Yes, the dogs go potty on the grass. Usually only the grass.

My mom did it all by herself. She dug with a little hand shovel a couple inches down into the dirt to place the bricks there. Then she dug between the bricks and placed bits of grass/roots in the dirt the covered the pieces of grass/roots with dirt....when she was all done she swept the excess dirt away into the grass in the corner and along the fence....until it was all off the stones. Hope this helps...