Running the fence!! Help!!

[micki76]

My dogs run the primeter of our fence all day. No problem in the summer, but with all the wet weather we now have no grass, just mud. This "track" goes all the way around all three sides of our fence. Does anyone have any ideas on what I could do? We have a pet door, so wiping paws isn't the solution. Oh, if only it were that easy.

We've thought about building a narrow "sidewalk" of sorts with either paver stones or pouring concrete. We need a permanant solution cause this happens every year until summer. My carpeting is very light tan and it's getting ruined.

We've also thought about installing another fence in front of the current fence (maybe 2-3 feet out from it) in hopes to help cut down on the fence running and the barking. We share one side of the fence with a neighbor who has a blue heeler and all three dogs bark incessantly when she's outside. They're driving me (and I'm sure our other neighbors) nuts!! Help!!

Any ideas would be appreciated.

Thanks!

[aly]

You could try getting some of those plastic carpet runners. Put them on the path upside down so the pokey things are sticking up. The dogs most likely will not walk or run on those things. It usually works. Good luck

[ParNone]

Hi micki!

Murph has always been a fence runner too. I don't think the
extra fence 2-3 ft out is going to help. Every morning there's a
person that walks their cocker spaniel down the side walk
next to my fence and Murph runs and barks at him. There's
at least 6 ft between my fence and the sidewalk on the
other side.

My grass is fairly thick and stays somewhat green during winter,
so I never have a really bad mud problem. I did build a brick
path around my bay window flower bed and I notice that Murph
does use that path on his way to the fence. So your path solution
may work for your dogs.

I myself plan on replacing all my carpet with wood flooring and
ceramic tile, when it starts to look really bad.

Par...

[wolf_Q]

Not sure what to tell ya, I have the same problem! There's a path that goes around 3 sides of the fence, around the deck....lol This is all from Reggie and Smokey, Nebo walks wherever he feels like it.

But, the fence in the back, both Reggie and Nebo play "tag" with the sharpei mix dog that lives there. They run back and forth, touching noses through a hole in the fence. The one good thing, Nebo doesn't bark while doing this....Reggie does though!!

[Cheshirekatt]

Same problem here and same dirty carpet! LOL I also plan on removing all the carpeting and replacing with wood floors and area rugs.

[anna_66]

Yep, same problem here, but luckily, no doggie door or my house would be full of mud

We did put gravel on one side of our fence, and put trees in (the trees for privacy & the gravel to get ride of the muddy path). Our neighbors on that side of the fence have 2 schnausers, and they too love to play tag! The gravel works, they can still walk on it & it keeps them from getting nasty. I'd love to have it around every part of my fence, but we have a large yard, so lots of hard work!
Maybe one of these days!

And I'm with the rest of you, when the carpet comes up, I'm getting a tiled floor in the kitchen and wood laminate in the living room, the carpet just gets too yucky with 3 dogs!

[tomkatzid]

We have two large mud areas in our yard. One at the edge of the deck, where they peel out. And one where they come to a screatching hault. In the spring I am going to put more sod down, and hope it will grow.
For the off white carpet we have, we use baby gates and a good carpet cleaning co.
Katz

[micki76]

Originally posted by ParNone
Hi micki!

I myself plan on replacing all my carpet with wood flooring and
ceramic tile, when it starts to look really bad.

Par...

We would like to do this, since we have it in the kitchen and the front entry, but the kids come running in the pet door at top speed and I could just see my vet bills!! They also chase each other throughout the house so I don't think wood floors would look too good after even a week or so of that.

I guess the sidewalk path is the best option for a permanent solution. More work for my husband!

[ParNone]

The first house I had with Murph and Maddie had wood flooring
in the foyer. The kitchen was a closed off room with a door that
opened into the foyer. When I'd get home from work and let
M&M inside, they'd make a beeline from the back door to the
kitchen. First Murph would ssllllliiiiiiidddddddeeeee across the
wood floor, SLAM into the door jam and BOUNCE into the kitchen.
Followed closely by Maddie, who'd mimic his entry into the kitchen
exactly the same. Never seemed to hurt either one, but I did
have scratches in the wood floor.

When I laid wood flooring in the bedroom, I used the laminate
stuff and neither were able to scratch it. Murph from time to
time would look like a cartoon character though. He'd be
trying to run at warp speed and his feet would be a whirl of
motion and he wouldn't have moved one inch. So yeh they
do have traction problems on the laminate, but I put throw
rugs in strategic places to help'em out.

Par...

[iwuvsmypuppy]

you could always get them " outdoor booties" ones that you put on them before they go out i dont know if it will work but oh well.......

[micki76]

Originally posted by iwuvsmypuppy
you could always get them " outdoor booties" ones that you put on them before they go out i dont know if it will work but oh well.......

Oh they'd NEVER tolerate that. Not even Chester! I wish he would, though!

Par - I have tears running down my face picturing Murph trying to run!! .
The rugs are a good idea though, hhmm...

[sabies]

I think your idea of building a little sidewalk around the perimeter of the yard is good. It'd be great if you could use the same materials used for outdoor tracks - so it would be easy on the paws.

I used to have a dog who ran back and forth along the fence with a neighbor's dog. I always thought it was cute and seems like great exercise. Now I have a dog who just jumps the fence and leaves the yard.