It can be easier to simply create a dog run with a bare dirt path instead of constantly replacing or repairing the grass, or you could pour a concrete slab for your pet’s outdoor kennel, but these have their own drawbacks. Concrete will heat under the sun and can burn your dog’s paws, and it can be hard on elderly canine joints. Dirt has the obvious effect of getting your dog dirty, especially in the rain.
The use of landscaping fabric allows for drainage while preventing weeds and reducing how much your base layer will sink into the dirt below. Establishing a raised boundary will not only prevent gravel from scattering but also helps your dog understand that this set area is different from the rest of your lawn.
The American Kennel Club warns that many kinds of gravel will still heat under the sun, and sharp gravel will be painful or even harmful for dogs. Depending on the size of your pup, smaller grades of gravel can get stuck between your dog’s paw pads, becoming very uncomfortable.
It’s possible to simply put down gravel on your dog’s preferred space and call the project done, but the gravel will likely shift and sink into the dirt below. In addition, much of the soil damage won’t be fixed by this method. A better option is to install a semipermanent dog pee gravel area, says Welsh Design Studio. There are some variant approaches you can take, such as combining the two recommendations by using crushed limestone for the base drainage level instead of paver gravel. This will improve the sanitation and reduce any bad smells while still maintaining a paw-friendly surface.
Danielle Smyth is a writer and content marketer from upstate New York. She holds a Master of Science in Publishing from Pace University. She owns her own content marketing agency, Wordsmyth Creative Content Marketing, and she enjoys writing home and DIY articles and blogs for clients in a variety of related industries. She also runs her own lifestyle blog, Sweet Frivolity.
Using Pea Gravel: Tips And Suggestions
So, you’re all set to dogscape your yard, and you’ve got yourself some pea gravel. How do you go about it? You have nothing to worry about. It’s really easy, and you can learn how to use it in a few minutes.
Dogs are animals of habit. They will usually follow a common path every day. Day in and day out, they will make use of this path to go from one place to the other. So, once you’ve taken notes, place your pea gravel along that path.
It’s not a surprise that pea gravel travels. They don’t stick in one place unless you intentionally secure it with something. So, make sure, when you install the pea gravel, you should secure it with some sort of edging material such as bricks, board, stones, or even wood. This is done so that when your dogs play on it, the gravel does not move or shift.
When compared to other dogscaping materials, pea gravel is easier to install. All you need to do is prepare the soil. How? Simply remove about six inches of soil. This includes any debris or vegetation where you want to put the pea gravel. Now, add some crushed stones. It should be about two inches. Now you’re all set to add the pea gravel. Make sure you pack it tightly to prevent shifting and movement when your dogs run on it.
Pea Gravel Installation
Pea gravel is easier to use than other canine landscaping materials. You only need to prepare the soil. When installing pea gravel, 6-inches of the earth from your yard should be removed. This includes any debris or plants in the area where the pea gravel will be placed.
Next, add some crushed stones around 2-inches. After that, you’re ready to add the pea gravel. When your dogs run on it, make sure it’s packed tightly to minimize shifting and movement.
Pea Gravel Playyard for Dogs
Does your family have a pooch with boundlessenergy, frolicking in the yard chasing tennis balls and playing with the kids?Introducing a dog to the family is a rite of passage for millions of people butif you also put a lot of effort into maintaining a neat and tidy yard, youcould be in for a challenge.
At first glance, dogs and spic-and-span yardsdon’t seem to mix; however, there are lots of ways to keep your propertylooking good and dog-friendly at the same time. One of the most popular andeffective options is pea gravel placed strategically in areas frequented byyour dog, or planned dog runs built on a pea gravel foundation.
Let’s look at the dynamic cause and effectrelationship between dogs and yards, and how pea gravel can save the day:
Dogs are territorial by nature and as suchtend to pace along the perimeter of their home to “secure” the area againstintruders and otherwise keep an eye on things. Puppies in particular are proneto following the same path to their favorite destinations in the yard. Theserepeated forays lead to trampled grass and other flora. Consider a landscapemakeover by installing a shallow trench filled with a layer of pea gravel; youcan’t expect grass and flowers to hold up to everyday abuse but gravel is aneffective defense.
Dogs poop a lot and all that waste containshigh levels of nitrogen. It doesn’t take long for excessive nitrogen levels toraise the acidity of your lawn’s soil, often evident by ubiquitous brownpatches all over the yard. Train your dog to use pea gravel areas for personalneeds; the gravel will protect your grass and reduce the presence of unpleasantodors.
Many dog breeds enjoy digging in the dirt butthat spells doom for your yard, which will soon be perforated with holes from adetermined pet. An intentionally designed area layered with pea gravel makes agreat substitute for grass and over time will gradually discourage diggingtendencies. If your dog does dig around in the gravel, a little raking smoothsit right out.
One of the easiest ways to “dogscape” youryard is by creating a dog run using a base of pea gravel. Construct the runbased on your pup’s usual trajectories or design it to fit the yard’s look.Keep the size of the gravel in mind; you don’t want smaller pieces wedging intotender paws.