Choosing to invite a dog into your life can be a rewarding experience. One area of dog care that owners like to give forethought to is the location of where their dog will defecate and urinate every day.
Your dog potty options depend on your living quarters, your budget, and the size of your dog.
In this article, How to Build an Outdoor Dog Potty Area on Concrete, we will look at different ways to give your dog a potty break, creative options for your dog to take care of business as well as how to get your dog to use the new potty area.
How to Build an Outdoor Dog Potty Area on Concrete: Dog Potty Breaks
Dogs can take care of their business on any surface offered to them. It takes patience and diligence on our end to show them acceptable potty locations.
As mentioned, it depends on the needs of your dog and the location of your home or apartment. You may live in a home or apartment that only offer a small balcony or patio.
And this small set up might work for you. Especially since you might not have the tools or place to build one from scratch.
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5 Decisions Before Learning How to Build an Outdoor Dog Potty Area on Concrete
Before we go into how to build an outdoor dog potty area on concrete, you will need to make some decisions on the location, size, and materials you would like to use for the potty area.
- Determine your Location: Chose a convenient location for you and your dog. The dog potty area needs to be easily accessible for both dog and their owners. The location will would be best away from your outdoor dining space as well as play areas for young children.
Some people that live in high rises will build a potty area on their balcony or roof access. Of course, safety must be considered so that a smaller dog won’t slip under or through railings. And larger dogs need to be deterred from jumping over balconies.
- Consider your Climate. Your local weather needs to be considered before learning how to build an outdoor dog potty area on concrete.
Hot climates may require a shelter with shade over the potty area. Climates where it snows for several months will need to have snow removal options. Wet and rainy climates need especially good drainage for the potty area.
- Drainage Considerations. If possible, choose an area that has little or no grade. Many people do not want their dog’s urine to drain into their flower beds, yard, or garden area. Soil and rocks offer good solutions for proper drainage.
- Size of the Area. When beginning to learn how to build an outdoor dog potty area on concrete, dog owners need to take into consideration the size of their dog. A medium size Pug will need a smaller area then a bigger dog like a Golden Retriever.
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Keep in mind that each dog has their own potty habits. They like to walk around and find the perfect location to leave their poop and scent behind. Many dogs like to walk in circles before carefully choosing their spot. The size of your dog and their potty habits will determine the size of your potty area.
- Determine Surface Options. The surface option will be determined by how much time you have to clean-up your dog’s feces, your personal preferences, the allocated money set aside for your dog potty project and a bit of your dog’s personality.
When learning how to build an outdoor dog potty area on concrete, you can choose to use concrete, rocks, mulch, grass, or artificial grass (known as pet turf).
Dogs that like to explore by eating everything, will want to steer clear of small pea stones and wood mulch. Small dogs with tiny paws will not appreciate large river stones or sharp aggregate in their elimination area.
Before you begin your project, gather the necessary tools so that building your dog potty area will go quickly and smoothly.
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How to Build an Outdoor Dog Potty Area on Concrete: Necessary Materials
Once you have determined your location, size and style that is a good fit for you and your dog you can begin building your outdoor potty area.
Some of these materials you will already have on hand. If not, your local hardware store should have what you need to get started with your project. But if you prefer to order these online here are some helpful links.
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- Outdoor Edging: wood, large rocks, or landscaping edging (not an affiliate link)
- Drainage Material: small rocks (smooth surface) – may need several bags depending on size
- Surface Material: mulch, rocks, sod, or artificial turf for pets (this turf is not a self draining system). If you need a self draining system, check out this article A Review Of the Top 5 Best Artificial Grasses For Dog Potty.
- Tools: Shovel & Rake: Nothing fancy on these. A flat edge shovel will help with shoveling mulch and a small rake is fine for spreading mulch.
- Shelter or shade cloth (if necessary)
Money saving idea: For larger dog potty areas, check prices at a local landscaping business that sells edging, mulch, rocks, and sod in larger quantities.
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5 Steps on How to Build an Outdoor Dog Potty Area on Concrete
- Begin by measuring out your dog potty area and marking the concrete with chalk.
- Set the frame for your outdoor dog potty area. Your home hardware store will have a selection of edging that is used in home gardens and yards. Choose wood, large rocks, concrete blocks or special landscaping edging.
If you would like to use landscape edging, it can be tricky because most of them are only stabilized into the ground with spikes. Therefore, you will want to choose one that has a flat bottom and is heavy enough to stand on it’s own.
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This is what we use for our flower beds. It does come with spikes but it can stand up on it’s own. It comes in packages that are straight so it doesn’t have to be unrolled and made to straighten out beforehand.
Each length is 4 ft. so in order not to cut it, you will create a 4×4, 8×8, 12×12 area.
