To post pictures, you need to put them someplace that hosts pictures and then post a link.

Here is a link to a thread that describes how to do it.

Are you inland in SoCal or in the foggy zone near the coast?

If you are inland the only grasses that will work with the dog are bermuda and St Augustine. If you are nearer to the coast you can add Kentucky bluegrass to the short list. These grasses may thin out under the dog but they will grow back. Fescue types will die under the dog and will not grow back. Hybrid bermudas and St Augustine must be sodded. Common bermuda and KBG can be seeded. Zoysia is a special category. It will wear out quickly under the dog but will come back...eventually...about 3 years after the dog dies.

The retaining wall may have large pieces of organic material like tree trunks or whatever they could find to fill the volume they needed. As that decomposes it creates voids that will eventually settle and create the choppy surface you see.

Filling in the contours of the choppy area requires some labor. You'll need topsoil or sand, water, and a drag. A drag can be made from a 6x6 foot piece of chain link with some weights on it and a rope to pull it. First if there are high areas you want to bring down, you might have to do some digging. For the holes, pour the topsoil on until you think it's level. Then drag the drag to smooth out the area. When you think it is perfectly smooth, water it lightly so it doesn't wash away but for at least 30 minutes to saturate all the new soil. It will settle some. Let the soil dry and repeat the process with more topsoil in the holes, drag, and water. When you are satisfied that it is perfectly contoured as you want it and the soil will not settle anymore, then you are ready to seed or sod.

Another alternative for the dog is to fill the area with several inches of mulch. There won't be any grass but the mulch is easy on the dog's feet, absorbs urine immediately, and is pretty easy to keep out of the house. Still another alternative is Dutch white clover. The only problem with that is the white flowers attract bees.

Thank you for the photobucket help. I uploaded 3 pictures of my grass and 3 pictures of my slope. The retaining wall was never put in on the slope. The old homeowner started to dig out the slope and then stopped. It is just a really choppy slope with a lot of weeds. I want to smooth it out and make sure the slope doesn't erode away and then plant some sort of groundcover. I live about 30 miles from the ocean in southern California (Riverside County). I went to Lowes and talked to their 'garden expert' and she said that I could seed and then spread a topper on the lawn. She said that I could not allow the dog on the lawn while I did this because it would not germinate. I don't want to eliminate my dog from the backyard unless I have to. Any and all help is appreciated. Hopefully I copied the photos correctly. Thanks.

Here is a link that might be useful: Photobucket

The slope in the back yard looks like a small area where you can do what you want and put a temporary fence blocking your dog from going there until what ever you plant is established. As far as your dog peeing and it turns the grass green. Your grass is telling you that it needs nitrogen, but I do not know what times are good in California for putting out fertlizer. You can get a maintenance schedule from your local county extension which will tell you when to fertlize. Good luck.

This probably isn't what you wanted to read, but big dogs and small lawns don't work well together. Even if you successfully seeded and grew new grass a lab would run it into the ground in short order. If it is only for pee breaks and not exercise or she doesn't stay there during the day, then set aside an area for mulch and teach her to go there. The rest could probably be nice grass given proper care.

The slope. Rather than work to smooth it out, it would be far easier to plant bushes or ground cover and mulch the area rather than try to flatten that area to a seed bed. Just work on the gulleys with a rake and shovel as you plant. It doesn't have to be that perfect. You'll probably always have some repair given heavy enough rains, but I'd be more concerned about runoff towards the house.

Here are your pictures.

{{gwi:121103}}

{{gwi:121104}}

{{gwi:121105}}

{{gwi:121106}}

{{gwi:121107}}

{{gwi:121108}}

If you are in Riverside county and only 30 miles from the ocean, that pretty much puts you in the Corona to Temecula area. You are over the coastal mountain range that keeps the moisture on the coastal side and leaves your side pretty dry and warm.

The grass you have looks like the fescue they use in your area. Those bare spots will remain bare unless you reseed. Instead of that my first choice would be to plant St Augustine. It is nearly care free as long as you water it weekly and mow at the highest setting of your mower. One piece of St Augustine strategically placed in the center of your yard would spread out 10 feet in all directions. If you put that piece in the corner where the ground is bare, you will prevent weeds from growing there. The St Aug is a dominant species when it gets regular water, so that is why I like it.

As for your embankment, I would probably continue with the retaining wall. If you don't I still like Dutch white clover for a ground cover. It will grow to about 5 inches tall and then stop growing. You could also use creeping red fescue on the bank and let it go unmowed. It looks pretty cool, long and hairy. It grows to about 10 inches long and flops over.

If you decide to reseed, you don't need a topper. Just scatter it on the bare soil and step on it with your full weight. Then start watering. By stepping on it you press the seed against the soil so the soil can keep the temperature and moisture levels relatively constant. If you just let the seed sit on top, it doesn't get enough moisture for long periods. If you top dress over the seed, you prevent the sun from getting to the seed and seedlings when they need it most. Just seed and step on it for your small area.

And Dude! You really need to fertilize that lawn. That is one of the hazards of posting pictures.

That is some slope--very dangerous to mow. If I were you, I'd put some low maintenance creeping junipers in there after you smooth it out. You may need to put some erosion control blankets while the junipers are still young and all the surface is not filled in. Either that or mulch the area around the junipers.
{{gwi:121109}}

I agree. Clover and creeping red fescue don't have to be mowed either.

I was thinking was soccer dad mentioned. That looks like a really nice spot for a great garden. Shrubs, small trees and perhaps some landscape lighting. A small waterfall?