Options For A Dog Friendly Backyard Deck

I'm so excited we are planning our next renovation project - building a deck in the backyard.

As we are subdividing the block and putting in a new retaining wall and fence the easiest way for us to build the deck is to have the deck go right up to the new retaining and fence so the entire backyard is decked.

This will give us heaps of deck space and it will all be at one level. But the only problem we have with this deck design is our furbaby Lexi .... 

We aren't sure how our beloved dog Lexi will find going from a massive open backyard to dig, run, roll around in and a place to do her business to a completely hard surface area which is all deck.

We do have our front courtyard garden which has lawn which Lexi loves but she spends most of her day in the backyard as it's more secure and private.

We have 2 options we are considering for the deck design ..... 

OPTION 1: ARTIFICIAL TURF ON TOP OF DECK

If we do deck the whole backyard I've seen artificial turf used for dogs to do their business on which is laid across the deck in a designated area.

This could be a good option if Lexi does her business on the artificial turf.

The artificial turf will be similar to dog training trays but on a much bigger scale.

Lexi was already house trained when we rescued her from the RSPCA and I don't think we will have too much trouble training her to do her business in a certain area.

I don't know whether it would stain/damage the deck over time but to be honest the thing I'm most concerned about is the smell ... I don't want the lingering smell of dog wee around at our BBQ dinners on the deck!

There are lots of different types of artificial turf on the market nowadays and some is even geared towards being pet friendly so it drains and is easy to keep clean.

We would need to be able to clean the artificial turf regularly so the smell isn't an issue for this to work.

OPTION 2: SUNKEN COURTYARD WITH LAWN

The other deck design idea is to shorten the deck and have steps or a ramp leading down to a small courtyard with lawn.

This will make the deck space smaller but it might be a nice feature to have and it will be much better for Lexi to do her business on real lawn.

Of course once the deck is built Lexi will also need a new space for her food, water and bed and I'm already trying to convince Mr P to build Lexi a doghouse!

There are some great ideas on Pinterest for DIY dog beds .... I've even started a new pet friendly board on Pinterest!

There are lots of things to consider for our new deck and backyard area and we want to plan ahead and get it all right before we pull out the tools and start to build!

Do you have a paved / decked backyard area? 
How do your pets like it?


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[First 3 images my own - All other images via Pinterest 1, 2, 3, 4, 5]