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  1. #1
    Senior Dog Labradorks's Avatar
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    How do you keep your yard looking nice?

    I have some grass in my backyard and am trying to keep it from permanently dying. With dogs it's tough. I'm not looking for a perfect lawn. I'm trying to re-seed with clover as it takes less water doesn't need to be mowed much, but it's not taking well. I've got some tough areas of clayish soil. I think the pee is causing the biggest issue.

    I do fertilize twice a year, spread some mulch every early spring, do the thing where you put the little holes in the ground (forget what it's called), reseed with clover (hoping the clover takes over the grass), and I do water a bit in the summer but don't want to overdo it due to the waste (resources AND money).

    Anyone have any secrets to a decent lawn?

  2. #2
    Senior Dog
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    Our yard has shady places where grass is impossible...those places have "permanent" mulch (rubber mulch needs to be topped off every now and then, hence the quote marks).

    Our yard has a swampy area where water drains but not enough to really be anything but a gully...with a major spread out area on the fence side. Grass is touch and go there...we do have swamp irises and Japanese Willows to suck up some of the moisture but it's mainly mud and trenches. I'm happy that Danny learned "no swamp" so that I don't always have to hose him down all the time.

    The grassy area is basically on its own. In years past we've done the sod/seeding things but were never happy. Bob isn't allowed to use anything on the grass in the backyard because of the dogs. We did have one dog whose pee yellowed things but that hasn't been the norm for us. Our secret to having a lawn that looks green and happy despite deliberate "neglect"? We have well-tended weeds. Clover. Plantain. Violets. The grass we have is the nasty stuff that likes to get into the mulched areas. But it's green and mowed religiously and unless you're standing in it and looking down at your feet, it looks like OK lawn. The bunnies love the clover and the groundhog that comes up from his den opening under our shed loves the plantain and violets...and leaves everything else in the yard alone. Funny how we have no dandelions in the backyard...I guess Mother Nature knows no one would want to eat those. (although Baffle used to pop the tops off dandelions)

    (holes in the ground = aerating; yeah, we don't do that either)

  3. #3
    Senior Dog ckfalz's Avatar
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    May 2014
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    Not me. My lawn is dying more and more and the yard it dirt / mud. Makes for a constant mess in the house. Never had trouble with previous dogs but with these two nothing I do saves the lawn.
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  4. #4
    Senior Dog Macy's Avatar
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    We just did a major project in our backyard with a deck, patio, fireplace and landscaping. The grass is another story. She tears it up chasing squirrels, playing ball... We overseed in the spring and the fall and aerate,(the little hole thingys) but it's tough with a big dog and a small space. Dog pee spots are abundant unless it's rainy like it has been this spring. I remember reading about something you can spray on dog pee spots?
    Macy has made paths through the yard playing ball and I have decided to find them charming. She never poops on her paths and she always carries her ball back to me via her paths.
    I decided to concentrate on my flowers and landscaping and not the grass Macy also enjoys grazing on the grass.

  5. #5
    Senior Dog JackK's Avatar
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    May 2014
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    Its depressing at times to get the yard in shape and have the dog decide that the new mulch needs to be moved from the beds to the grass or patio. I just finished spreading 8 yards of mulch in all of the beds. I walked to the back yard and the first bed that I had finished. Cassie fired a good amount of mulch out of the bed onto the walkway and was laying in the nice cool spot in the bed. Her tail was wagging as she admired her handiwork. I knew she was too quiet DOH !

    Couldn't sit in the nice grass could ya?



    It's becoming a routine - she flings the mulch and digs a nice hole. I sweep up the mulch, rake the bed and we repeat the process.

  6. #6
    Senior Dog POPTOP's Avatar
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    This year have really worked hard on the front yard and it looks like a well tended golf course. It's what the neighbors and those who drive by see.

    The back yard is for the dogs. I try to keep it nice looking which mainly means mowing. One breeder told me that giving 500 mg of vitamin C a day to the dogs keeps from getting brown spots. Worked for every lab we've had but not for Archie. There's a nice mix of clover, violets, crab grass, dandelions, some sort of creeping weed and grass. There are skid areas where Archie runs hard and stops, especially underneath the bird feeder as he valiantly defends the yard from the little finches and sparrows. It keeps his happy and proud that he is keeping us safe. There are multiple divots and holes where Mardi has decided there must be something special under the grass; she never seems to dig the areas of weeds, just the good grass. There's lots of garden spots in the back yard and to keep them "safe" put up inexpensive low decorative wire fence. It does keep Mardi and Archie out. I patch and tend as best I can but in my eyes, the back yard is a special place. It's where the dogs run free and can be dogs. The lawn just has to take it.
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  8. #7
    Real Retriever BogeyBaby's Avatar
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    We installed astroturf. No more pee brown spots!

  9. #8
    Best Friend Retriever xracer4844's Avatar
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    Sep 2014
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    The best option is to make a dog run so that your dog doesn't use the grass. Put pea gravel down and train the dog to use that, instead of going on the grass. We are super lucky though... our dog doesn't kill the grass. A dog run using pea gravel is also super easy to clean. It is contained in a small area, and I don't need to go out on safari looking for poop.

    This is our first summer in the house, so I haven't really gotten around to fixing all of the grass that was ruined by the previous owners dog. I patched a bunch of spots in the back yard, and I redid the grass in the front yard. The biggest problem I have in the front yard, is other people's dog's in the neighborhood going to the bathroom on our lawn.

  10. #9
    Senior Dog labsnewfy's Avatar
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    May 2014
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    We have a company weed and fertilize a couple times a year we also aerated once in the 11 yrs we have been here then over seed so our yard looks thick and green. Our back yard gets full sun so when I do mow the grass I don't cut the grass to short or it burns off, plus helps keep the soil cool. Both Ginger and Sarah kick after they do their business and Ginger will pee in one favorite spot until she turns the grass brown then goes onto another spot, if I think about it sometimes I get a cup of water and pour over the area to help dilute the urine. Even with their digging and running around and playing for the most part the yard looks nice as a whole.

    However I noticed this year with global warming (yes I believe it is happening) the sun is hotter and I have several sections where the grass is turning brown, since we have had little to no rain. One area is in front of the deck it is actually a little higher then the rest of the yard and I can see the spots where I used to put the kids pool, so might try and over seed these areas once it gets a little cooler.
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    Tootsie - choc lab 10/19/99-8/03/13 adopted
    Bailey - CGC newf/fc 7/12/00-07/15/14 rescued
    Ginger - BT 11/16/05 - 10/14/19 rescued
    Sarah - blk lab 6/22/06 - 12/30/19 rescued
    rescued felines - AJ - 8/00 - 1/11, Merlin - 5/20/05-8/23/21
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  11. #10
    House Broken
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    With 3 big dogs - we have given them the back yard. We still mow, water and fill in holes! We concentrate on the front yard where they don't run, pee or dig

 



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