If you’re a pet owner who is proud of having a gorgeous lawn, it’s difficult to gaze at your lawn and notice dead grass in the area where your dog peed. The urine of a dog can leave spots of yellow or brown dead grass. A few pet owners believe it’s just part of the dog’s life however this shouldn’t have been the scenario. There are ways to stop your dog’s urine from damaging the grass you have.
What is the reason that dogs’ Urine causes damage to grass?
The reason urine turns the grass brown or yellow is to be related to the chemistry. Understanding the reason for this is the first step towards getting rid of it and maintaining your lovely lawn.
Nitrogen is an essential element of healthy soil. However, excessive levels of it could cause grass patches to die and change color to brown or yellow. Urine naturally contains nitrogen. High levels of nitrogen may cause grass burns. Lawn fertilizer also has nitrogen. The dead grass is often covered by a dense, lush, and green circle growth. This is because of the fertilizing effects of lower nitrogen levels.
Salts as well as other substances that are found in the urine of dogs can also cause grass damage. The highly acidic or alkaline urine can modify the pH level of soil, negatively impacting the grass in areas of your area where your dog urinates.
Many believe that urine from female dogs can cause more damage to your lawn than male urine from dogs. But the chemical composition of urine isn’t different in any way between male and female dogs. It’s the method by which dogs urinate that’s the primary blame. Female dogs may cause more damage to grass because the majority of them squat and urinate at the same time while males tend to raise their legs and “mark” the upright object at multiple places. For instance, if male dogs pee on a tree’s stump and leaves it, only a tiny amount could drip into the grass, causing damage. This is not as noticeable as the circular spots of damage caused by urine Puddles.
How to Avoid Grass Damage
There are a variety of methods to avoid spots of yellow or brown on your lawn caused by urine from dogs. While there’s no method to eliminate urine spots in your yard but you can make steps to reduce the damage.
- Make sure your dog is trained to go outside in a specific area to minimize the area of your lawn that is affected. If you are able, secure the area where your dog can only go to that specific zone. You can cover this space by planting tall grasses or low bushes, so it’s not noticeable from other areas of your yard.
- Create a soil cover for urine inside your dog’s toilet area. The best option is to use clover. A few people have been successful in planting fescue or ryegrass Both of them are more durable than standard lawn grass.
- Make dog-friendly, plant-free landscaping within your yard where your dog goes to pee. You can also do it throughout your entire yard to ensure it does not matter the location your dog pees in. An effective solution is stones or mulch. Be sure to check the shape and size of any stones you select are ones your dog will dislike walking on. The sharp or rough edges could harm your dog’s feet or cause discomfort to the point that they won’t be able to walk on them.
- Make sure your dog is drinking enough water. Wet food versus dry food is an easy method of doing this, but it could be a bit costly. Dogs must be drinking plenty of water in order to maintain their health. In addition, the extra water can reduce the amount of urine your dog is able to drink to decrease nitrogen levels to a level below which grass damage can occur. This method will mean your dog will be required to go through more urination however the benefits could outweigh the discomfort.
- Use a garden hose immediately and wash the area where your dog has urinated. Make sure your dog urinates in different areas every time so that the water and urine are distributed.
- Since your pet is adding nitrogen to your lawn, you should consider changing to a fertilizer with lower nitrogen content. Be sure that the fertilizer as well as any other chemicals you apply to your garden or lawn are safe for your pet.
- Products and supplements like Dog Rocks are advertised to treat grass burns. But, you should be aware that certain products may be hazardous if they modify the pH of the dog’s urine or cause adverse health effects. Discuss with your vet prior to adding any new items to your dog’s food.
Be aware that animals may be allowed access to your property and their urine may cause lawn damage too. Fences can keep out all dogs who are walking through, however, cats and other wild animals are harder to keep out. This is why you keep seeing yellow or brown spots in the yard even after you’ve tried every trick with your dog.
A daily watering routine can reduce the number of spots. Some individuals also choose to apply a particular animal repellent. If you choose to use one be sure that the product is suitable for your dog and other animals. The goal is to deter animals, not hurt them.