Klingstone's a great product. Just know that it has an amber hue to it, which means your stone will take on an amber hue. Imagine a coating of dark maple syrup. It may not be an issue with the gravel, but it could be an issue with the stepping stones.

I do not know Klingstone per se, but can't imagine that it's anything but a polyester resin/hardener that binds stones together. I notice that their website gives no indication of the price so that's confirmation enough for me that this product will be VERY expensive to actually produce something in landscape size that's meaningful. On other websites, with everything else, you can "Buy Now!" but not with Klingstone. You must make an inquiry. So it might be affordable as the "stepping stones" in a sea of aggregate. But it won't be affordable if it is the "sea of aggregate" for a few stepping stones.

I'm sure the chicken wire would work to prevent digging. Dogs could not dig through that. It might not last forever, but the dog would probably be sufficiently trained before it turned to rust.

Marcinde provided you with good info that we have found to be valuable in regards to coloration.
We've also found that pebble size makes a difference in regards to how much material is required to hold a good bond. The larger the aggregate, the more product is required.

If polyurethene is an issue for you there is another product on the market that is derived from pine tree pitch/ sap vs. an oil base product. It is called Terra Pave.
It works well and also darkens the final color of the surface with an amber tone. We've used it on both commercial and residential projects where there was a desire for a natural looking finish but was ADA compliant in regards to stability.

With either product it is important that a proper sub base be installed .
Your aggregate needs to be dry as well as having at least 7 to 10 days of dry weather predicted after application and the temperature should be not less than 55 degrees - ideal is around 65 - 70 F.

In regards to chicken wire and dogs digging. I've used your described method with success.
I'm involved with The Jack Russell Rescue Society and have had a few diggers that have come to live with us.
If you have the addition of gophers then hardware cloth is also a good option.
Hardware cloth is not cloth at all but a 1/4 wire mesh.
We also use it when making gopher baskets to plant our plants in .
It last a pretty long time and holds up great in salty ( beach side ) soils.

Yardvark - Klingstone is actually really pretty reasonably priced, having compared it and a similar product offered by my local stoneyard for a pathway project. Why would you spout off with an assumption like that? Are you in business for yourself? Do you have any idea how dramatically the cost of a website jumps when you add a shopping cart?

Why would I "spout off with an assumption like that?"

marcinde, you're sounding a little defensive... as though you are connected with the product. First, it's immaterial whether a website has a shopping cart or not. It's the product's price--just a dollar sign and a few numbers--that is secreted away. Second, in general, resin products lean toward expensive. Nevertheless, my answer qualified that it DEPENDS ENTIRELY HOW ONE USES THE MATERIAL as to whether it will be affordable, or unaffordable. And that's still true. The OP says: "Alas, a primary concern at the moment is budget."

So how much does this resin actually cost? $150 for 5 gallons plus shipping (figure approx. total $200.) They claim that one gallon will create 12 s.f. of path. (How thick, and how durable over time, is another consideration.) So, for a small project, it might be reasonably priced. But for anything of size, it could quickly become high priced. That's why I said, it depends on how the OP would use it.

That's how I do it!

Thank you for your thoughtful and helpful replies. I wrote to the supplier yesterday and await a reply so I'm not sure exactly how much this product will cost, but if the posting above is correct, then for my 300 sq ft project it would cost me $750 plus shipping to use this product. I requested small sample of the product so I can see how it works and how it changes the color of the pebbles. For what it's worth, it does seem odd that they don't simply post the price of the product on their site (or perhaps I missed it?) whether they have a shopping cart feature or not.

" the way you presented your opinion could put someone off a good product without cause. "

Never. There is always someone waiting to swoop in and correct me.

There is also a product called TechniSoil that sounds useful in an application like this.