How to build a dog potty area outside on your lawn

[@reshmaalphonsdsouza4907]

We tried out your idea for our dog in our backyard. It turned out awesome!! We used the river gravel golden colour with some marble stones crush for deco. Our dog went over to pee very instantly but took close to 3weeks to poop but it was worth the wait! Wish we could share a pic of ours to you😃 Thank you for this awesome video!!

[@TheALG]

This is great, I am glad this worked out.

[@reshmaalphonsdsouza4907]

@@TheALG 💯%✔✔

[@jjscosita]

Does your dog try to cover his poop? Not a dog owner but we are doing some research and will be setting up our area before we bring a dog home.

[@TheALG]

My dog does poop in there also but she doesn't try to cover it up. This project is one of the best investments and it will protect your lawn. Definitely have to do the training for it to work.

[@reshmaalphonsdsouza4907]

@@jjscosita No. He doesn't cover up. We clean it up soon after. Also, we jet wash the area once a day with our garden water hose to avoid mosquitoes/flies. Hope this helps😀

[@Talented1One1]

This is exactly what I need for my 2 pups....so tired of poop all over my backyard! Thanks for sharing!

[@here_4_the_commentz]

Brilliant! You’ve solved a 2 month discussion about the best potty area for our dog! I don’t want him to potty by the pool so I’ll build a pea gravel area thank you sir!!!

[@TheALG]

Training is the key and it will take time. It took about 1 week with 70% ish compliance and about 1 month for full compliance. Good luck amd don't forget to praise your dog when he or she goes for the first time.

[@utube0372]

Update: we made a doggy area for our two furry kids using the pea gravel and it's been working great! We are so happy, no more bad odor from the previous mulch. Thank you so much for your wonderful tips!

[@TheALG]

That's good to hear. Remember to wash it down with water only.

[@utube0372]

@@TheALG ikr lol no wonder why my poor dogs didn't even want to go near it 🙈 but after my husband followed your tips now the dogs are using their doggy area with no problems 😊

[@utube0372]

@@TheALG Ps my husband told me now go find out from this guy how I can get rid of those clover leafs from our grass lol we just brought this home in Palm Coast Florida and the front yard has them all over ugh smh and the back yard has some dead areas so he is trying to find ways of tackling these issues.

[@TheALG]

Clover is pretty easy to get rid of. First find out what type of grass you have and then pick up weed killers thats safe for your turf type.

[@utube0372]

@@TheALG cool, thanks I will let him know.

[@merylburke9137]

New dog 15 lb mini poodle smart and already goes to the area that hasn't even really been created officially. Going to move some of the potted plants around in the area and go for this concept along a 20x 5 ft strip. Thank you I thought it was an excellent video and excellent idea and you have a cute dog too.

[@TheALG]

It is well worth it. Good luck

[@merylburke9137]

And by the way I admire how patient you are. It makes your videos very easy to watch because you're so relaxed and real about the vids. Thank you

[@Striperman]

Yes sir Rob. We trained our Boxer when he was a puppy to go to a gravel area we had. He has been using it for almost 10 years now. Much easier to clean up after him too :)

[@TheALG]

Got to start early with the training.

[@wollins2]

Just stumbled on this ... have a 5 month old pup that we've been having go randomly in our yard since it was winter but now that it's coming on spring will be setting up a potty area for him ... thanks so much for this tip!

[@jennaredding1816]

Thank you from Canada! Just installed, now to train. I'm hoping my dog won't decide it's fun place to dig.

[@TheALG]

Train and repeat often. Your dog will figure it out. Best to try first thing in the morning when the bladder if full

[@LuminousLioness]

Thank you I will use this for the boulevard in front. I hope to encourage other dog owners to use this instead of my front yard and urinating on my planters around my front door!

[@TheALG]

The thought is good, but it will probably not work. A dog has to be trained to go in the spot. Dogs have a natural instinct to go on a lawn, pinestraw, pole, etc. Most dogs will not want to go on peagravel unless trained to do so. I hope I am wrong but just sharing my experience since I have taken care of 4 dogs in my lifetime.

