"This is a problem that has had me pulling my hair out these last few weeks, we haven't had any snow or even any hard frosts to harden the ground, and everywhere the dogs go, the fields and the garden are mud baths"

Tracey, when I had three large dogs at my former house they had the yard (garden) all tore up in bad weather. The paths they used were quite regular and I would toss straw over those areas. It did help the yard from becoming a mud puddle.
By spring time the straw was pretty well broken down.

I hadn't thought about straw, number 1 son visits farms every day in his job,so he could easily get me a few bales, nice and easy solution,thanks Bob!

I am giving serious consideration to paving the grassed area, the rest of the garden has slabs or decking, and three of them will pee and poo on hard areas, it's only Bon who is bothered about grass, but she has done a pretty good job of churning it up on her own, but until I can lay th slabs, straw is going to work nicely!

There are some really good suggestions in this thread.

My trick is similar to the straw, except I use shredded bark mulch. In our fenced back yard, which is the dogs' playground, there is no grass at all. I gave up trying to raise both dogs and turf grass long ago. The dogs won. The whole backyard is bark mulch with planting beds of shrubs that can take the abuse of a pack of dogs.

The thick layer of mulch drains quickly when it rains, there is no mud ever, and it's a soft surface for dogs to run and play on. It's also biodegradable. Every year or two, I top it off with a fresh layer of mulch. When it's new it smells nice too --cedar.

 Quote: Tracy Collins

My trick is similar to the straw, except I use shredded bark mulch. In our fenced back yard, which is the dogs' playground, there is no grass at all. I gave up trying to raise both dogs and turf grass long ago. The dogs won. The whole backyard is bark mulch with planting beds of shrubs that can take the abuse of a pack of dogs.

The thick layer of mulch drains quickly when it rains, there is no mud ever, and it's a soft surface for dogs to run and play on. It's also biodegradable. Every year or two, I top it off with a fresh layer of mulch. When it's new it smells nice too --cedar.

This caught my eye instantly! Our yard has lots of mud in winter (well, except that right now we have a terrible drought).

Could you link me to what kind of mulch this is?

When I read the post, I Googled mulch, but there were a million kinds. I just need an example of what it looks like so I can go to the garden shop and look around.

THANKS!

Google image "coarse ground cedar mulch" and those pictures are what I use.

But I think mulches vary by locale. Lots of cedar trees in this part of the world. But there are similar products made from cypress, various hardwoods, pine, etc.

Some mulches are fine ground (coffee grounds)--you don't want that because it will make coffee-grounds-mud.

The coarse-ground stuff knits together to make a fluffy mat that drains well. Hunks of shredded wood about finger-size shards.

Depending on how much area you are planning to cover, you have a couple if options for buying it. You can buy bags of it at a home center (small area)--but if you need more than a dozen bags worth call a landscape supply company and they can deliver it by the cubic yard and dump it in a pile. The sort of place that sells gravel, sand, railroad ties. That kind of place will sell bulk mulch. A pitchfork is the tool for spreading it.

Hope this helps.

Edit: shredded auto tires are being increasingly used for garden mulch. Don't buy that unless you are 100% confident that you dogs wouldn't chew it. It would make an ideal intestinal block.

Some mulches are also sprayed with exotic colorings (red? Chocolate?). Just a good way to stain dog feet.

Finally, cocoa shell mulch should be avoided. It's just what it sounds like. And it smells like chocolate. And is deadly to dogs.

I had resorted to cedar mulch about 8 yrs ago in the yard & kennel. Then went to washed pea gravel on track around & in the kennel.... Also on the path from the deck steps to the track. This helped a lot with the mud. Like Tracy said...it needs to be replaced. I found that I was adding to it yearly with the mulch....less so with the gravel. I would get mulch truck bed filled with mulch spring & fall to spread in the yard. I have a lot of run off water in my yard due to the ridge in the woods behind my yard, so the mulch sinks into the soft ground more easily then it would in a dryer yard.

When I put the gravel down I did a good 4 inches deep & it held up well to 3 GSDs. I found that the mulch would allow more sloppy dirty water & like saw dust & get on get on the dogs until the mulch had some time to settle...then the gravel did. But I think my yard is a lot wetter then most....standing water in some areas after rain...shin deep sloppy areas in the far back yard spring to June & some years until July.

My dogs are pretty abusive to the yard,as walking is rarely their gate of choice.

Found many! THANK YOU!

Found this http://www.pacifictopsoils.com/SiteImages/DOTWoodChipMulchZoom.jpg and this http://www.pacifictopsoils.com/SiteImages/CedarChipsZoom.jpg .... both available right nearby, and both come in big lightweight bags! I'm thinking of the first one.



Thanks, Tracy!

The steamer is something I want. I hope folks might suggest good (not too spendy) types of carpet steamers. Maybe not too heavy to lift and lug ....


I have a couple of things I do. One important one for me is a big old bath towel (the big kind, like a beach towel but thick) at every entrance on the floor so the dogs walk over it on the way in. I also keep a plastic waste-basket in the same place to hold rags for paw-wipes.


A few years ago, one of my sisters sent me a bunch of packets of biodegradable recycled moist baby-wipe-type "dog wipes" (the difference being the size and thickness .... these were maybe 8 inches or more on each side, and maybe 3 times thicker than a baby wipe). Extra-thick, non-toxic, alcohol-free.

I liked them a lot.

Probably prohibitively expensive for a pack of all bigger dogs.

But I remember she got them (she said cheaply) on eBay .... might be worth a search.

 Quote: Connie Sutherland

Found many! THANK YOU!

Found this http://www.pacifictopsoils.com/SiteImages/DOTWoodChipMulchZoom.jpg and this http://www.pacifictopsoils.com/SiteImages/CedarChipsZoom.jpg .... both available right nearby, and both come in big lightweight bags! I'm thinking of the first one.



Thanks, Tracy!

I think you'd like the shredded better than the chips. The chips won't ever really knit together to create a stable surface.