Courtyard Villa, no grass. options?

[RI401]

Hi,
Cant find a thread for this so here goes. We are closing on a CV in January. The yard is painted concrete, stone and a few wood chips. We have 2 small dogs one 11lbs and one 4lbs. I get the dog park is best. How do you all make space for the dogs to pee? i thought maybe some sod in place of the stone. But that would die quickly. Maybe removing some of the stone and replacing with sand? Just curious as to what other do.
Thanks.
Bud

[starflyte1]

Remove a section of concrete and replace with special fake green grass, scented carpet made just for such area for dogs.

They would probably prefer real grass but they will learn.

Just hose it down and drains straight thru.

[cvmredbarn]

Sod is easy to replace. Everything else is too hot for their paws.

[JohnN]

make an area with a few scrubby plants and mulch for the dogs,
train 'em do use that area for their business

[Topspinmo]

My little dog now NYC rescue, has no problems going on concrete or rocks. I done both sod and fake grass in pass. IMO sod best, fake grass eventually will start stinking in hot summer days. Sod depending on area size you my have to replace it every 6 months or so depending on how big dog is. My 15 pound Carin terrier never could turn it brown in 6’ by 4' plot.

[graciegirl]

If it were me. I would have part of the concrete removed and see that real grass is placed there. I like real grass. I know that the ecological movement is happening but I like real grass. If I had to pee outdoors I would choose real grass.

I do not like "Florida Friendly" where they allow a lot of weeds to grow, I like real grass and sometimes to keep it nice it needs real weed killer and real fertilizer. I am old fashioned. Let those pups pee on real grass. Tell them when you add it that Aunt Gracie is thinking about them.

[RI401]

Thanks guys, pretty much what I was thinking. I figured I cant be the only one thinking about this. Our guys are spoiled, but give us alot of joy so little things to make them happy are no big deal.
Thanks again
Bud

[CFrance]

Our CYV is all stones and concrete. Our current "puppy" was house broken in a gravel yard in Key West, so he has no problem with the stones, but in his elderly years (13) he enjoys the grass--softer on his old joints, I guess. We have a dog-loving neighbor who invites all the neighborhood dogs to use her little patch of grass in front. Otherwise, I would definitely replace some of the stones with grass.

[JanetMM]

When I moved here, my 80 pound 10 year old black lab had no problem with concrete and rocks in our CYV.
I have fostered three dogs now, smaller ones, and none of them have had any problems adjusting.
if dogs had as much problem going potty on different surfaces as we think they might, there wouldn’t be a problem with curbing your dog in big cities.
my dogs are my babies like most of us, but they are not as fragile as we like to think they are. Just love them and they’ll do what they need to do.

[CFrance]

When I moved here, my 80 pound 10 year old black lab had no problem with concrete and rocks in our CYV.
I have fostered three dogs now, smaller ones, and none of them have had any problems adjusting.
if dogs had as much problem going potty on different surfaces as we think they might, there wouldn’t be a problem with curbing your dog in big cities.
my dogs are my babies like most of us, but they are not as fragile as we like to think they are. Just love them and they’ll do what they need to do.
Well said, but sometimes along with ageing comes disease. Our guy has a neurological disease that affects his ability to walk. Balancing on stones is harder for him than balancing on grass or concrete. He's given us 13 years of unconditional love; I don't mind accommodating him right now.