[@paigerodenberg3741]

Super awesome! Just for anyone else looking to train this way, it's not necessary to pop the leash when your dog is smelling, they might just be looking for a place to pee/trying smell their old urine to get started! It'll help the training go faster if you keep a loose lead (as long as they're in the desired area) to take the pressure off going potty. Popping the leash when they're trying to pee can make your dog anxious about going to the bathroom.

[@BlacknailtechChicago]

Thanks, I'm going to share this video with my neighbors and friends. Be blessed 😇

[@metatrontf]

This video's made me go on a binge on your channel! So educational. Really appreciate your work, it makes everything so much easier.

[@TheALG]

Thank you very much.

[@soblu1914]

I'm definitely going to set this up for my dog this weekend. Thanks! Your neighborhood looks just like mine.

[@TheALG]

Make it as big or as small as you like. Most dogs only need about a 3 foot by 3 foot space.

[@jewel.s.journey]

great idea im doing this, so tired of walking my whole property to pick up poop!

[@delaneyreyes8995]

I need to train all 6 of my dogs to do this 🥲 I have 3 Newfoundlands, a Saint Bernard, olde English Bulldog, and a chihuahua. Between all of them they destroy the lawn with pee and poop. Im trying to set up an area like yours and train them all to potty there. I don’t even know how many hours I’m going to have to put into training them all but I’m hoping it will all be worth it!

[@TheALG]

Training is the hardest part. That is multiplied by 6 in your situation. I would determine which one of the dogs is the leader of the pack and start training from there. It's not going to be easy.

[@Lady1923]

Your ideas are brilliant. A lot better than other peoples videos.

[@elizabethjackson583]

You just solved my dilemma - Excellent and thanks!

[@CrucesNomad1]

I have 5 dogs......oh boy. Good video.

[@sheilagrayman7147]

Absolute, praise!🌺🐾🌺 I am so happy and grateful for this video!🐾💐👍 Thank you!

[@carolgazzani9263]

It’s all I need!! Greatttt idea! Thanks for sharing 😊

[@jeaniceanderson]

Thank you. I can finally make use of the small area on the side of our house.

[@NewStuffTV1]

This video was really helpful. Thanks 👊

[@MeeraRaju1111]

Gracias ❤

[@BaileyB1011]

Found your video on Pinterest, this is so helpful!

[@traviscade3186]

Another Great video. Wife got a puppy last year. I didn't notice any burn spots last year but already this year i have seen two and three burn spots. Now my wife wants to get another puppy. I'm going to have to build a potty area ASAP.

[@TheALG]

Super easy to do, just be consistent with the training.

[@jimwguitar3002]

Just so you know. Only female dogs burn grass

[@traviscade3186]

@@jimwguitar3002 I heard that wasn't true. Females squat therefore the urine is more concentrated to a smaller area. Males usually lift their legs and their urine is spread out more.

[@TheALG]

Having both male and female dogs, their urine burns. Its less likely with males because they tend to pee against a pole or tree. However, if the urine runs down towards the grass, it will burn. Females more likely to burn because they squat therefore depositing their urine directly on the grass.

[@bobbysueeverson2151]

My dogs love to eat rocks and other materials. They have a fenced-in area with nothing but sand. They love to dig. But it makes cleaning up the mess so easy.

[@juliettaingham-tarano1262]

Would you please share the aprox cost and size of your spot. Ty 😊

[@budblanke9688]

Thanks for a great idea, I've been picking up the poop every day for our three dogs but the urine is what's making the brown spots!

[@TheALG]

The potty area is so worth it. Don't forget the training also. Good luck

[@TeddyBear-le7ho]

Very good idea, Rob. And the entire layout looks good.

[@TheALG]

Thanks, and its working. She is going there almost all the time without me saying anything.

[@patricialowry1591]

Thanks so much for posting this video! very helpful and the pea gravel is very decorative I was looking for an area for my son’s dog to potty in when they stay over. And also redo my flower bed and I was thinking if I wanted to use pea gravel!! So again thanks. I now have my answer to both. BTW your area looks nice

[@TheALG]

Happy to help, just don't forget the training aspect of it. Most dogs won't go into that area without training. Trying for me took about 1 week for a 80 percent success rate. It took almost 6 months until my dog would only go there and not on the grass without me guiding her.

