I need to section off an area where my dog does his business.

Victoria Sourile - Fence it off with a gate.

So.......what's your question?

We used some of the lattice that you can get at stores like Home Depot and Lowe's. It's much cheaper than going the fencing route. We actually live in a mobile home and our back door is alongside a neighboring fence (no, we can't tie onto it - it's not part of the mobile home park property), so what we did was created a little run for our pups. It butts up against the back side of our house, is approx. eight feet long, and we purchased an inexpensive gate so we can get into the area should we ever lock ourselves out. We got five metal fenceposts that you just shove into the ground to tie the lattice onto and the gate onto. Works great. We planted grass in the area so it's not muddy. The dogs love it because they have a little running area to go outside in to get their business done away from the doorway and the porch and they can relax in the sunshine. Cost us less than $60 to purchase everything.

how big is you dog?

Menards has some fencing that is fairly cheep and you just sick them in the ground, some are metal and some are plastic, some are fancy and some are plainer. We got one that is like a fine black wrought iron to block the area along the front wall that the paper boy used as a cut through, but it actually was a perennial garden that I did not want anyone trampling over the winter when there was hardly any snow. I even caught substitute mail people using it. Our regular mail lady knew it was a garden and did not use it. It definitely saved the garden when the snow disappeared early this year! I even saw some that you could get a gate to match.

Try taking him to the same area each time he needs to go and eventually he will know that's his spot.

You can build a "sandbox" and put dirt in it, then section it off from view a bit with cement blocks and living plants placed in it to not be so sterile looking. Plant mint in the sections to keep area smelling nice and a few easy plants for eye appeal. Found a picture to give you the idea.

Dogs can easily be trained to use one specific area. For instance, place a stepping some in the chosen area, and take the dog to only that spot upon awakening, after each meal and before bed. As you take the dog to his special spot, use the same one command only (i.e., "go potty"), and once he's done, give him profuse praise ("good dog!") and a big belly scratch. You'll probably have to repeat this routine 2 to 4 days, but your dog will get it, and you'll have only one area to clean up.

Thanks Gale! Love it especially the mint plant idea!