Cat owners appreciate it: the house cat goes to the litter box, scoops out the droppings once or twice a day and changes the litter once a week.
Dog owners, on the other hand, have it much more difficult: go for a walk 3-4 times a day so that the dog can relieve itself. And that in wind and weather!
In a nutshell: Does it make sense to have a release place for my dog in the garden?
One Dog toilet in the garden is quite a sensible matter, provided it is your own garden.
Danger:
Residents of rented apartments with shared use of the garden should definitely obtain the consent of all parties involved before setting up a redemption point in the garden.
But: a release place in the garden does not replace the daily walks! Going for a walk not only allows your dog to defecate, but also to give it the exercise it needs.
The finished dog toilet from the trade or a self-made space for the dog in the garden?
You can make dog toilets for the garden Build it yourself with simple steps or buy it ready-made in specialist shops or hardware stores. Which option is better depends on your manual skills, your willingness to pay and ultimately the needs of your dog.
Pros & cons of ready-made dog toilets
A ready-made dog toilet has a clear advantage: it can be used install easily and is possibly also transportablefor example if you are traveling in a mobile home.
In this way, you can easily take your dog’s usual release place with you.
If you don’t have your own garden, just a balcony, the ready-made solutions are also a good choice.
The disadvantage is the acquisition costs of around 100 to 150 euros.
Cleaning is difficult because it is mostly boxes that have to be rinsed out regularly.
The urine is collected and does not enter the floor. Pros for the environment, cons for those who have to clean the dog toilet.
Pros and cons of a homemade dog litter box
A self-made release place for your dog in the garden definitely has the advantage of low purchase price. Material for the subsoil, sand and bark mulch does not cost the earth.
The dog toilet is also easy to clean with a sensible structure. Dog urine just soaks into the ground.
Although we also have a problem. In any case, the subsoil must be designed in such a way that sulfur substances from the urine cannot get into the groundwater. But more on that later.
Incidentally, a well thought-out dog toilet can also be easily implemented for balcony owners.
However, here again we have the problem of cleaning, since urine cannot seep off and has to be caught by a floor.
So I can build a dog toilet in the garden myself
In principle, setting up a redemption place for your dog is very simple.
You may have already built a sandbox for your children in your garden, but they no longer use it because they are old.
Then of course you have one excellent base for a dog toilet in the garden.
Otherwise you should plan an area of 1 to 1.5 square meters. The place should be as possible Wind and weather protected be.
Raise one about pit 30 cm deep out and put them with one fleece out of. No plastic foil, otherwise rainwater cannot seep away.
Lay a 5-8 centimeter thick layer of sand on the ground. Just fill up the rest with bark mulch.
Of course, you can still surround the release area for your dog with concrete blocks or wooden planks, but you don’t have to.
Getting the dog used to his toilet in the garden – step by step
A dog toilet in the garden offers huge benefits: Your dog no longer defecates uncontrollably in the garden. This is especially important if children are still playing in the garden. If your dog continues to run while defecating, then it’s better in the garden than outside on the lawn or in your apartment.
The lawn is protected and an erected dog toilet is easy to clean.
But how do I get my dog to use the release point in the garden?
For this it is important to show your dog the dog toilet and to build up appropriate commands. Once your dog responds as desired, don’t forget to praise it.
Repetition is important here. Your dog has to be conditioned for the release place, so to speak.
To repeat: A dog toilet in the garden or on the balcony does not replace daily walks.
However, it is helpful when there is «need for the dog» and he urgently needs it. Especially early in the morning after sleeping, before going to bed or when the dog has diarrhea.
Of course, it is difficult to get an adult dog used to the new environment. With a puppy, it should be easier to get used to it if it is trained consistently.
Last but not least: This is how you keep the dog toilet clean
Since you used a fleece, the dog toilet in the garden can be cleaned relatively easily with the garden hose.
You should change the bark mulch once a quarter. The sand lasts almost forever and should be replaced once a year.
Conclusion
Whether you buy a dog toilet or create one yourself depends primarily on your living situation.
Ready-made toilets are particularly interesting for tenants with a balcony, a self-built release area in the garden can be individually tailored to the size of the dog or several dogs.
The cleaning effort is limited with the garden toilet, while a ready-made toilet is associated with some effort, since liquid cannot seep out.
The question of environmental pollution seems unimportant here.
Your dog has to defecate and urinate in one way or another, whether distributed over a large area or concentrated in one place with possible catching options.
Is our article helpful or have you had other experiences? – Write it to us! We look forward to your comment!