[@patricialowry1591]

So true.. because we don’t want to confuse her.. so we will keep in mind the importance of training her

[@debicurtsinger9137]

Perfect. Thank you for sharing.

[@babyvlad007]

Thank you for this great video! Beautiful dog. Also, just wanted to warn other dog owners that my vet strongly recommended using a harness when leashing to avoid neck injuries from tugging on the leash. After decades of owning dogs I had never thought about that until my dog developed a stiff neck. Anyway, thanks again in advance from me and my dog!

[@TheALG]

Good luck, hope this works out for you. Thanks for the warning too.

[@26alexther]

OMG I need to do this. TY for sharing this wonderful idea.

[@TheALG]

Best project I have ever done, its so worth it.

[@angelaburrell-lewis2955]

Thank you. I will try this for my dog.

[@TheALG]

Your very welcome. This spot if going on 3 years i believe and its the best ever, I have no regrets.

[@richardsmith1161]

Great video. I set up a few areas with shrubs and plants that my dogs tend to go in. It helps that 3 of my 4 dogs are males and they like to mark.

[@TheALG]

I think male dogs are a bit easier to deal with, its the females that seem to want to squat more

[@lburg3780]

I was just thinking this. My male dog likes peeing on something….leaves, plants, trees. No use peeing if there’s nothing to mark!

[@TheALG]

I read somewhere male dogs also squat but learn to lift their legs overtime.

[@calibrais]

A Brilliant idea. Thanks heaps!! Greg. N.Z.🙂

[@ladynataliemarie7780]

Just get longer leash. You’re walking in the area dig goes or last time. Very cool!

[@holyghostflame6]

Excellent Tutorial

[@mrsaturday3146]

Thank you

[@anneann9127]

Love this idea and we're looking at doing this for our two dogs. How do you pick up poop on gravel ? Do you end up picking up a lot of the gravel with the poop? What if the poop isn't always completely solid, how would you deal with that ? Great layout. Thanks so much for uploading. Lovely area.

[@TheALG]

I'm sorry I missed your question. I am usually pretty good at seeing questions but it can be hard to keep up sometimes. Most days I usually end up picking up just the waste. If gravel happen to stick to it, I would just just toss it away in the garbage. I always pick up the poop right away just to avoid the dog stepping on it. If the poop happen to not be completely solid, I pick up what I can and just wash down the spot with hot tap water. If its completely liquid, again I just pick up what I can and wash the rest with hot water. Some gravel does end up getting tossed out but is usually replaced during the spring. Hope this answers your question.

[@anneann9127]

@@TheALG Thank you so much for taking the time to respond. I can only imagine how hard it is to get to all the questions :) We are actually going to try something like this in the spring. I'm glad we waited as we now know that we have moved to an area with mostly clay soil and it has the worst drainage. We are planning on making their run with a kind of french drain area in it to help drain out some of the standing water. We had to stop using their grass one and give them the whole yard because of the drainage problem. We'll be making a few french drains around the outside area of our entire yard because of the clay. What I wouldn't give for good soil again! TY

[@TheALG]

Good luck, clay does have its negatives but also has positives. Clay can absorb alot of water and it doesn't wash away as easily. I hope your dog potty area you plan to create works for your situation. Feel free to ask questions about it as you proceed with building it.

[@anneann9127]

@@TheALG Thank you!

[@Kai77-24]

Thanks! Sounds hopeful. Pea gravel? No pun intended!? Lol.

[@TheALG]

LoL three years later and still going strong. I highly recommend this.

[@JuanMartinez-Mont1]

I am going to try this with my Jenny. She is 4, came from shelter. Very irregular pooping.

[@TheALG]

Go for it, remember this is really meant for urine but poop is a bonus.

[@athomewithfrancsicio]

Thank you, great video i was cheering with you when she went potty🤭🎉🎉

[@TheAngelElectriko]

Great video, and solution. Could you possible add a link to the materials used?

[@TheALG]

Any type of landscape fabric and pea gravel. The border you choose to use is optional. All of these items can be found at your local hardware store.

[@chellechellebradley7958]

Best idea I've seen!

[@GraceFilledHomestead]

Thank you for sharing 💞

[@Flicklix]

great video! Thanks!

[@servingthestreetz]

thanks very helpful

[@maudealegria8291]

Won’t the weed fabric soak the urine or prevent the urine from draining and cause a smell?

