Dogs (and mess) and children in garden

[DontBuyANewMumCashmere]

I have recently acquired a wonderful new toddler. She's not yet 100% steady on her feet but pretty good.
I'm a bit reluctant to let her walk around our back garden as although I try to pick up every day (2 dogs and quite a large garden) I'm very nervous that she'd fall into poo that I haven't seen, or a recently pooed on area... I mean I know I'm not going to sterilise every bit of garden I'm not that pfb! but wondered what everyone else does.
We're about to try to train them into going in certain areas but haven't done it yet and don't know that this would always work.
I'd be grateful to know how others work dogs and children in gardens.

[BernardsarenotalwaysSaints]

I have a v v large back garden & in summer I clean poos asap but sometime in the 5 minutes between the busimess happening & me getting to it 1 of the 4 DC (& on occasion bloody DH) still manage to step in it...you can't stop it really & I tend to spend most of summer calling 'mind in case she's had a poo'. Usually it's fine. That beimg said she has good firm stools so clean up is very easy if there is a runny one I'll pick up as best I can then hose down. No harm has come to the DC yet.

[almostthirty]

As above but in a small garden.

[almostthirty]

Oh and less children

[BernardsarenotalwaysSaints]

Oh & she's started (by herself) only going on the patio (for wees & poos) which makes it even easier as I can just shove disinfectant & boiling water down. It's possibly because she's not a fan of cold/icy grass on her bits though so it may not last in to summer!

[cathpip]

I have (and so have the neighbours) got used to the lovely quietness of my dc yelling "muuuum, dog poo"! It's quite surprising how early toddlers can pronounce the words dog and poo :), admittedly I do go out every morning before they are all released and do a "poo patrol" but I do always seem to miss one.

[LilCamper]

Keep your dogs wormed and keep up with the poo patrols.

[BloodyDogHairs]

I bought mesh fencing (I think it's called that) from Amazon and sectioned off my garden. I have 2 large dog's and a small garden, I didn't like the thought of my small dc's playing where the dog's pee.

It's been great over the winter too as I don't have to deal with muddy paws as the dog's only use the concrete now.

[Floralnomad]

We fenced off our patio area ,which is outside the kitchen doors ,with ornamental metal fencing and any business is picked up and / or washed down and disinfected as soon as I see it , we keep a watering can with diluted dettol in for the job. Therefore our dog only goes on the grass and decked areas when we are out there and he is invited ,he has a bench on the patio that he sits on .

[BernardsarenotalwaysSaints]

Sex it's not as great as it appears! My DH has had a lot of clients ask for it (general building & landscaping) & while it looks great so many have come back to him 12-18 months down the line to lay turf because it just isn't the same as real grass. In fact he has at least 6 booked in for the next couple of months (not all initially laid by him).

[sparechange]

We have fake grass, but we have also trained the dogs to go on command, so we can pick it up there and then

[DontBuyANewMumCashmere]

Thanks all, lots of useful stuff.
Cheers 🐕🐕💩💩