# River rock or pea gravel?



## class3204

I am going to be putting a kennel up and want to know which is better for flooring. I know the best is concrete but that is pretty expensive. My dog will not be in there for more than 3 hours at a time. Also any one who uses these 2 types of flooring whats the right way to install it so weeds and mud etc don't come through.


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## Pepper311

What about wood chips? That's what the dog park near use has and it holds up. I would not want to lay on rocks I would rather lay one wood chips. Then you can always replace them or add more.


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## msvette2u

We used concrete patio PAVERS. Sold @ home depot or Lowes.
Just lay them down so the edges go out a good 5-6" outside the edge of the kennels.


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## zyppi

Pea gravel is fine.

Make it thick (layers) enough that you can hose it down when you clean it.


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## onyx'girl

I would use pea gravel over wood chips. Wood will harbor insects and mold.
Pavers are fine if the dogs can't get their nails stuck in between. I know a couple dogs who've ripped nails on pavers. As far as laying on either surface, I'd get a Kuranda cot for the kennel.


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## OriginalWacky

I am seriously considering doing a good portion of our back yard with pea gravel so that I don't have to deal with the mud so much etc. I'm wondering if I were to lay out screen or small-spaced wire if that would work well to help keep it from sinking into the mudhole areas, or if I'm going to have to relandscape the whole yard (which is gonna be spendy!). I'll probably have to revamp my fencing as well to avoid them kicking the gravel all out onto the lawn and the neighbor's yard. Has anybody done something like this and taken pictures before/during/after?


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## onyx'girl

We have river rock in our landscaping, it stays put better than pea gravel and is about the same cost. But there are still area's where we have a hard time growing grass...so we extend out the rock. The dogs are so hard on the yard!


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## ksotto333

onyx'girl said:


> We have river rock in our landscaping, it stays put better than pea gravel and is about the same cost. But there are still area's where we have a hard time growing grass...so we extend out the rock. The dogs are so hard on the yard!


Love your rocks and pond, do your dogs go into the water?..we were contemplating, but thought it may end up being more of a pain than anything..


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## onyx'girl

Thanks!
No, they don't go in because the Koi will attack them. Kacie use to go in before the Koi grew large, and we used an invisible fence barrier system to train her to stay out. They do drink out of the skimmer~ 
now the Koi have the dogs trained!


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## OriginalWacky

onyx'girl said:


> We have river rock in our landscaping, it stays put better than pea gravel and is about the same cost. But there are still area's where we have a hard time growing grass...so we extend out the rock. The dogs are so hard on the yard!


Do the dogs run and play on the rocks? Because the area I'd be putting it in is right where the dogs are usually running and playing, which is why I was thinking pea gravel would be better (as long as it was nice and smooth). Plus, easier to clean up poo, because I could use something like a mini soil rake to scoop, almost like a cat litter box scoop. Or maybe a garden claw cultivator would work better. Anyway, being able to pick up solid waste easily, and rinse away liquid waste would be a big advantage.


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## onyx'girl

Can you teach them to go in a 'litterbox' w/ play sand? That may be easier to clean up than rock. Then you can have the pea gravel in the rest of the run.
My dogs do charge thru the river rock, but they also have grass, woods, concrete and wood decking in our backyard(acre fenced in), it isn't limited to rock surface. 
Another option is pulverized rubber mulch. But make sure it isn't from tires that are corded and that your dogs aren't the type to eat everything and anything. Playground Rubber Mulch


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## OriginalWacky

onyx'girl said:


> Can you teach them to go in a 'litterbox' w/ play sand? That may be easier to clean up than rock. Then you can have the pea gravel in the rest of the run.


Well, I worked at a kennel that used pea gravel in the play areas, and it was pretty easy to clean, the mini pitchfork/cultivator/hoe was great for picking up poop and leaving the rock behind. Our yard is not very big and is oddly shaped, so the less I have to change, and the more space I can use for running the better. 



> My dogs do charge thru the river rock, but they also have grass, woods, concrete and wood decking in our backyard(acre fenced in), it isn't limited to rock surface.


We have the concrete of the driveway on the side, then the 'mudhole' of the back, and the other side would remain grass. The concrete is obviously there to stay, as it's part of the driveway, the other side being grass is the longest stretch and where I generally play fetch (runs the length of the house and then a little), and the back has the drainage from the hill (not in the fenced area but is our yard) and gets the muddiest. Plus the shed takes up some space. 



> Another option is pulverized rubber mulch. But make sure it isn't from tires that are corded and that your dogs aren't the type to eat everything and anything. Playground Rubber Mulch


Unfortunately, I can see Krissie eating the rubber mulch, and I'm not sure about Koshka yet. Krissie is good with rocks, and doesn't tend to eat those, but anything else seems to be fair game. Although I don't leave them out there unsupervized, other than very short periods to go grab something inside, Krissie can gulp something down in a heartbeat. 

I guess I'll just need to keep watching around and thinking until I get the budget to get things redone, and decide then.


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## Chris Wild

Pea rock has good drainage, is easy to clean and quite soft to run and lie on. But it also scatters everywhere, so some sort of border edging to contain it is a good idea. For sufficient drainage and to keep it from just mixing with the dirt/mud underneath, you need it to be several inches deep; 6 minimum, 8-12 would be better.

River rock is heavier, doesn't drain as well, compacts more and isn't as easy to sift through to pick up poop. But it also doesn't scatter around as much.


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## 4TheDawgies

I would not recommend wood chips. I tried them last year and they don't last long at all, and I am almost positive my dogs have gotten splinters from them causing cebatious cysts. 

This year I am lining the kennels with concrete blocks and putting pea gravel down. Much easier to sanitize anyways. I imagine river rock would be harder to pick up poop in?


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## OriginalWacky

Chris Wild said:


> Pea rock has good drainage, is easy to clean and quite soft to run and lie on. But it also scatters everywhere, so some sort of border edging to contain it is a good idea. For sufficient drainage and to keep it from just mixing with the dirt/mud underneath, you need it to be several inches deep; 6 minimum, 8-12 would be better.
> 
> River rock is heavier, doesn't drain as well, compacts more and isn't as easy to sift through to pick up poop. But it also doesn't scatter around as much.


I'm thinking that using hardware cloth (image below) for the bottom 3 feet of the fence would keep the gravel from scattering. Is that something I could lay on the ground as well to keep the gravel from sinking into the mud as much? I'm thinking 8-10 inches deep for sure either way.

I don't think river rock will do what I'm hoping for, so I'm probably going to cross that off my list. I know that wood chips won't work, and I need something I can do myself, so artificial turf is probably out. And I haven't found any other good options that I think would work. Right now the biggest thing is to figure out a plan so I have a budget in mind, and then I just have to convince The Mate. 

I wish I could afford to have somebody come in and just landscape it all the way I want it, but that's not gonna happen, so I guess it's up to me. Haha.


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