The Grass Doctor

What kind of grass will stand up to my very active dogs?

They have torn it up into a mud pit. I am going to keep them off of the yard until the grass gets established. I just need to know if one kind of grass is better than another.

Public Comments

1. Crabgrass. I'm serious. I know of no grass seed that is sold for "lawns" to be tough enough to stand up to dogs. I would think that multiple active dogs would kill crabgrass as well - but it would have more of a fighting chance than "lawn" grasses. If you find that there is one area that takes the most abuse (like the "back and forth" along a fence line), you might consider gravel along the fence, and then a line of shrubs and plants to act as a visual barrier between the rest of your yard, and the gravel. If you place a few spaces here and there, dogs will naturally dart through the gaps rather than charging through the brush.
2. Crab Grass.
3. I would use a triple blend fescue (tall) for high traffic. Cut it high. It will tell you on the bag on how to maintain it. Also when you see them ripping it up keep them off for a while or when it rains . I had a similar problem with my kids....Good luck!
4. Knowing in what climate you live would be helpful... You'll have more choices with seed than sod. I'd look for seed labeled as athletic turf; those types stand-up better to foot traffic. They'll usually be a Tall Fescue variety. Be advised though, it's a wide-bladed grass that won't blend well with Kentucky Bluegrass, Ryes, Red Fescues and other types of cool season grasses. It will also spread to your neighbors' lawns, so if they have more narrow-bladed lawns I would not recommend it.
5. That is difficult to say not knowing what area of the country you live in. In the south the best grass, with the quickest recovery is Bermuda...however no grass can stand up to constant running back and forth. You may want to consider creating garden pathways with stone, gravel, or mulch, so that you don't have to fret over the grass. They are much more appealing than the mud pit you describe. :) This link may give you some ideas: http://www.mooseyscountrygarden.com/garden-paths/garden-paths.html or this one: http://www.bhg.com/bhg/category.jsp?categoryid=/templatedata/bhg/category/data/sc_786.xml Hope this helps. :)