[@TheALG]

You would think, but that has not been a problem, not even alittle.

[@planofdestiny0011]

Isn’t it hard cleaning up the poo off the gravel? I have two little ones and they poo at least 4 times a day each!

[@TheALG]

It's not hard, not even a little. I can pick it up very easily. The only problem is when it is loose, then I have to pick up the gravel and dispose of it.

[@evavillela5448]

I’m curious. I have 3 dogs and they potty in two different areas which drives me nuts. Will this work for them once I try to train them to potty in this area? I guess all I can do is try.

[@Blitznstitch2]

Really appreciate your content!

[@sandyharrell1987]

Great video!

[@nubianbaby219]

Can you post a link to the border you put up?

[@TheALG]

You can find them easily at lowes. Search google for "black rubber edge"

[@vikaschandna4829]

Awesome. Looking to get it done by this weekend. How many inches of gravel would you say needed?

[@TheALG]

I only did enough to cover the ground. Definitely less than 1 inches

[@SandraGarcia-il4rj]

That is very helpful

[@bonit35]

awesome info

[@TheALG]

Happy to help, thanks for watching.

[@bonit35]

thank you for the options and honest advice!!!!!

[@watsonlow22]

Great video...Thanks going to build this

[@Wellesly]

Can you use coarse pumice to fill up the area?

[@TheALG]

Not sure. The main thing to factor in is how sharp is it. You want it to be smooth to the dogs paw.

[@kh-fl4pm]

Did the weed fabric start to smell?

[@TheALG]

No, not even alittle. That was my concern also before I did this. I try to wash it down with a hose at least once a month but I could probably skip this step or at least wash the area down every 2 or 3 months

[@kh-fl4pm]

@@TheALG thanks for the response. That’s great to know, I’m working on my dog run now and have been hung up on that. Thank you for the helpful video too.

[@kymmiewiley6948]

What about when she goes number 2?

[@TheALG]

She definitely does that but I try my best to pick it up right away. If I feel there are poop crumbs then I either wash down the spots or if I have to, I remove a small portion of the gravel. Its cheap to replace the gravel.

[@jackiediggs1904]

I'm glad I found your video. My issue is my dog goes to same spot to pee. So the grass is already gone and it's dirt so I think this would work well but does the weed block hold the smell of the urine. I can't wait to try this because I don't think grass will grow there.

[@TheALG]

The only purpose of the weed block is in the name itself. It will prevent weeds from growing. I have not noticed any urine smells at all. Just make sure its over soil and not anything that won't drain well.

[@yeyomichi]

What about the smell on the gravel and how about when they poop on the grave? How do you clean each piece of gravel?

[@TheALG]

There is no smell most of the time. I usually use a hose and wash the gravel when I feel it's needed. Most of the time, rain usually will take care of this. As for poop, I just pick it up, if the poop is wet or sticky, I pick up the gravel and dispose of it. Once a year, I will buy 3 or 4 bags of gravel to fill in any gaps.

[@noglenogle]

( my dogs would totally clear that short fence. How do you stop yours from going over? Keep a close watch on them. )

[@TheALG]

She doesn't. I put in alot of training and she pretty much is a good dog. Doesn't pull on the leash , doesn't dig, doesn't chew stuff and follows commands. However if she sees a squirrel then all bets are off lol

[@noglenogle]

@@TheALG I tried commenting with this last night but when I edited to add the part in parentsies you saw it erased so I'm going to try one more time... You have a great way of explaining things and a calm demeanor about you. It is a pleasure listening to you. You're not repetitive nor do you over explain which shows a certain level of respect for your viewers as you show an expectation of us to pay attention. You don't "dumb it down" so to speak but you don't complicate things either. I can't even tell you how refreshing that is. Everyone is different. We all notice different things but these were the things that stood out to me personally and I just wanted to share how much i appreciate you as a person. I have three large dogs of my own and i am currently fostering two puppies. They have , just in the past four days, turned my backyard ( about the size of yours ) into a muddy disaster. I'm going to follow your lead and get these areas set up this weekend. You've got a great dog ... friend for life. Thank you for your videos! ( subscribed )

[@TheALG]

Thanks for the kind words. For some reason, your last comment got filtered and was place held for review. I am just now seeing this. Anyway, just keep training the dogs. The most important thing is to repeat the same thing everyday and do everything on the leash when training.

