def createBackyard(width, height):
    """
    This function initializes an empty 'backyard'.
    It takes as parameters the width and height of the desired backyard.
    It returns the empty backyard (grid of dots).
    """
    row = int(height)
    column = int(width)
    backyard = [ [ ' . ' for i in range(column) ] for j in range(row)]
    return backyard