there constant romping in the yard? Is there a high traffic seed that i should look into? Also the bare spots are right under a LARGE maple tree and will cut off a large amount of light, so i think that i would need a low light seed as well?

I was shopping at H.D. (Home Depot) and i saw that they had a high traffic seed, but i was not sure if it was "real" and if it would work.

Last thing that i heard was fertalizing yards with dogs was very bad for the dogs, is this true? Or just a legand? Would that be enough to keep ALL THE MUD out of my kitchen?

Thanks
Ken :cool2:

[hole in one lco]

1 lesco sells a park & athletic turf seed good for high traffic.
2 have your tree pruned so it will let more light in
3 you can get organic fert if you are worried about you dogs.
4 bock off the areas till the seed has a good root system

[wissel_landscaping]

lesco seed is very good i did a lawn for a guy who has 5 180lb mastiffs his back yard was a mud pit, i used lesco double eagle and his back lawn is still nice and thick and green.

[JWTurfguy]

You don't need to worry about any negative effects from the fert, as far as your dogs are concerned. Realistically, I'd probably be a little worried about the dogs if you're making insecticide applications, but once these things are watered in, there's rarely any real residual, and the chems are designed to give lethal doses to small insects, not larger mammals.

Having dogs in the backyard is probably going to make overseeding a part of your annual program, so plan on throwing down at least a small amount of seed every fall. You should be fine.

ps--hay/straw won't make much of a difference. until the seeds germinate, it might keep the seed from blowing around, but you really should keep the dogs off until the grass is finished germinating.

[dcondon]

we get some fescue 30 wide blade seed from TSC that holds up very good!!!

[muddstopper]

In the wild, animals make trails everywhere. MotherNature cant keep the trails from appearing in the landscape, do you really think you will find a grass seed that will standup to the constant traffic of two dogs.
I am not trying to be sarcastic here, just realistic.

[mbricker]

Mudd is correct. You can have really great grass or you can have dogs. You can't have both. The dogs are going to have their routes that the grass gets worn off of. If you want to cross fence your yard and let the dogs into the separate sections on a rotation, that will give the grass a fighting chance. I would think that would be too much trouble. If you love your pets, you put up with the drawbacks.

[KENLUDE97]

Thanks guys i will try the seed. I'm not trying to have the picture perfect lawn... just "a" lawn.

[Mickhippy]

If the dogs are running the same paths all the time, put something in the way! I thought a couple of star posts and some chicken wire a few yards long would do. Just tie the chicken wire to the posts and knock the post into the ground a bit, no need to go silly.
Just move the "obsticle" every couple of days (could just pull one end up and swing it around each time, kinda like walking.)
It will look a bit strange but if it works....... good!

Well, it was just a thought!

[grasswhacker]

If the dogs are running the same paths all the time, put something in the way! I thought a couple of star posts and some chicken wire a few yards long would do. Just tie the chicken wire to the posts and knock the post into the ground a bit, no need to go silly.
Just move the "obsticle" every couple of days (could just pull one end up and swing it around each time, kinda like walking.)
It will look a bit strange but if it works....... good!

Well, it was just a thought!

Or just put down a mulch path.

[PurpHaze]

hammer the dogs up the side of the head. Maybe they'll start taking different routes each time they go out. j/k :laugh:

[Mickhippy]

Or just put down a mulch path.

Yeah, thats easier, (not) and its still a track aint it!

Did you even think about it? Do you or have you ever had a dog?

Dogs, like humans form habits. That fence thing was to break the habit of running around the same spots all the time.

[grasswhacker]

Yeah, thats easier, (not) and its still a track aint it!

Did you even think about it? Do you or have you ever had a dog?

Dogs, like humans form habits. That fence thing was to break the habit of running around the same spots all the time.

Think about it! What's wrong with having a track and keeping the rest of the yard in good condition without worring about changing the little fence every few days. :laugh:
Yes I do have dogs! Love em' mate!

[Mickhippy]

Ok ok, the fence idea was off the cuff but still, you quoted me so I, um, had a go back!

Honestly though, my fence idea, easy to do, maybe $20 and can be got rid of instantly!
A path, I have no idea what stuffs worth ova there but.. Edging, 2 x 30m???? 60m/ $1.50/m $90 plus mulch and the time it takes to do it. Then theres the raking of the mulch back onto the path everyday, trimming and extra pita mowing.

Weighing it up, I know which way I'd go! ..... Concrete the whole back yard and paint it green! hehe

[grasswhacker]

Ok ok, the fence idea was off the cuff but still, you quoted me so I, um, had a go back!

Honestly though, my fence idea, easy to do, maybe $20 and can be got rid of instantly!
A path, I have no idea what stuffs worth ova there but.. Edging, 2 x 30m???? 60m/ $1.50/m $90 plus mulch and the time it takes to do it. Then theres the raking of the mulch back onto the path everyday, trimming and extra pita mowing.

Weighing it up, I know which way I'd go! ..... Concrete the whole back yard and paint it green! hehe

LOL it would keep their nails pared down!
The reason for the mulch path is that some dogs like shelties and other hyper breeds are more likely to run a constant path around a perimeter. Having a path would keep the other parts of a lawn in better condition and less hassle mowing it by not having to move stuff all the time.

[Mickhippy]

I get the path idea, I just reckon its a cr@p idea! haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa LMao!

Sorry mate! Friday night drinks brings out the sh!t stirrer in me! haaa

Fun and games buddy, fun and games! lol