[@plantednanolife7051]

I’m thinking you may have put the barrier in backwards. Wouldn’t you want the lower portion that sticks out onto your lawn actually hidden in the P gravel?

[@TheALG]

The part that sticks out is meant for the mower wheels to ride on so I dont have to do any edge trimming. The border you are referring too are the ones you also hammer in but are supposed to hide. They are a different type and are more of a plastic barrier.

[@lauraguijon5569]

Do you need to dig in or I just lay the pea gravel as it is?

[@TheALG]

No dig. Just put a landscape fabric and lay the peagravel on top. The fabric will help with weeds

[@lauraguijon5569]

@@TheALG thank you very much ! One more question if this area will be next to a concrete pathway and I want to wash that concrete area with floor detergent every 15 days making the water with detergent flow to that direction (pea gravel area) will that be an issue at some point? I mean with fungus or mold or something?

[@TheALG]

It should not be a problem. I hose down the dog area all the time, more so in the summer time. They only thing I would not do is move the gravel around. Dogs have a really good sense of smell and I noticed 1 time when I shuffled the gravel around, she did not want to go there for a while. I am guessing because her urine smell was everywhere and she didn't want to step on it. I had to spray it down alot with water so she could not smell it anymore. Mind you, I could not smell it only her. I know this sounds weird but it's the best way I can explain it.

[@lauraguijon5569]

@@TheALG got it thanks a lot for the responses Mr. Average Lawn guy :) regards from México

[@humanbeing1065]

What about the drainage of the urine? Does it gather on the weed barrier under the gravel? Does it go through it? I don't have a lawn an am looking for ways to create a potty zone for my patio for two large dogs. I don't have the luxury of having natural soil beneath. Thanks for any suggestions.

[@TheALG]

The urine does drain threw the barrier. This won't work too well without a way for the urine to drain away.

[@humanbeing1065]

@@TheALG Thanks, I am not familiar with the barrier material and it just looked like a plastic sheet. I guess it has a mesh-like construction. Thanks for the update to my question!

[@TheALG]

It allows water to pass through but solids like weeds contained. You can get this at any home improvement store, just look for weed barriers

[@marmite]

This is really helpful. Thank you.

[@ericduke9372]

ty good video

[@utube0372]

This video is Heaven sent cuz we are in the process of building a better and more suitable doggy area . What do you suggest I use to clean the rocks with cuz dogs don’t like certain scents right ? Thank you !

[@TheALG]

I only use a water hose to wash down the area. If you use anything else, sometimes dogs won't like it or the chemicals can be harmful. I take a waterhose and wash it down on a light setting for about 10 minutes once a month or so.

[@utube0372]

@@TheALG oh ok thank you so much! Right now under the smelly mulch lol we have thick plastic under it , no wonder why it smells smh but do you suggest we put anything under the pea gravel cuz under the plastic bags there is dirt. Also I left you another message so sorry for the duplicate question.

[@TheALG]

I would remove the plastic and use landscape fabric. The fabric will keep weeds from growing amd allow the urine to drain down. The plastic you have won't allow liquid waste to drain and will just sit there producing a smell.

[@utube0372]

@@TheALG after watching your video is when I realized it was a horrible mistake we did when we applied that thick plastic , but thank goodness now we know thanks to you lol. Also, I read a comment on another video where someone said the pea gravel stuck in between their dogs paw....does that happen to your doggy ? Our two dogs are small each under 13 pounds so I’m hopping the gravel doesn’t get stuck in their paws which I don’t think that will happen tho

[@TheALG]

I have not had that problem but I have a big dog. I am not sure about small dogs.

[@alegmz]

Does the weed fabric allows water to go through if I want to put water on it every day? Can you tell me where I can get it and what type of rubber is in the corner and If there’s an alternative for the rubber. Thanks

[@TheALG]

It definitely allows water to pass and the water goes through it right away, so daily watering will be ok. You can get the fabric from any home improvement store like home depot or lowes. As for the rubber, if you are talking about the edging, it has the same materials used to make tires or rubber mulch. You can use any type of border, there are so many to post here.

