Question
Hello,
Thank you in advance for help and your time. The problem is that we have two boxers (free reign of the yard) and a lab with use of part of the yard (on a tie out to prevent roaming of the neighnorhod). Well our "yard" consisted of small patches of grass and weeds, but mainly dirt (and mud). The dogs spend lots of time in the yard, playing with us or the neighbors, or racing the neighbors dogs up and down the fence. We can not keep the dogs out of the backyard, because while in the front yard, they can and will drag me wherever they like. (While they are trained to listen to me the only time they don't is when the neighbors cat is around. And she loves to tease the dogs). We live in Ohio by the way. So I guess the question is, how do we go about actually having and keeping a lawn in the back yard. Do we seed or use sod or use plugs? I am  completely lost in this area of expertise. thank you Again.

J.W.

Answer
hi Jaime;
well, some breeds seem to run harder.
I mean, they stomp more when they run.
I have had big dogs that could run a lot and not stomp down the grass, and some smaller ones that made barren patches all over the yard where they played.
sod or plugs, the grass needs time to establish before these rowdy rascals have acces to it.
If you fence off part of the yard, put in either sod or plugs, and keep it fenced off until the grass is established, with a good, deep root system, it may las a couple of years before they have it stomped down again.
I have 4 now, and 2 of them are australian shepherd mixes. they are not that big, but the earth shakes when these two romp[, so i am giving up.
This summer, I am building raised areas, will plant them with flowers and shrubs, and lay a wide, wandering patyh in some pattern around my riased beds, with flagstones, pavers ior something, haven't decided just what yet.
Behind my husband's large workshop, i will have a grassy area for them to do their business.
I am just tired of them tracking in mud.
Sems to me your choices would be to do something like i am doing, or fence in part of the yard for their own personal run, and put a doggy door in so they would go to that part of the yard when they go out.
wish I could give you a magic way to have both a lawn and rowdy dogs, but that is one of the prices we pay for having the little four legged kids.
Charlotte