Three Dogs, Grubs, Borax, and a Mud Pit: Sorting Out the Real Problems

A Pennsylvania homeowner with three dogs, a history of grubs, and a Giardia-treated dog who received borax treatments now has a December mud pit where grass used to be. They're considering digging up a foot of soil and resodding.

Reality check:

• Borax for Giardia in the yard? No scientific basis. Giardia spreads via contaminated water, not soil. Consult a vet—don't DIY parasite control with laundry products.
• Three dogs in a typical backyard = primary damage source. Urine, digging, running—not grubs or soil—are killing the grass.
• Digging up soil is expensive overkill. The soil isn't "bad"; the traffic is excessive.

Practical path forward:

1. Apply Imidacloprid (GrubEx) in June—grubs are easy to prevent
2. Thick bark mulch in high-traffic zones (paths, fence lines, favorite spots)
3. Exercise dogs *off-property* (parks, trails) to reduce yard pressure
4. If you must have grass: tall fescue sod in spring, but expect ongoing damage

The yard isn't a dog park. Either reduce the load or surface it for the load you have.