[@StephanWilmes]

thanks

[@any4003]

I like this but I live where it's hot all the sunny almost all the time. So I'm worried if this may get hot and not be suitable for my dogs kennel. Turf gets to expensive and confusing on all the details. I would like to get turf but don't know. This is difficult. I would like to let my dogs Rome the property but to many potentially dangerous animals and plants. So I need to find a good middle ground any other suggestions would be appreciated.

[@TheALG]

Maybe try buying a small bag of pea gravel. Place it in a bowl of some sort and let it sit in the sun for a while. Test this out and see if it really gets hot. The spot I created sits in the sun for at least 6 hours on the hottest days and my dog doesn't seem to be bothered by it at all. There are also other dog potty solutions like a mobile one but they really only work for small dogs. I dont have much suggestions besides what I mentioned.

[@any4003]

@@TheALG hey thanks for taking the time to respond. I'll give this a try your suggestion. I'm in TX so it can get HOT and that's what had me questioning. Also just want to double check but you also get that rubber trim at Home Depot as well? Again I appreciate you taking the time to respond. It is very appreciated

[@TheALG]

As I think about your situation, I really think the pea gravel gets warm but shouldn't get so hot that you can't touch it. It would be more of an heat issue if it was a darker colored gravel but because its light colored, heat should be too much of a problem but test it out to make sure. I got the border from Lowes.

[@pain2745]

Hello, Great video. Do you have any idea if young puppies bite on the gravels? Because I don’t want my puppy breaking a tooth lol.

[@TheALG]

I have taken care of puppies in the past. Just like kids, they tend to put everything in their mouth. I would definitely use caution around small objects. They sell sprays to deter them from chewing on stuff. Besides that I don't have any other suggestions.

[@pain2745]

@@TheALG oh ok. Do you also know if artificial grass is a good replacement and if it is easy to clean of dog odor?

[@TheALG]

Good replacement for urine but still can be a bit messy. You might need to wash it down more often. Also depending on location, artificial turf can obsorb heat faster and may get hot for the pups feet.

[@Klikklikboom0911]

Will the weed fabric prevent the urine from absorbing and cause a smell?

[@TheALG]

Not at all, the fabric allows liquids to pass.

[@kimberlygoodman2130]

Do you have to water the area after they relieve themselves

[@TheALG]

No not at all. I normally water down the area at least once a month as a way to keep everything fresh.

[@kimberlygoodman2130]

@@TheALG ok great! I currently have grass in the designated area so if I mow it and cover it with the control fabric before I lay down the gravel will that be ok or will I need to remove the grass completely

[@TheALG]

It should be fine if you mow it low and cover it with weed fabric. Make sure the fabric overlaps buy alot to make sure all seems are covered.

[@kimberlygoodman2130]

@@TheALG ok will do 👍🏽 thank you

[@stefanieleroux7944]

I live in a rental with a concrete backyard. Is it easy to remove the pea gravel and setup once it is installed? I have to ensure the rental is as I found it when I eventually move out, but the current setup of concrete is unpleasant and a lot of work. Do you have any information on what the process would be to remove the gravel? My thoughts are putting it in a large garden box so it is contained. Thanks so much!

[@TheALG]

I use to live in NY where I also had a concrete backyard. This method will not work very well since the urine needs somewhere to drain into. The concrete over time will start to stain. There are other portable solutions you can try such as a portable box which has synthetic grass in it. They have them on Amazon but I have not tried them.

[@stefanieleroux7944]

@@TheALG Thanks so much for the honest feedback!

[@teresa1991]

@@TheALG do you think I can put the gravel inside the potty box instead? Thanks!

[@rebeccacampbell585]

Good ideas and thank you for showing some of the dog training part too.

[@TheALG]

Hopefully it will help

[@elsaflores3830]

Exelent i will try it.

[@johannanaughton9778]

Thank you so much for the tips!!!!!

[@LauraTerminiTV]

hi! why are you using fabric? don't have grass anymore :( so Can i do it without it?

[@TheALG]

Keeps weeds down, you technically don't need it but weeds will become a problem at some point.

[@LauraTerminiTV]

@@TheALG thank you

[@ChrisZarras]

Love this idea and going to implement it (tired of reseeding/sodding). Did you find any grass come through the weed barrier at all? Trying to decide if I need to rip up the grass before hand or not.

