what should I do with the yard?

[ourhunters]

Hi guys and gals,

We have issues here. We live in town (for now) and don't have a very big yard - at all. We have 2 large dogs (gsp and weim) that have to do their duty out there. The smell isn't the same as a feed lot, but very similar stench. I'm afraid the neighbors are going to freak out on us. The smell is there, even when frozen. The 50 degree weather and ground thawing and getting muddy isn't helping at all. When grass starts to grow this summer, there will be no grass left back there. I'm absolutely disgusted - this just began with dog number 2, we are also renting a basement apt out to owners of a basset hound that also goes out there. I can't let them out there to play, etc., cause it's just too gross. What do I do?

Build a kennel with a cement slab? fence off smaller area where they only go potty? I just don't know what to do. I thought everyone on the site would have different ways - maybe some also live in confined areas that have a better way for us to handle this. I just hate having such a smelly mess out there. I pick up often, but I think it is the pee that is causing this. I guess the lawn is already ruined, so that's not such a big deal. Someday when we rent it out or sell we'll dig it up and replant grass. Now, it's not worth it.

When having a kennel on the side of a house on a cement slab, where are you supposed to spray the pee off to? I just need some help here. Our yard has had it, and so have I. We can't spend too much on whatever it is - due to saving every penny to get the heck out of town, but are very open to suggestions.

Thanks.
Caren, Duke and Eight

[snips]

Get the heck out of town! I face the same problem in my training kennel yd., but 16 run kennel where I alternate letting dogs out to play. I`m on the verge of graveling the whole thing. I sew grass twice a year, and it will come in every time. I usually have lots to cut in the summer, it`s just the inbetween times. I do suggest you put in a kennel for the times it`s really wet out and you just don`t want them in the mud, you can always take them somewhere for runs. I think for the smell gravel can be better than concrete if you just have 2 dogs., JMO.

[jussbrutal]

Train the dogs to go in one corner of the yard and pick it up daily..or even better.. right away. :roll: :roll:

[sudiegirl]

caren,
well now that i have heard your plight i feel much better about our yard actually, we took care of much of the bad smell in our yard with a doggie doolie (it is a dog septic system.... a 4 foot deep hole in the yard with some bacteria powder and a rip-off cheap plastic top that will not survive a lawnmower blade and has since been replaced with a wooden one that eric made) you chunk the poop in daily and add the bacteria powder and water once a week (or more depending on how hot and dry it is outside and how many dogs you have etc.) if you didn't want a septic system in your yard, just making sure that you get rid of the poop somehow will help out. eliminating the poop in our yard (which smells more than you would expect even if frozen) has helped TONS..... but the pee smells gross too, and the mud pit that the dogs have created out of a once lush lawn is a MUDDY STINKING MESS!!! eric had to get straw at some point in january.... and that helped tons. we are going to overseed in the spring, but unless we can keep the 2 dogs AND 2 kids off of it for a couple of weeks, it will be pointless!! i like brenda's gravel idea.... if you remove the poop, then shouldn't the pee soak into the ground with the help of a good hose soaking? i am sure your tenant won't mind scooping his dog's mess.... as he probably does not like the growing smell either!! a gravel pit (or something like it) combined with removing the poop should help out tremendously. either way... i feel your pain!! good luck!!

[ourhunters]

Straw! That is an idea. I bet that would help the yard out a bit until we can figure something out and replant the grass.

The dogs aren't really out there much. We take them out to run and play every day out on some Rail Road land. It's just the times when I can't stand them in the house and am being driven insane, that I'd like a place to just let them out for a while.

The poop in most cases gets picked up every day, except when there is a snow storm and it gets covered! Those I'm still waiting on to thaw from the ice so I can get that picked up! Otherwise, I swear it is the pee smell that is making it horrible. That septic system sounds like a great idea.

Yeah, we don't even want to talk about the renters picking up their own dog poop. That is a story for another day - all I can say is I am going to be more selective next time!

You just wait until the day we get out of town - there will be a celebration!

Thanks all. Hope your weekend is a great one!

Caren

[Sniper]

We had turd mountain until the thaw, and over the last few weeks we've been able to clean it all. It took time. we had to take it as it became soft enough to not tear up the yard.
Does your yard slope? If so, which direction? We're lucky enough to have a large yard, but we never had the stink issue. I find it strange that your yard stinks even when it's cold.
Good luck..

[pear]

Caren, sprinkle lime (agricultural, white powder) for the odor, won't hurt the grass come spring either. The stuff is cheap too......."pear"

[gsprescuewi]

I gave up on grass in my small back yard a couple years ago. Now I haul in wood mulch yearly. Last year I picked a reddish color, that looks really nice. Pick up doggie poop is easy, 'cept I'm probably hauling out buckets full of mulch eat time too.... sprinkle some lyme on periodically, and no mess, no smell, works nice for my small back yard....sorta like a big doggie litter box.

[Decoy]

If you want something that will grow very quick - throw down some winter wheat. it is not going to grow into a nice yard grass and it will die but if you mix it in with some fescue or other grass seed it will hold the mud at bay long enough to for the grass seed to germinate. If you get any sunlight at all wheat will germinate in a couple days to a week.
like sudie said a bale of straw works wonders for about 3 weeks then it is time to re-apply b/c it gets saturated.

[sudiegirl]

LIME!!! i TOTALLY forgot about lime!! yes it works wonders for yucky pee smells!!! will have to pick some up to throw down along with the straw.