garden, dog mess, children conundrum

[PumpingRSI]

hi,
wondering whether any one has any advice about how they manage this situation. we have two dogs, young children and a large lawn area. in winter it gets super muddy and the dogs are let out first thing 6:30am ish, then walked as well as out for a wee lunchtime and walked evening with a final let out at night. the younger dog always poos first thing and often older dog too. I can't walk them first thing as children still in bed, and in better weather religiously pick up after them. But in this weather it's too dark, muddy and I probably do it once a week or get days. At the moment I just have to stop letting kids on the lawn to avoid stepping in it, but we're thinking of re designing garden a bit in spring with maybe a play area.

Any ideas how we can manage the dogs mess a bit better. would artificial turf be easier - our lawn is shot anyway. Could we have a fenced off area where dogs are forced to 'go'. any ideas gratefully received!

It is possible to train dogs to go in a certain area so that's one option. A friend of mine has recently swapped to fake grass and says it's so much easier to clean up, I don't fancy that option and just try to keep on top if the clearing up

Just pick it up every day. As soon as it gets light, put your wellies and rain coat on and go and pick it up. It takes less than a minute.

Or don't let your dogs out first thing.

It is easy enough to pick up poo every day . We actually have an ornamental ( but quite high) fence around our large patio area so that our dog is only allowed on the grass when he is supervised and it is dry . I pick up poo off the patio whenever he goes and then wash down with dettol ,same for wees - so no smells . We actually fenced the garden off because he digs and when he was a puppy we had an incident with some daffodil bulbs and I cant taken he risk again .

Hi, just to add to this, if we are out for the day (we get dog walker or sitter in) with these dark mornings and evenings or I have toddler with me where I can't watch him whilst I pick up its not as easy. in the better months, I always pick up and keep on top of it.
I suppose to add to this, youngest dog has been a mare to toilet train, often pooing first thing in the morning. we had to crate religiously at night and when he barked let him out immediately. we've now got to a comfortable level where he doesn't need crating but still has to go, first thing, or we have accidents. So for me it's a balance between not rocking the boat and trying to overcome this pain.
Am pondering a fenced off area, or lots of gravel and artificial turf as we also have lots of trees so fallen leaves which make it all harder to spot.

We had this - large dogs, muddy lawns and leaves everywhere so you can't always see what is what.

A couple of things helped - I wouldn't redesign the garden just yet as you have a problem which won't last forever (children will be at school etc). Also my dogs only like going on grass and hate having to poo or wee elsewhere, so you might trigger problems with the newly trained dog if you change the garden.

Try having a big clear up this weekend - rake the leaves, clear all the poo up. After that, just stick the toddler in wellies and take them out with you - my DD used to help me finding poo in the garden as a game when she was tiny. Far better to clear up daily, wander round the garden for 10 minutes and get some fresh air. Wellies are easy to clean if necessary, and you get to clear the garden before the dogs tread in the mess and bring it indoors on their feet! And if you keep on top of it then it is manageable and less risk of treading in it when you do go out.

Honestly, I feel your pain but I wouldn't spend thousands on a redesign of your garden when it isn't required. Dog mess is easiest to clean off grass really, so stick with that.

I go out with my dogs and bag the poo almost before it hits the ground . Hate the idea of leaving it for days to smell and get rained on and sink into the lawn.

If your children are still in bed, go out with the dogs & clean it up immediately.

Pick it up every day. I have a torch that I take out with me and scoop it up there and then.

We're lucky to have lawn at the front and back, so front is doggy area and children know to stay off! A dogs' own designated area would help, though you would have to go out with them initially to train them into it, but it sounds like you have the space.
In the meantime, scoop immediately when possible, but when not go out and scoop up when when it gets light and DC are in school/ safely occupied, whatever.
As it gets lighter in the mornings moving into spring, you'll be able to go out with them in the mornings anyway.
Good luck; hope you get settled into a good poo routine.

Pick it up everyday.

Floodlights so you can see from the kitchen window where they've pooped?

I dont' have dogs but artifical grass is a PITA with lots of leaves. You really have to keep on top of it. Try to imagine yourself out there with a hoover too, how big is it really.

Every day, I've got a head torch and I've scooped it up before it's touched the floor. Next doors have poo everywhere, it's disgusting, and they have a young child