[@TheALG]

No grass has come through and I dont expect any. I would scalp as low as you can and invest in a better quality weed fabric. I got the fabric thats supposed to last 30 years

[@jjscosita]

What about when dogs poop? Do they try to cover it with gravel?

[@TheALG]

My dog doesn't cover up her poop. I usually pick it up right away.

[@lindas.martin2806]

Could you use the pea gravel on a part of a concrete patio? many houses where I live do not have a grass yard, only a concrete patio. I have six rescue dogs and they have been using the whole patio, a lot of work to clean up! I would like them to go to a particular area. thank you.

[@TheALG]

You can create an area. I find using a pre-made artificial grass box works best. Type in dog potty area in Google, they sell them all over Amazon. I never tried peagravel on concrete but the artificial grass i have done in the past. You still have to wash in down with water.

[@utube0372]

@@TheALG thank you for this wonderful video , it’s very informative. We have a courtyard that we made for our two small dogs. We moved here last month so at first the dogs were doing their business with out any issues in this area but then it started to smell so genius me lol started to spray it down with household cleaners and then after that they hate going out to this area. We have half of the area with wood mulch which now I learned with your video that it absorbs the odor ...and the other half with bigger rocks not the pea gravel you suggested soooo this weekend we will go buy the smaller gravel and we will remove the smelly mulch 🙈 but what do you suggest I use to clean up the pea gravel once we buy it cuz our courtyard connects with our neighbors side entrance and I don’t want them to deal with any odors ....thanks again !

[@TheALG]

Only use water, even if you have to wash it down for 10 minutes or so. Use a light hose setting. Since you are one to neighbors, you may have to wash it down alittle more often. Just for reference, I wash mine down once a month.

[@zacandkatheryn]

Will this still kill the grass underneath? I have a rental and I’m concerned about what the grass will look like once the area is taken up.

[@TheALG]

It will turn the grass brown and overtime will probably kill it. I would not do this on a rental.

[@iossorio]

Hello, very good video! Let me ask you. Do I need to put down a weed control fabric always? What if I don’t and I just lay the pea gravel in the soil Thanks

[@TheALG]

The fabric is there to mostly prevent the grass and weeds from growing. If you don't lay any fabric, its going to look good for a while but the aggressive grass types such as bermuda will start to pop through. Also the weeds will start to show. The fabric also avoids you having to put down weed killers which is harmful to dogs if ingested. The short answer is yes, you can skip the fabric but its going to be a headache to keep it clear. I would highly recommend using a fabric.

[@iossorio]

@@TheALG thanks so much for the advise!

[@anamariagarzon376]

Great idea! but please i only one question how to avoid bad odors from urine? and how to clean up? Thanks! excellent video

[@TheALG]

Its been about a month and I have not noticed any bad odors, not even alittle. If I do noticed an odor, I will post a video about it. I would probably use a hose to lightly wash the area.

[@anamariagarzon376]

@@TheALG great! Thanks greetings from Colombia

[@pythonflying]

@@TheALG Glad I saw this video, I originally used just an artificial grass pad and the smell underneath was rank! I tried Simple green Outdoor Pet Odor Eliminator but it still doesn't get rid of smell. I think I need to remove the smelly dead lawn, lay down the plastic sheeting and then pea gravel, then maybe artificial grass on top. Not too concerned about the look, but just using artificial grass pad is a shortcut I shouldn't have done, lol.

[@TheALG]

I think the main issue is to have drainage for the urine to go into. Its also helpful to have the area exposed to the weather so when it rains, it will sort of wash all the urine down and away.

[@kimberlygoodman2130]

Hello I have another question, we've had some heavy rain and the gravel smells horrible during and after every rain. Is there something I can do for the smell 🤢

[@TheALG]

I have not had any issues with smells. I would try any type of urine odor eliminator.

[@kimberlygoodman2130]

@@TheALG ok I'll try that thank you

[@myzen1729]

One question, do you pick her poop or will it composed?

[@TheALG]

I always pick up the poop.

[@aquienpuedainteresar4188]

Great idea.

