wood chips are like a mulched leaves, they really hold in the urine smell so unless you only have on or two Newfs maybe it would be okay, I layed down pea gravel in the dogs area, this can be washed with water and bleach or vinegar and water. The chips will stick to the dogs if they are bushy., also will your dogs eat them? that would be another concern. Of course only my dog pens have the pea gravel , the yard is mud filled until summer just like the rest of you , but usually it does not happen until spring. this has been a weird winter of rain and in the mid 50's when it should be 30 and snowy! Another thing that has helped is decking for the dogs, I find they will sit and lay on that once they have pottied in the yard. Yes ,yes, I know I said I had pens, and very nice ones at that with AC sheds and porches, I built it, then did not have the heart to lock em in, they can use 'em or not, now I have decking in the yard just for the dogs! Am I CRAZY or what? Why do I bother because for the most part they don't even stay outside anymore., UGH I feel like Charlie Brown trying to defeat Snoopy with my own logic and I am loosing!
Okay you know your yard best as to what will work. I'm just shy of wiping their butts for them!
oh one more thing,. we had wood chips on the playground where I work (day care) and wood chips float when there are puddles, then they wash away with the water if there is a slope in the yard. So putting up some type of boarder in place is a good idea.
