Synthetic Grass?

[Channing]

I find the knowledge base on this board to be astounding … and have a question for which I am having trouble finding a reliable answer. Our housesits on about an acre of land. However, in the back yard, most of it is comprised of woods that the kids can play in. We have a small area that is maybe 10 feet x 15 feet that is grass which our dog is continually digging up. We have tried the different sprays and pellets and at home remedies (cayenne pepper, citrus, vinegar, etc) - none of which help. She is a whippet / greyhound and loves to dig.

1. If anyone has any other suggestions I would love to hear them.
2. In any event, we are considering a synthetic turf for the area in our backyard. Are there any superior products we should look for? Tips or questions to ask? While we don't necessarily need the Bentley of synthetic turf, I am not necessarily looking for the cheapest option.

We are in Atlanta if it matters. Thanks very much for any thoughts.

[camion]

I find the knowledge base on this board to be astounding … and have a question for which I am having trouble finding a reliable answer. Our housesits on about an acre of land. However, in the back yard, most of it is comprised of woods that the kids can play in. We have a small area that is maybe 10 feet x 15 feet that is grass which our dog is continually digging up. We have tried the different sprays and pellets and at home remedies (cayenne pepper, citrus, vinegar, etc) - none of which help. She is a whippet / greyhound and loves to dig.

1. If anyone has any other suggestions I would love to hear them.
2. In any event, we are considering a synthetic turf for the area in our backyard. Are there any superior products we should look for? Tips or questions to ask? While we don't necessarily need the Bentley of synthetic turf, I am not necessarily looking for the cheapest option.

We are in Atlanta if it matters. Thanks very much for any thoughts.

I hear you can spray paint concrete green.

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Geez, am I bored. Okay I'll log off and take a walk now.

[Dr. Rosenrosen]

I find the knowledge base on this board to be astounding … and have a question for which I am having trouble finding a reliable answer. Our housesits on about an acre of land. However, in the back yard, most of it is comprised of woods that the kids can play in. We have a small area that is maybe 10 feet x 15 feet that is grass which our dog is continually digging up. We have tried the different sprays and pellets and at home remedies (cayenne pepper, citrus, vinegar, etc) - none of which help. She is a whippet / greyhound and loves to dig.

1. If anyone has any other suggestions I would love to hear them.
2. In any event, we are considering a synthetic turf for the area in our backyard. Are there any superior products we should look for? Tips or questions to ask? While we don't necessarily need the Bentley of synthetic turf, I am not necessarily looking for the cheapest option.

We are in Atlanta if it matters. Thanks very much for any thoughts.

Can you put up a temporary barrier to keep her out of that area and see if she tries to dig elsewhere? Last thing you want to do is spend an arm and a leg on artificial turf only to have her laugh at you while she starts digging in a new spot. Just a thought.

You know, it also occurs to me that no one ever found Jimmy Hoffa’s body...

[pfrduke]

When we re-did our backyard, we put in turf instead of grass (we live in a city, so the backyard is not huge - about 20' x 30'). We also put turf down in a dog run on the side of the house. We got the turf through a company called Dreamturf, which is a local Washington state company, but I suspect their materials are sourceable nationwide. We have been extremely happy with the turf - very low maintenance, looks great year round, etc. In the dog run, we used a dog turf product, that included extra drainage and different fill so it didn't soak up the dogs' waste and leave odors - hard to say whether it was necessary, as we don't have a comparison point, but it certainly worked. Despite two dogs using the area as a toilet multiple times a day, it never smelled.

The one slight negative about the turf is that when it gets warm, it develops static buildup, and so if you're running around on the turf and then touch someone else, there will be a little shock. From looking at the Dreamturf website just now, it looks like they have developed a turf with anti-static coating, which had it been available at the time (and knowing what I know now) I definitely would have chosen for an area that will get a lot of play. I understand that in areas where the weather gets very hot that the turf can also get uncomfortably hot; that does not happen in our area of Washington state (even the 1-2 days a summer where the dial hits 90, the turf is fine to be on).

[dball]

Did no one else see the title and think of banana peels? A 60s thing. Nevermind.

