So…… if you have a back yard or a dog run or kennel and it is as muddy and soupy as mine was from your dogs running around in the mild weather and tearing up your yard, here is a quick solution and cost effective. I had a huge dilemma I have several dogs of my own plus dogs in for boarding and boot camp and my yard was a huge mud puddle and water everywhere, there were a few issues with this besides the obvious of all the muddy feet in the house, there was so much water and the ground could not and would not soak up any more leaving huge puddles. The puddles were then mixing with all the poop and pee thus could cause a health issue like Giardia. Yes we cleaned up poop as quick as we could but sometimes it got mixed with water and mud where it couldn’t be picked up fast enough.
How do dogs get Giardia ?
Giardia is transmitted from host to host by ingesting cysts in contaminated feed or drinking water. Cysts may also be found in streams or other water sources. The trophozoite stage may also be infective to dogs. This stage does not survive for very long after being voided in the feces.
Giardia can be found in all types of contaminated water, like puddles that mix with feces, and most dogs including my own will drink from puddles, therefore it is very important to make sure the area where your dog lives and plays is clean. Well as you can imagine some days this is very hard to do when the weather does not co operate! Well my yard was a mess and I had to do something, so I researched many different things to resolve my issues like what if I covered my yard in wood chips? Although a good idea, you can trade one issue in for another such as mold, mildew and not to mention wood ticks.
Pee gravel, very expensive and some dogs swallow small pebbles not to mention not all that comfy on their feet.
I researched STRAW the same straw farmer use to line barns and fields for cow’s and horses. Success! It is very cost effective, no fleas or ticks, bio degradable and easy to do just a few hours of your time I did my yard in under three hours. It smells good, looks good and solved a big issue.