[@simstd]

how do you keep the area relativley sanitary. Im sure the urine smell gets bad. Im assuming just spray it down with water?

[@TheALG]

Yes, but honestly there is no smell. I am assuming it gets drained down. Between normal rain weather and hosing it down once a month, maybe this is the reason why I have not noticed any smell. The only thing that's annoying is having to deal with occasional watery poop. When that happens I tend to pick up peagravel and just toss it out. Its only a small amount and its very cheap to replace.

[@thomasrolon8993]

Any suggestions for travel? My dog is so good at only using the bathroom in his area that he refuses to pee or poo anywhere else so far. Need suggestions as my buddy goes places with me often and don’t want to strain his bladder!

[@TheALG]

Interesting, I would start training the dog to go on command. The way I did it, whenever she goes out the first time for the day, I say a command word "pee". As she starts to go, I say "pee" again and then I praise her. It took about 2 weeks but she now goes pretty much when I tell her. Practice multiple times a day but more importantly, when your dog goes for the first time for the day. Say the word and praise the dog. This won't happen overnight but will take some time.

[@thomasrolon8993]

@@TheALG I’ve done the same but he gets confused when I tell him to go if he’s not home and near his potty area.

[@TheALG]

Thats a hard one. I would just try to take a long walk and at some point he will have to go. It won't be easy amd I'm sorry for not being much help.

[@simplyemz5139]

I know this is a bit of an older video, but can someone please help me. Im planning on making a potty area on our balcony, I am thinking of using a kiddie sand box that is around 125cmX125cm and height is 14cm. So any ideas on how to fill it up, layer by layer(my balcony floor is tiled, with a small drain a few feet away from where I plan on placing the sand box. I need to protect the tiles as we are renting) Also would I need to make drainage from the sand box to the drain, or would the layers in the box be enough to absorb and dry out🤔 my first plan was to put in real grass turf, but now im thinking of gravel. ideas would be very much welcomed and appreciated 😊

[@TheALG]

I have no idea if this will work but it's worth a thought. Keep the sand box idea but you will want either a drain leading out to the drain on the floor. You will definitely need to protect the tiles as urine not draining properly will stain.

[@simplyemz5139]

@@TheALG thank you for replying. If i do get to figure out the drainage part. If I go with real grass, how should I layer it underneath(like should it all be soil, sand, gravel, 🤔) and same question if I decide on gravel instead of grass.

[@TheALG]

I would not go with real grass because the urine will kill it. I would use gravel. You can probably use all gravel and just figure put how to drain it properly. Maybe a square or rectangle made of 2x4. Make it with a screen or a wire mesh to hold the gravel.

[@elenamartin8215]

Hello, thank you for your video. Do we really need a weed control fabric before the gravel? Please let me know, as we are about to build our dog’s toilet

[@TheALG]

The weed control fabric is mostly there to keep the area tidy. You technically don't need it but after about a year or two, you would have wished you applied it because weeds and grass will start to come up.

[@elenamartin8215]

@@TheALG thank you for your reply about the weed control fabric

[@breeanaoldham2634]

I live in AZ rocks get too hot and will burn their feet. With wood chips you add layers, if a smell starts. You can get a truck of wood chips for free, from a local tree cutting company. If you have 12 inches of wood chips you will not have many weeds

[@takapowell7992]

Is this for doing #2 as well??

[@TheALG]

Yes

[@moemac8691]

Is it easy to pickup poop in the gravel? I keep hearing that pea gravel is where it’s at but I’m concerned it won’t be easy when it comes time to clean it up.

[@TheALG]

For the most part yes. The only issue is watery poop. If thats the case I just pick up the whole spot and dispose of it.

[@paigedial3445]

Very informative video thank you brilliant idea

[@consorciasantiago4009]

I will try it.I have 5 dogs popping all over and killed my Bermuda grass.

[@foxybuddy]

Very good girl, well done

[@sweet2e]

Can the gravel be used for poop too?

[@TheALG]

My original intent was to use it for urine not poop. This turn out way better than expected. Having a spot where the dog can relieve herself makes for a much more enjoyable experience where I don't have to worry about stepping on poop. The answer to your question is yes.

[@gitakt2895]

What about poop? Does your doggy do that there too?

[@TheALG]

Yes, no issues, I just pick it up.