Pea Gravel in a Dog Run

[ks-man]

We're building out a dog run as there is a door off our mud room to the side of our house.  Our yard gets very muddy so I don't love the idea of using our backyard for potty with Cannoli off leash.  

We currently have pea gravel in the area (grass won't grow there as it's too shaded) that I was planning on being the base.  I like the idea of pea gravel for the run however I did see a few comments on the internet of dogs eating the gravel and getting sick.  Do you think this is a big concern?  

The only other option I would think is turf however I'm sure that is way more expensive and I tried a small patch of turf from Amazon for our upstairs porch (nighttime potty breaks) and Cannoli sometimes tries to chew/eat that also.

Thanks for any thoughts!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I have an area of my yard where I had pea gravel installed, as it's the one place along the fence line where there are no bushes or other obstructions to block my dog's view of every thing that goes by, and so that's where they run to the fence to bark. (Corner lot). I also have a dog run that has river rock instead of pea gravel. Neither of the dogs who've lived here with me has ever even come close to eating any of the rocks or gravel. However, I recommend the river rock over the pea gravel because the pea gravel is very unstable when walked on; I myself have trouble getting my footing in that area, and my big dog would often slip, slide and skid on it. The river rock gives them (and you, who will be cleaning it) a more stable base. Also less chance of eating bigger rocks than smaller ones, lol). 

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

We have rocks in some planters - larger than gravel, not as large or smooth like river rock- that the dogs have sometimes used for peeing and/or pooping. It works fine but there is a need to replenish it periodically. I was concerned at first that it would be tough to walk on but it’s fine. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

This is the kind of river rock I have in my run. (This is not my yard, just a picture I found online). The rocks are not really that big. I think there are all kinds of types and sizes of river rock.

[Stacy]

I love this! I have a flower bed in the front of the house that I would like to rockscape. But I'm obsessed with Mexican beach pebbles and they are pretty much the most expensive rock out there, so I mulched. 

If I was going to do rock in the back my preference would definitely be river rock over pea gravel. It just makes more sense to me. And I think it would be more likely to stay where I put it. 

[ks-man]

I'll see what my landscaper (who does a lot of dog runs) thinks of River Rock vs. Pea Gravel.  I'm glad to hear that people don't think we need turf.  The landscaper is going to fully level the ground so hopefully that should make it easier to walk on regardless of the material.  I figured every few years we'll have to add more rocks to the run although he claims they run something underneath and then put timbers on the bottom of the fence to keep the gravel in so hopefully that will minimize how much we need to replenish.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

It's not so much that the ground isn't level where I have the pea gravel, it's more that by it's very nature and smll size, it moves and shifts around when you walk on it, kind of like sand does. My landscaper did install some type of material underneath to keep it from sinking into the ground (and also to keep weeds from growing) and also put a barrier around the edges to keep it from going through the fence to keep it in. I have not had to replace any of the gravel at all. The river rock in the dog run was here when i bought the house, and did not have the barriers underneath or around it, and I have had to add some stone to it. 

[Nancy]

I use brown stone for potty areas in both my Florida home and Massachusetts home.  My dogs think they died and went to heaven when they get to potty on grass....LOL.  

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

That's the other part of all this. Some dogs, especially those who are used to going potty on grass, will not do it on stone. 
JD would pee on the stones but not poop, although I think that had more to do with location, as the gravel and stone areas are close to the house, and many dogs like to poop as far from the door to the house as possible. Jasper won;t use the stone areas for a potty area at all.

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

Riley did a standing jump onto a 4 ft snowbank the other day (we sure she isn't a kangaroo?) to avoid peeing on the icy street instead of the fluffy snow.  

When we first moved to our new house we had no grass and a gravel driveway though and she was willing to pee on that so maybe a stone pee area would work for her.  

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Try to have some kind of bushes or shrubs adjacent to it, that helps. JD was particularly attracted to evergreens as a toilet. LOL

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

I figure since I'm planning a new garden with nice new sod I'd maybe prefer it not have giant brown patches from all the dog pee :p A girl can dream.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I think you're fighting a losing battle, but you can try. :)