Pet Turf and Dog Runs

Why dogs and real grass don't mix

Most people looking at artificial grass for dogs have the same backyard: a worn track along the fence, brown patches where the dog pees, and a mud pit by the back door every spring. Urine burns grass because of its nitrogen, and a dog running the same path every day compacts the soil until nothing grows. Reseeding buys a few weeks.

Pet turf fixes the mud and the brown spots. It doesn't fix the smell on its own: that comes down to how the install is built.

How pet turf is different

Regular landscape turf and pet turf look alike, but a good pet install changes three layers:

• Backing. Pet turf usually has a fully permeable backing rather than one with punched drain holes every few inches, so liquid passes through everywhere instead of pooling between holes.
• Base. The crushed stone base is built to drain fast, often a little deeper and more open than a lawn base, and graded so water leaves the area rather than sitting under it.
• Infill. Instead of (or mixed with) plain silica sand, pet installs use an odour-control infill. Zeolite, a natural mineral, traps ammonia between rinses; coated sands with antimicrobial treatments are another option.

Fibres matter too. Dogs dig, skid and lie in the sun, so a dense, shorter, resilient pile holds up better than the tallest, softest landscape turf. Many owners also choose a turf with a lighter thatch so solid waste is easy to pick up.

What it costs

Ontario installers publish $14–$22 per sq ft for installed pet turf, about $2–$5 per sq ft more than standard artificial grass for the better base and pet-grade turf. Odour-control infill or a deodorizing drainage layer adds $1–$3 per sq ft. The full list is in the table below and the artificial turf cost guide.

A dog run is often a smaller, harder-working area than a whole yard, so it can cost more per square foot and less in total. If only one strip along the fence gets the traffic, turfing just that and keeping real grass elsewhere is a fair compromise.

Living with it

Pick up solid waste as you would on grass. Hose down the main pee spots once or twice a week in summer, and use an enzyme turf cleaner when it starts to smell; enzymes break the urine down rather than masking it. In winter, snow and meltwater do some of the rinsing for you. The guide to artificial grass for dogs covers smell, heat on paws, digging and what to do about a dog that chews edges.

Turf gets hot in direct summer sun, hotter than real grass. If the yard has no shade, plan some: a tree, a shade sail or a covered patio, and keep water out.

Questions to ask a pet turf installer

• Which turf, and is the backing fully permeable or perforated?
• How deep is the base, which stone, and where does the water go after it drains through?
• Which infill, how much, and do you recommend topping up zeolite on the main spots each year?
• How are the edges secured along fences, where dogs dig and run?
• What do you suggest for shade if the run is in full sun?
• What does your workmanship warranty cover, and does pet use affect the turf maker's warranty?

A good installer answers all of these without hesitating. If the answer to the first two is vague, the install is likely to smell by its second summer.

Most dog runs take a crew a day or two. Keep the dogs inside or at a friend's while the base is open and the infill is going down.

Getting a quote

Tell us the rough area, how many dogs and how big, and whether the yard drains well now. One local installer who builds pet turf gets back to you to measure and quote. Ask them which backing and infill they'll use, and how the base will drain.