Maintaining a Yard with Large Dogs – 2024 Guide

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Your yard may become a source of trouble when you have large dogs. Depending on the size of your yard, you may not have space to separate your dog’s bathroom area. You may not enjoy hanging out in your yard due to potty messes and bad smells. Running dogs and urine can also ruin the grass. With a little extra effort, you can keep your yard in good condition.

Having a dog is perfect for families that have large backyards since it can play around throughout the whole day. Families with kids usually choose to have some larger breeds like golden retrievers, bulldogs, Akitas, and more. However, that will require proper care of your backyard as well. You can read more about that in the following article.

Keeping it Clean

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Dogs can keep you extra busy in many ways. Be prepared to add yard maintenance to your list of new responsibilities as a dog owner. With large dogs, you can expect to clean more. You may need to poop scoop in your yard several times throughout the week if you have a small yard or multiple dogs. You can make this easier by investing in a quality scooping tool and plenty of durable trash bags. You can also find in-ground disposal systems that reduce dog waste in a more natural way. Find the items you need at a great price with Chewy discount codes on slickydeals.net.

Reducing Smell

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The only way to reduce the smell of dog feces is to pick it up regularly. If you have a large yard, you can fence off a designated area for the dogs to use the restroom. The smell of urine can also become overwhelming. Water your lawn often. You can also make sure your dog stays well-hydrated so their urine is less concentrated. Moreover, it is important to educate your dog to use only one spot in the backyard as its toilet since it will be much easier for you to clean it.

The best method is to teach your dog where to go for toilet time when it is still a puppy. That way, you will save a lot of time and effort, along with the ability to maintain your lawn in good condition. This is especially important when you have small kids since you don’t want them to be in contact with your dog’s feces.

Saving the Grass

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If you would like to have a nice grassy yard for your family to enjoy, the dogs need a separate area to use the restroom. Grass dies with excessive urine exposure and when dogs run all over the yard. Many dogs also like to dig in the yard. You can try to save the grass by planting a hardy type of grass in high-traffic areas. You can also block off a portion of your yard for humans only.

This rarely works with dog-lovers however! However, we don’t recommend using a leash as a solution since your dog can be much happier when he can roam around free. instead of a leash, you can use a fence and limit the dog to only some areas of the backyard. For example, you separate the place where you are resting or having lunch and make it unavailable to your dog.

Moreover, it is essential to take proper care of your lawn by mowing it regularly and adding additional supplements with minerals that will help the grass to remain healthy and good looking. Nevertheless, we have to mention that it is possible to repair damage in some cases if it is not too serious. For example, you can reseed the grass. During this process, you will have to remove the leftovers and plant new grass in that spot.

Alternatives to Grass

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You may reach a time when you get tired of fighting with the grass. Your yard may become a perpetual mud pit or a sandy desert. You can have a beautiful yard without grass. Many pet owners use hay to keep the mud at a minimum. You can also make a pea gravel porch for your family to enjoy. Many families create a stone porch or wooden deck for kids to enjoy, as well.

The best alternatives to grass that will help you to easily keep your yard clean are synthetic turf and clover. However, if you are ready to involve more efforts since you prefer standard grass, we recommend you to some more durable sorts like Fescue, Zoysia, Kentucky Bluegrass, Bermuda, or Perennial Ryegrass. These sorts are excellent for people with large dogs since they are more durable when you are running over them more often.

Enjoy a Walk

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You can reduce some wear and tear on your yard by getting out of it! Dogs love to go on walks around the neighborhood. You may also enjoy a nearby dog park for playtime. You can reduce one potty time per day by scheduling a nice morning or evening walk or run with your dog. You might manage to learn your dog that he will ask for a walk instead of being in the backyard. Also, you can contact the vet to ask him about the proper diet of your dog since some types of dog food might cause a diluted urine issue, which is much more toxic for the grass.

Last Words

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Always pay attention to keep the backyard clean since you don’t want some of your guests to step into something unpleasant. Your yard should be a place where you can rest and have a great time with your friends and family. However, keeping a dog will require additional effort. Learning more about effective methods will also make your time spent with the dog much more satisfying.

Many owners of large dogs accept that their yards won’t remain perfect for long. It’s a small price to pay for the joy a dog brings to your family. You can, however, keep the yard clean and presentable. Family members can take turns poop scooping, and you can make a special area for your dogs to use the restroom. If the grass becomes too much of a struggle, consider alternative covers for your yard. With the right tactics and some good habits, you can enjoy both your dog and your yard. If you are not sure how to deal with any of these problems, you can contact the vet or some experts with a lot of experience with dogs.