[Channing]

Can you put up a temporary barrier to keep her out of that area and see if she tries to dig elsewhere? Last thing you want to do is spend an arm and a leg on artificial turf only to have her laugh at you while she starts digging in a new spot. Just a thought.

You know, it also occurs to me that no one ever found Jimmy Hoffa’s body...

The dog can dig anywhere on our property other than the grass. Unfortunately, there is no way to block off the grassy area from the dog.

[Indoor66]

Does anyone remember the yard on the south side of University Dr and southwest of Briarcliff - that has a retainer wall along the sidewalk and a small front yard - that in the early 70's was cemented & painted green and had a lawn mower mounted in the middle of the yard? I always laughed when I drove by.

[-jk]

Does anyone remember the yard on the south side of University Dr and southwest of Briarcliff - that has a retainer wall along the sidewalk and a small front yard - that in the early 70's was cemented & painted green and had a lawn mower mounted in the middle of the yard? I always laughed when I drove by.

I was thinking of that yard, but figured no one else would have known of it! People used to park cars for sale by owner there.

-jk

[Jim3k]

They paved the yard after my time. My folks in 1960, freshman year, had a house on Hermitage Court Drive, just a few blocks away from the intersection in question. They moved to Richmond the following year due to a job transfer.

[elvis14]

... I understand that in areas where the weather gets very hot that the turf can also get uncomfortably hot; that does not happen in our area of Washington state (even the 1-2 days a summer where the dial hits 90, the turf is fine to be on).

I coach soccer here in Raleigh and we have quite a few games on Turf (and my oldest daughter has practiced on turf the last couple of years). pfrduke is 100% right about the heat. Turf in direct sunlight will get and stay pretty hot. It's not like you can't walk on it or anything but you can feel the heat coming off is some days. On really hot days you can feel it through your shoes and the players feel it.

Note that a soccer field is an open space subject to all the direct sunlight there is to offer. I suspect that in a smaller, more shaded area the heat will be much less of an issue.

[bundabergdevil]

Happy 4/20, everyone!

Wait, what's this thread about?

[left_hook_lacey]

I find the knowledge base on this board to be astounding … and have a question for which I am having trouble finding a reliable answer. Our housesits on about an acre of land. However, in the back yard, most of it is comprised of woods that the kids can play in. We have a small area that is maybe 10 feet x 15 feet that is grass which our dog is continually digging up. We have tried the different sprays and pellets and at home remedies (cayenne pepper, citrus, vinegar, etc) - none of which help. She is a whippet / greyhound and loves to dig.

1. If anyone has any other suggestions I would love to hear them.
2. In any event, we are considering a synthetic turf for the area in our backyard. Are there any superior products we should look for? Tips or questions to ask? While we don't necessarily need the Bentley of synthetic turf, I am not necessarily looking for the cheapest option.

We are in Atlanta if it matters. Thanks very much for any thoughts.

Is the area she tries to dig up against a fence, or out in the open? How old is the dog and has she always done this? It's usually easier to get them to stop, if you can figure out why they're doing it. Some do it because they're bored, some do it because they're scared and want to escape, some do it because they have anxiety, and some do it simply because it's bred into them to dig, and there could be bugs/rodents underground in that area that have caught her attention.

[budwom]

Happy 4/20, everyone!

Wait, what's this thread about?

mmm. chocolate donuts...

[Channing]

Is the area she tries to dig up against a fence, or out in the open? How old is the dog and has she always done this? It's usually easier to get them to stop, if you can figure out why they're doing it. Some do it because they're bored, some do it because they're scared and want to escape, some do it because they have anxiety, and some do it simply because it's bred into them to dig, and there could be bugs/rodents underground in that area that have caught her attention.

She's young - between 1 and 2 years old. The digging is in the middle of the grass and she has always done it with us. I think she is a digger breed.

[Dr. Rosenrosen]

She's young - between 1 and 2 years old. The digging is in the middle of the grass and she has always done it with us. I think she is a digger breed.

What breed?

[Indoor66]

What breed?

Digger. 😂🤣😎