Well I have a small chicago backyard--i have 3 black labs that play--they are puppies--they have distroyed the backyard--as it is all mud--they are 9 months old now--still terrible--but should I seed--they like to dig holes in the back also--should I just put gravel out? This might cause problems when cleaning up after them--poo--poo--but I have heard that many people have this problem with big dogs--i can't always walk them so I let them in the back yard--any suggestions--or do I just live with mudd in my back yard??

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Originally Posted by hanno9660

well i have a small chicago backyard--i have 3 black labs that play--they are puppies--they have distroyed the backyard--as it is all mud--they are 9 months old now--still terrible--but should i seed--they like to dig holes in the back also--should i just put gravel out?? this might cause problems when cleaning up after them--poo--poo--but i have heard that many people have this problem with big dogs--i can't always walk them so i let them in the back yard--any suggestions--or do i just live with mudd in my back yard???

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You may consider taking your dogs to obedience or agility classes. This will help them to not dig and channel their energy in a positive way. Developing a challenge for them will help them to occupy their minds with behaviors you want to encourage. There are a lot of books on topics like this. I suppose three dogs is something you considered before acquiring them, but if your yard is small it may be the situation is dictating the behavior. Probably something that is more instant like sod would answer the mud thing. Then working with them on not digging or limiting their use of your yard could help preserve the yard.

Training dogs to use just part of your yard takes time, but I would think worth the effort if you want a yard. I am getting a dog related piece of equipment for my new dog (I just have one). He poops a lot and he's only 25#. So three labs ought to poop more than 3 times my fella. So you may like to know about this product... doggie doodle. It is a septic tank for dog poo. You scoop it up, dump it in with chemicals and water and the smell and poo biodegrade. If nothing else that could help you walk in less of a mine field.

Good luck.

KaCe

If you are leaving 3 young Labs in a small yard very much, it will be tough maintaining grass. Even such aggressive turfs as tall fescue may not survive although you could try it. Even gravel won't last too long. It will be slowly packed down into the mud. Clean up won't be a problem with pea gravel although some of the gravel will come too.

I am a strong believer in obedience training, but it isn't going to solve the digging and mud problems. Dogs see all the people and dogs in the household as a pack with each having their own rank in the pack and a top dog. Life is much easier if the 2 legged pack members outrank the 4 legged ones. You can learn to play the role of top dog by reading some books or going to a good obedience class. A good obedience class or book is about you being top dog, not about rewarding standard commands with a treat. Start at Raising Your Dog with the Monks of New Skete For more on being top dog, see Establishing and Keeping Alpha Position

Why do you have dogs if you can't walk them?