Ground cover for designated potty area

[Discussing Labradoodles & Goldendoodles]

Don't have my dog yet, but trying to get everything ready...

Our house is on a hill, with a walk-out basement. The deck is off the main floor but is raised about 1/2 a story off the ground, with a flight of steps down to the yard. Underneath the deck is a jungle of weeds and piles of dirt probably from construction years ago. I can stand under the lowest end, and my kids can stand under the highest end. I'd like to make this the potty area, since it won't take up any of our yard space. Does this seem reasonable? It's mostly bare dirt right now (I need to pull some weeds from the edge)... what's the best surface for them to go on? Pea gravel? Larger stones? Just leave the dirt but smooth it out? (sounds muddy) Put down astroturf?

How big of a space do I need to avoid smells?

[Stephanie and Ragley]

I'm sorry I don't have any experience to offer you, but it seems like you will have to be picking up poop either way so it is just a matter of what would be easiest on you to rinse off or keep clean. Pea gravel or river rock would probably work for that. You could also get a few squares of sod to place under there.

[Christina]

I say go for large rock! Dogs like to dig and when you clean up poop it is easy to,pick up small rock so after a few years you need to replace. We have a dog run we have used for 2 dogs and have larger rock the less they seem to dig and also the Less we seem up when cleaning up.

[Debb, Lucy & Oscar]

We have a designated potty area along one side of our house, and use pea gravel. Yes, sometimes with softer poops we end up picking up some gravel too, and yes, we add a barrel or 2 of gravel each year. The one drawback with larger gravel/stones is it's difficult to pick up messy poos. Personally, I'd rather pick up some of the gravel to get it all. We pick up immediately after the dogs so the only thing that ever smells is the poo bin we keep tucked under it's own shelter in the area (it only smells in the warmer months). Our dogs don't have a lot of yard time to run and play due to the wet/potentially muddy conditions in our neck of the woods, save for a few dry months of the year. At those times the dogs have never dug in the gravel and have really only used the area to do their business.

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

Honestly, I'm going to go with doesn't sound like the best option to me.  The poo is going to need to be picked up whether you do it each time, once a week, twice a week, when ever.  I personally would not want to be crawling under there picking up poo, but that's just me.  

[Judy, Meg & Polly Wolly Doodle]

We were going to use rocks but both of my girls grab rocks when they find them and carry then around to chew on.  We went with pea gravel and did the entire yard that they play in with a fenced off grassy area for potty.  They are still in training for the potty area (doing pretty well but some work left to do).  Occasionally they poop in the gravel, it pick up easy enough and we don't lose all that much.  The gravel or rock is great because you can rinse it easily to keep the odors down.

[jan mayes]

We are just now fixing up a stop for our dog to use.  We are using cedar shavings on the ground.  In theory it should be easy to rake and pickup poos.  It should also keep the smell down.  I hope this will work!!!!

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

arent the cedar shavings going to stick to their feet/hair and end up all over the house!

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Not necessarily. One of the campgrounds we go to has a dog run that has cedar pieces/shavings/mulch ( don't know which really but seems like shavings).  I expected that there would be a problem the first time I saw it, but there never has been. We do walk the dogs down and back so maybe everything falls off in the walk, but we have never had the shavings tracked back into the RV.

[Laurie, Wally & Charlotte]

The dog park nearby uses rubber mulch for covering the ground. Check out Rubbermulch.com for more information. Apparently, it comes in a variety of colors and is safe for dogs. If you're planning on using the area under your deck for a potty space, I'd be sure to pick up your puppy's waste immediately after he or she eliminates.  Otherwise, you'll have fumes rising up and adding an unpleasant aroma to your summer barbecues. Rubber mulch is environmentally friendly, too, as it's made from recycled tires.

[jan mayes]

OH PLEASE DISREGARD MY LAST POST HERE...You DON"T want shavings.  I have spent the last 1 1/2 hours brushing out his coat.  I re-read the directions for this dog run thing and it says MICRO CEDAR MULCH not shavings,.so I will be out tomorrow looking for the mulch.  I have to say the smell of the cedar is wonderful.  Too new to know better....

[F, Calla & Luca]

Sorry to sat but some dogs are allergic to cedar and have gotten rashes from beds stuffed with it. And vitally important, cocoa mulch is toxic to dogs.

[Christy&Riley]

We were going to designate the same place but Riley had different plans. Now I'm just happy IF she goes as opposed to where. :-) One consideration on the rubber mulch. We use that for landscaping and Riley loves to chew on it. We are constantly pulling it out of her mouth as we aren't sure if she would swallow them. Feel better now she is older but it was frustrating when she was little.