ground covers that are "dog friendly"

What are good perennial ground covers that aren't poisonous for dogs & would be hardy enough for dogs to walk/run on?if any exist)-area is mostly shady conditions.

Doug says astro-turf. :-) There are no ground covers that will handle foot traffic from dogs in either the sun or shade. Dogs will kill grass in the sun, they'll kill off the more tender ground covers.

In the shade, this is even more true.

So - sad to say but there isn't a plant that will be dog and garden friendly.

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ground covers that are "dog friendly"

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mulch for dogs
by: weimlover

Pine straw works well. Doesn't blow away or wash away, and it takes a while for running dogs to clear it away. Dogs like to lie down on it in the sun.

mulch
by: Lyndie

Is there one mulch that is better than the other? I used red cedar last summer and after the dogs peed on it- it started to smell,,, because of trees and bushes (which aren't that many),,,, but I guess it never completely dried out.???? Did I use to much,,, not enough????? I am very sensitive to smells SO,,,, .
Any ideas? I have a Labradoodle and a English Teddy Bear Retiever/Poodle,,,, thanks- lyndie

dog eats mulch
by: Anonymous

What happens if the dog eats the mulch?

Doug Says

1) Nothing unless you're using cocoa-bean mulch (not recommended) then it will get sick. Don't use cocoa bean mulch with dogs in the yard. While there's some controversy around this - the bottom line is that the components of cocoa "can" kill a dog. Whether the dog can eat enough mulch to kill itself depends on the dog - the age of the mulch and how much it eats.

2) You've proved you have a really dumb dog. Or a Labrador Retriever that will eat anything. :-)

Great Post
by: Doug Green

What a great post! Thanks for sharing that solution with us.

Dog Ground Cover solutions
by: Jayhawk Gardener

We had the same problem...and what a mess when it rained. Lots of mud on dogs and floors! Our solution, which we reluctantly came to, was mulch. We decided that it was pointless to try to grow anything.

The good news is that dogs are such creatures of habit that most of the worn area was along the sides of the house and the perimeter of the fence and around gates. We got about 20 bags initially from a garden center. And renewed it again after about 3-4 months.

Once a sufficient layer is in place maintaining a mulch path has been very easy. My husband was leary about mowing, as the mulch was right next to the grass but it does not get sucked up or blown out by the mower. And, wow, what an improvement! No more mud! And it makes the entire yard seem so much tidier with no bare areas.

After the initial outlay for a lot of mulch, the cost is minimal - and if you have access to free wood chips, etc. - even better! No more angsting about the appearance of the yard, the expense of trying to plant something year after year. It's a liberating experience!

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Doug Green