We too have this problem on the north side of the house but as it is quite narrow and on the side we haven't done much to it. This area is up against a block wall which intensifies the heat (reflected heat) in summer so not many plants could survive this. We planted Texas ranger (leucophyllum) there and as it doesn't grow in the winter anyway it survives just fine and grows and blooms like crazy during the summer. They come in different sizes and leaf and bloom color and would certainly be up to your dog but I don't know about hardiness in Reno as we live in Las Vegas. Your lavender should handle your dog okay when they are bigger but might appreciate good drainage in the winter to help with the wetness. If you add some coarse sand or gravel and some organic matter to your soil it would really help with this. Good luck! Maria Maria

Well you just said no bamboo but I have multiple 7' x 2' stock tanks planted with (originally) one #15 Phyllostachys aurea (golden bamboo). They are huge, lush and I've had no trouble with them. I use drip irrigation which admittedly I leave on for about 45 minutes. We use them as plantings around our metal barns, which really needed softening, but are surrounded with concrete and gravel so I had to do tubs. I think the key to growing them in pots is to use a big enough pot. I also suspect that after another 3-4 years (they've been in for 3) I will have to have them pulled out, cut up and replanted. All of that may be WAY more than you want to do, I just wanted to let you know that it is possible to do and would make the right kind of screen.

Choose something appropriate for your area that you find desirable. Note these are edibles for the most part. There should be plenty of non-edibles tolerant or even thriving with only partial shade. Of course some things may go dormant for winter...or even summer. I think I would try the alpine, musk and lipstick strawberries. Or plant a pecan tree to get the area overhead shade (dappled) in the summer that I could then plant under.. SHADE TOLERANT Partial Shade May have less fruit. Alpine Strawberry Bamboo (some types) Dogwood Elderberry Evergreen & Red Huckleberry Filbert Gooseberry Hydrangea Jasmine Lipstick Strawberry Lingonberry Magnolia Vines Musk Strawberry Paw Paw Pie Cherry Salmonberry Serviceberry Sugar Maple Thimbleberry Full Shade Bamboo (in sunny climates) Currants Carolina Allspice Evergreen Huck. Flowering Currant Wasabi Highbush Cranberry Here is a link that might be useful: List from Raintree Nursery

I have some Sweet Lavender bushes that get zero sun in winter, and partial sun in summer, and they're happy. Some others (same type) in a different spot get full sun in summer and partial sun in winter and they're fine too. They are about 3' tall and 5' in diameter, not including the 2' flower stalks, and are a nice green green (not grey green like most lavender). Or maybe, Sweet Pea Shrub? (Petite Butterflies seems to be about the right size you're looking for). They grow quite well in a variety of situations in my neighborhood (Westchester, so a little more coastal than you). Some Ceanothus varieties might work in that spot too, if you find the types that can tolerate the shade. I have a Ray Hartman growing happily in almost full shade, but that's too large for your spot. I seem to remember there are quite a few that can handle shade - there's a chart out there on the internet somewhere that listed them by light requirement.