The corners can be secured with duct tape on the inside corners in order stabilize the structure and to hold in the mulch. We purchased our at Menards (not an affiliate link).
- Next, cut the appropriate size of landscape fabric to serve as a weed barrier. (Weeds like to sneak through any cracks or creases in concrete.) Again, this depends on your specific dimension. You may want to add a couple of inches to go up the sides of your landscape edging, rocks or wood to hold in the drainage material.
- Add your drainage material. Lay down at least a 2” layer of medium sized rocks for drainage. If you use a wooden mulch, the weed block is very important. However, if you use a rubber mulch, it will not deteriorate and will deter weed growth.
- Lastly, add your surface material of choice.
Real grass: add at least a 12” layer of quality potting soil before adding the sod or planting grass.
Pea gravel: Rake out a 3” layer of pea gravel in your dog potty area.
Artificial Grass: When choosing artificial grass or a pet turf surface, it’s important to install a proper drainage system. Also, when shopping, purchase artificial grass designed specifically for a dog potty area.
Now that you have the hardest part of the project completed, the next step is teaching your dog how to use the area and maintaining your outdoor dog potty area.
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How to Get Your Dog to Use the New Outdoor Potty Area
Now that you learned how to build an outdoor dog potty area on concrete, in five easy steps your dog will be using their new area.
Always begin with the surrounding area free of poop and urine odors.
- Use a leash! The first elimination break in the morning is a great way to begin with introducing the new area. Each time you take your dog outdoors for a potty break remember to use a leash and direct them to the area.
- Establishing a command for potty time is helpful. When they eliminate, label it for your dog with words such as “potty time”, “take a break”, or “park”.
- Verbally praise your dog when they eliminate in your new outdoor dog potty area.
- If you are teaching a new puppy or older dog and they poop outside the new outdoor potty area, clean up the poop and move it to the new potty area. They will understand that is the new potty spot, not indoors or on the grass.
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When you are teaching your dog the location of your outdoor potty area, it is always good to remember to be patient and consistent. Your dog might not like the new area at first, but they certainly are smart and will adjust with time.
Other ways people offer dog potty breaks:
- Take them for a walk around the neighborhood.
- Indoor litter box.
- Fenced in potty box or potty area on concrete.
- Taking the dog on hikes through the woods or down a country road.
- Outdoor fenced in yards (with or without a doggie door).
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How to Build an Outdoor Dog Potty Area on Concrete: Maintenance
It is important to keep the dog potty area clean, as it gives your dog more options for potty space. A clean dog potty area keeps smells away and less bacteria will be tracked back into your home after your dog visits the potty area.
Maintenance for an outdoor dog potty area takes only minutes each day.
Remove Feces Daily. Keep your dog and the dog potty area clean by removing feces every single day. A small rake and shovel will do the job or buy a commercially made “pooper scooper”. Place feces in appropriate bags to dispose of or purchase a dog poop composter like the “doggie dooley”.
Hose Off Potty Area. How often you do this chore really depends on the amount of rainfall in your area and the size of your dog potty area. Plan to have a way to rinse and clean the area so the urine will drain away.
Spray Potty Area with enzymes. Spraying the grass and drainage material with an enzyme solution that breaks down animal urine will keep the area from getting too smelly.
These enzymes are specifically for outdoor use.
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How to Build an Outdoor Dog Potty Area on Concrete In An Emergency
Due to adverse weather events like cyclones, flooding or hurricanes, wars, conflicts, rioting, looting and other political unrest, there may be a time where you are unable to take your dog outside for potty breaks.
One fast and inexpensive way to contain the waste is to build something like this suggestion from the Humane Society of Manatee County Florida:
This set up is just a basic plastic kids pool with pieces of sod or grass. You could get away with cat litter or dirt even if it is for a dog. This will get you through the crisis and will contain your dog’s waste.
If the crisis is more long term, you might periodically seal the waste in plastic bags and store it until the crisis passes. Kind of disgusting, yes, but you have to do what you have to do.
The Bottom Line: How to Build an Outdoor Dog Potty Area on Concrete
It’s always good to do a bit of homework before beginning your project. You and your dog will appreciate the thought and time that will go into the location and building of the new dog potty area.
When choosing the materials for your dog potty area, make sure it fits the personality of your dog. Some dogs have sensitive feet and would prefer real grass or artificial pet turf.
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Just as important as how to build an outdoor dog potty area on concrete is maintaining your outdoor dog potty area is important for its longevity. When choosing the materials for how to build an outdoor dog potty area on concrete, make sure it’s a surface that you can clean and keep up on a daily basis.
Now you can enjoy your loyal companion and know they have a clean location for taking care of a basic need.
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