If they like to dig in the dirt, no grass will tolerate that any better than bermuda does. Even a good stand of healthy bermuda will get dog pathways worn through it. Our solution (to keep the mud from coming indoors) is to put bark mulch in the spots where they have worn pathways through the dog yard, which is fenced off separately from the rest of the back yard. They'll dig through the mulch and sometimes scatter it around, but you can rake it back over the bare spots after they're through digging.

In my line of work I have seen miles of muddy dog paths through yards. No grass that I have found yet can stand up to large dogs running up and down that area all day. It is usually along the back fence and at the corners of the house. I hope someone has a tried and true suggestion for grass.

The best option I have found is to landscape/hardscape the area. If it is in the right spot, a sidewalk of some sort helps it look a whole lot better. Only if you can use it though. It could even be as easy as pea gravel laid on top of landscape fabric. If you do not use the fabric, the dogs will just beat the pea gravel into the ground.

Other than that I have landscaped areas with items that slow the dogs down. I mean use tough plants they can not squash (ornamental grasses, roses, spreading junipers, etc...) and place a few boulders or something (birdbaths, gnomes, windmills, whatever your style is) in a fashion so that the dogs have to go around the items, not on a straight path through the items. This forces them to slow down, tearing up less dirt. Or you could mulch with river rock. Or even better, xeriscape the yard and use less water.

One last thought...Is the drainage messed up and the yard can't drain? This would allow rain to sit longer making that area more muddy.

This house has four big dogs but you wouldn't know it from their gorgeous grass! They did a gravel path behind the flower beds next to the fence and it works great to give the dogs somewhere to circle without tearing up the grass. http://www.405magazine.com/405-Home/March-2016/Sustainable-Serenity-in-a-Backyard-Eden/

I guess Mia said it better with a whole lot fewer words! Thanks for the article. I like that arbor.

That yard is so beautiful in person, too, Scott! They did a great job on the revamp, and it is so practical for them as well.

Scott, your post was very helpful. I have this problem in large areas.

Well your welcome!

I agree, even Bermuda grass can't stand up to dog trails. I just add a little pea gravel to the bare areas. When I used to have several rescue dogs I would have trails in the yard and they would stay on these trails instead of crossing where ever. There were times when I would be out in the yard and on a trail, i would have a couple of dogs in front and the rest behind me. The dogs in front would slow down, so I would slow down then the dogs in back would slow down. This would make the dogs in front of me slow down more, I would go slower dogs behind would go slower. This would go on till we all came to a stop, just me and a line of dogs standing in the yard, I would just laugh. I can just imagine what people thought if they saw us. Crazy !!!

Scotts right, put things around to slow them down and gravel to cut down on mud and dust.

My dogs stay on their trails unless it's frisbee time.

Stockergal, It sounds like your place is just like mine---every day it is either a circus or a zoo. (grin) Ain't life grand!

Dawn

Thanks for the ideas, though some just won't work. Right now they've got the entire side of the house down to bare dirt, probably 30ft x 15. So gravel is gonna be too expensive, plus the backyard is technically their playground so I can't put anything out to block them. And one plays soccer with this hard plastic ball and nothing stops him when he gets going. If I put up a birdbath or bench, hell just now it down. Back to the drawing board. We may just have to cut the yard in half and try to slow down the destruction.

Maybe you could cut the yard in half and move them back and forth, alternately, often enough that they cannot completely wipe out all the grass. Our dogs wear paths all along the fence line of their dog yard, they dig holes in their own paths, but all the interior of the yard within their pathways stays green. That's where they play ball and chase each other and roll on the ground. It is bermuda grass. I like having a separate area for the dogs so we can be in the back yard without stepping in dog stuff. Of course, you still have to go into the dog yard with the pooper scooper and keep it clean, but at least the mess is confined to that one area.