Question
I was wondering if you had any ideas on how to cure a lawn that has been totally destroyed by two quite large playful dogs.  Prior to having the dogs the lawn was quite lovely but unfortunately these two very playful dogs have churned the lawn up in places.  It has been turfed once over the last 6 months but it is back to the same state.  

I suppose these may be a way to install artificial turf or even have some kind of grid structure layed underneath the grass.  I have seen quite a good idea which is a concrete grid which has lawn layed in it so it is a combination of grass of concrete but this was for a car park at a stately home.  It looked neat the even the grass didn't get churned up by the car tyres.

Alternatively it might be worth getting rid of the grass, but there is so much of it, and replacing it with an alternative like cobbles, gravel and paving, which I am quote loathe to do.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you.  Lindy


Answer
This one is easy you have four choices ONLY.
I have personally encountered this problem and dealt with it for many clients.
You can:
1.) Remove the dogs from the turf areas or parts of it for extended periods (use a dog pen or other means)
or
2.) Install artificial turf (very expensive and then you have to keep it cleaned!
or
3.) Remove sod and put down 4 to 6" of hardwood mulch (not pine straw), easest and cheapest thing to do卋ut ugly.
or
4.) You can live with it, and replace grass every year. Lots of work and money to balance healthy grass and dogs卭ver-seeding, laying sod, water, fertilizer, etc.

In summary:
No sod will stand up to large playful/active dogs if it is not given a period of significant rest from the constant traffic. If the dogs only run on it for an hour or so a day it might recover, but if you put them out all day or even half a day, nothing in my experience will change the situation. Don't waste your money on any kind of underlayment. Grids below grass are designed to support vehicles that only tread on it once in a while and keep it from getting rutted up. These grids, etc. are not designed to protect sod from dogs.

Sorry, but there is no solution that does not involve getting the dogs off the grass in one way or another.

Best of Luck.

PS I am a2 dog owner myself with very unhappy grass in my own back yard. My only success personally has been in building a large pen and mulching it. I let the dogs out in the morning and evening for about an hour. This works pretty good. The pen is 16?x 16?so they can play all day. Part is shaded too.

Sean J Murphy, LA,ISA, LEED AP
Please check out my blogs and articles on landscape topics like this on my websites.
http://www.seanjmurphy.com
http://amenityarchitects.com