Ok, I'm confused. You want a dog, but you don't want the mess of a dog? Not possible. You committed to the dog for life, you need to provide it with a happy environment for life regardless of how many children you bring into the world. I don't know what kind of dog you have or how old it is, but dogs are rather easily trained to utilize specific spots for defecating and urination. I've seen people put in an area marked off by bricks, etc, put in faux hydrant or something similar if you have a male dog, and used positive re enforcement to get the dog to utilize this area, specifically. No fence needed. Speak with your Vet or a dog behaviorist on how to do this.

Your child is a baby. You can apply the same positive re enforcement to keep your son out of the dog's personal area. Give them both some credit for their intelligence!

Responsible pet ownership involves responsible pet owners. You allowed your dog to utilize any area it wanted to, now it's your job to re train your dog to utilize an appropriate area. It would have been easier if you'd done this when the dog was a puppy.

Setting limits for both your pet and your child are the pet owner's and parent's responsibility. You need to take some ownership in the world you've created and stop looking for easy fixes. Will re training of both always work? No. Live through those moments and move on. Mistakes happen. It's part of life. If this is too much to accommodate, you have no business owning a dog or having children. You're an adult, act like one.

Well, think about it Danny. Nothing makes me angrier than a person who minimizes their own responsibility in a situation. Fences? That's your solution? Nothing about the fact that you allow your dog to pooh on your deck vs the ground? Really?

Ok, CHILL. that'll get you through all your dog and child issues. Good to know. Responsibility and creating a world where both your child and your dog's behavior is acceptable to others does not enter into things..... noted, and stepping away from the conversation.

Wouldn't it just be easier and less expensive to train the pet owner? An area outdoors for washing off the mud could easily be made by adding a dual faucet that includes both warm and cold water for rinsing off the dog.

So now 2 year olds are ok to be unsupervised in the yard and the dog owner is not responsible for picking up the poo and putting it in an appropriate place so that neither child nor adult walks in it? Interesting.

Clean up after the dog ,I do

Artificial grass is great for dogs as it solves the mud issue and can easily be hosed off to keep it clean.

Hi Danny,

I understand your issue with dog mud on cream carpets. I've had dogs all my life. We've also always had cream carpets which, in my eyes, is a ridiculous idea for my family because if it's not the muddy dog ruining the carpet, it's a family member spilling tea and coffee!

It seems like you want less hassle/less cleaning. Honestly? Get an easily cleanable floor. If you think the muddy dog is the issue, just wait until your child is moving and throwing food/being sick/god knows what!

Tony's images are great - it seems like covering the pond might be a great opportunity to make this a "dog" area. I can see a small path on the left hand side of your garden, maybe you could widen this and have it leading towards an area with bark/grass. I definitely wouldn't recommend letting your dog do its business on the decking. Not only will it damage the wood, but it's an area where everyone will walk, so stepping in poo is inevitable!

As a quick fix for the mud on carpets - pop some old towels on the floor near the entrance to the garden. Every time your dog comes in with muddy paws, use the towel to wipe off the excess mud. As for the poo, where ever your dog poos it will need to be picked up, so no fix for this! From experience, my dogs have always found an area in the garden they like to poo in. We just keep checking it every now and then.

I have to admit, it seems a little sad to think the dog wouldn't mix with the family in the garden, as my childhood was so enjoyed having our dog in the garden with us. But this is YOUR house, and whatever works best for you is the answer. Good luck/let us know what you decided.

A teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in the water bowl of mixed with food will stop pee burns on the lawn. If you buy the ACV with the mother even better, that has tons of health benefits for the pet too.

There is a product called Dog Rocks which is a type of stone. You place a couple in the dog bowl and replace them after a period of time. It is a natural product and is apparently harmless. It does work as I have used it in the past. I am between dogs at present but would use them again.