Muddy Paws and it isn't even Spring. :(

[Dixieland Dancer]

It's bad enough when you have to deal with Muddy paws after the winter thaw but to deal with it in the fall is just too aggrevating.

My Father in Law (who lives next door to us) has been saying all summer he was going to have someone come in with a back hoe and level off his backyard. Then he was going to plant grass. Well he never did, until yesterday that is. The bad part is that half our yard is a mess now too! I had both dogs out this morning playing frisbee before I left for work and they both ended up with muddy paws. The morning dew and the freshly dug up ground made terrible combinations.

I am afraid that the growing season is over and it is too late to get a good healthy patch of grass to grow now before winter weather hits. Why did he do this so late in the season knowing I have dogs who play in the back all the time??? I am thinking of buying boots for the dogs for sure now. It will be easier than washing muddy paws every morning!

Thanks for letting me vent.

[DoggiesAreTheBest]

So sorry about the muddy mess, Candy! I can totally sympathize. There is a muddy patch in my back yard from where my roommate was doing a Do It Yourself Gazebo that she never finished! Well, that's Drake's favorite spot! It has been raining all week and last week as well. I have to do aload of muddy towels every day to keep up with him

[lovemymaltese]

Muddy messes are never fun, sorry about your situation. It's always best to vent instead of allowing it to bottle up. Hope you day gets sunnier.

[Logan]

Mud??? Did you say, "Mud"? We love mud and we didn't even have a backhoe in our yard!! Mama says that we are just like backhoes though!!!! It's raining and we are a mess!!! All our mama can say is that she is really, really glad that she doesn't have any carpet in this house while she tries to sell it!!! She just has to keep the furniture covered with sheets in case we decide to be couch potatoes, and she keeps the mop and bucket handy to mop up our mess.

Mama says that she has a lot of sympathy for you, Miss Dixie. Guess that means she gets as upset as you about the "m-u-d".

Love,
Honey and Lilly

[ChrisH]

Sorry to hear about the muddy paws.There are two times in the year that is best to seed grass, Spring and Autumn, (usually April or September).BUT... I planned to seed my back garden to grass this year, first of all Spring, then I put it off to now, then I realised.... okay, I CAN keep my dog from playing there most of the time but the path to the gate goes through there and so I would end up like you, a dog with real muddy paws and a muddy patch instead of grass. I can understand why you being so MAD! I would be too! All it needed was a bit of thought on your father-in-laws part. Oh, well, too late now I guess. Maybe he could pay for those boots!

[Dixieland Dancer]

Originally posted by ChrisH
Maybe he could pay for those boots!

He doesn't even think there is a problem! He thinks I am over reacting. That's because he doesn't have to clean their paws every morning right before going to work!!!

I was thinking of getting a bunch of straw or hay to spread around until spring comes. It's going to be a long winter.

[ChrisH]

Grrr, what! Can`t see what the problem is! I know he is a relative but I have to say it. Stupid man!!!
Ok, straw or hay may work, the only thing is, your dogs are Goldens, right, with the long hair? If so they may get a lot of it stuck on them and could be a devil to groom out. Though even that could be better than the mud I guess.
Trying to think of something positive you can do... and I am not doing very well! Let`s see, I guess it all depends on the size of the muddy place and what you can afford and I don`t know about the price of the different stuff over there. Ok, first thought, after permanent paving, would be the most expensive, some black ground cover stuff (made of a plastic type material but porous) covered by pebbles/gravel something like that. Second thought is tree bark or coco shell, coco shell is better because it sort of sticks together. I have the bark, it is messy when the dog runs all over it but better than mud!...(You know I am convincing myself here not to go for replacing with grass come spring after all but to go for the pebbles! Won`t need mowing.)
Anyway, sorry I couldn`t come up with something better. Best of luck with whatever you do.