Animal Welfare Professionals

I'm interested in learning what is recommended and pros/cons of various types of substrate for small dog play yards at your animal shelters. The shelter that I'm working with has pea gravel now and is exploring alternatives. Is crushed limestone recommended as it often is for dog parks? What about turf? Grass is an option but requires maintenance. Other options? 

Thanks in advance for any input.

#Behavior,TrainingandEnrichment

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Chris Fitzgerald
Chief Product Officer
AnimalsFirst
Rochester NY
cfitzgerald@animalsfirst.com
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Our shelter uses pea gravel for our outdoor play yards and walking trails for all of our dogs-puppies included. It works fine for the most part but it can be difficult for dogs that have a hard time maintaining their balance and it can be unstable and painful for dogs with hip and leg injuries to not be on solid ground. We have thought about using crushed limestone but we have very severe weather for most of the year and it would need costly yearly maintenance and it can get messy when out dogs are playing extra hard. There are turf options specifically made for dogs (it's easy to clean and has proper drainage) but it is incredibly expensive. More information about a turf option can be found here. All this being said, I don't know what the best option is, I hope others have input as well!

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Bailey Evans
Grant Writer
Animal Allies Humane Society
MN
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I highly recommend using Forever Lawn's K9 Grass for small-medium dog play yards. My shelter installed it in 2022. It's durable, easy to maintain, and the staff and dogs love it.  Our installation included a 15-year warranty.  Although it's more expensive than other options, it's definitely worth checking out. 

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Cheryl Robinson
President
HumaneCNY
NY
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We're also thinking long-term about how substrate affects behavior. Some dogs seem more relaxed on softer surfaces, while others get overstimulated if it's too slick or bouncy. I've been wondering if alternating texture in different sections of the yard might help with enrichment too, not just function.

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Daniel Burr
Operations Manager
Little Ones
MA
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