[Soapie&Buddy'sMom]

I have a run attached to my house, it's about 12 x 20. The dogs can get to it through the cellar door via a doggie door - the kennel is flush with the house, and the cellar is one of those old fashioned ones that has a door with steps leading to the backyard. Anyway, the main use for the outdoor run has turned out to be (18 months of use):
(1) Buddy, the 2 1/2 year rottie-lab mix, sits on a folded lawn chair surveying the neighborhood (he does this whether I'm home or not during the day)
(2) Soapie - 8 year old chow terrier mix - pees and/or poops out there when she really has to go and can't hold it
(3) Miller - 8 year old yellow lab - doesn't use it at all, he appears to sleep the entire time I'm gone, and hold his bathroom needs until I get home.

I have grass and mulch, along with a big bush that was there when I built the kennel. I also have a few stones alone the back wall, and there is some concrete sidewalk that was also there. What's weird is that Buddy usually always sits on the lawn chair - never the grass, or else on the partial sidewalk.

My suggestion is to at least have a variety of materials, or something like a lawnchair there for the dogs to lay on. And I agree with what others have said here; I don't think the dogs will use it to run around in - they save that energy for when YOU are at home!!! Trust me, my dogs seem to sleep all day and so are 10000% energized and ready to roll the minute I drag my a** through the door! :p