Does Dog Pee Kill Grass?
Dogs are man’s best friend and, as such, make life a little better every day. However, one of the downsides to pet ownership is that animal urine does not bode well for luscious green lawns.
One of the common causes of lackluster grass is dog pee. A canine’s urine’s high nitrogen content causes lawns to burn in patches, resulting in a less than impressive garden. However, all is not lost thanks to a few simple lawn maintenance tips.
Why Does Dog Pee Kill Grass?
While a completely normal function for pets, peeing in the garden has negative consequences. These consequences are because a dog’s urine features a high nitrogen and acid content, among other things.
Nitrogen is essentially the waste in the urine and results from a protein breakdown through normal body processes. However, this normal process causes nitrogen overload for your lawns.
The highly concentrated stream will more likely than not create brown patterns of various areas and shapes on your once luscious yard. Put simply, a harmless tinkle from your pet will result in a scald that kills the grassland as well as smells.
How to Neutralize Dog Urine
Keeping the backyard healthy and looking great doesn’t involve a multitude of steps or maintenance products. It can be as simple as watering down the lawn immediately after your canine goes to the bathroom, preventing the harmful effects of urine scald.
Those thinking of laying down new grass consider that there are preferred lawn types for dog owners. For example, fescue and perennial ryegrass have been found to be the most tolerant.
On the other hand, types such as bluegrass and bermudagrass seem to be the most sensitive to a man’s best friend’s bowel movements. Owners will find that dog-friendly grassland like fescue and perennial ryegrass can use the hosed down wee as fertilizer.
You may also like to opt for species of taller grasses that are used in meadow cultivation. Using these varieties is a viable option as Zoysia, Paspalum, and Distichlis are salt-tolerant and reasonably dog pee resistant.
Our Recommendations for dog pee resistant grass seed
Keep in mind that no patch of turf is ever lost to dog pee. With early detection, as in paying attention to areas of the turf thinning out or changing in color, you can save your yard. Simply saturate the section with water, allowing the stream to penetrate the soil.
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Think outside the box
Another option to consider is to build a dedicated space in the front or back garden for your animal to go to the bathroom.
This area could be a small zone of turf down the side of the house, a mulched patch in the backyard, or a graveled space situated at the front of the house where your pet is trained to go potty.
Building this alternative area may not sound aesthetically pleasing; however, you can dress it up with potted plants, ferns, or other greenery. The use of plants will ensure that it’s a functional area that is also pleasing to look at.
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Neutralize Dog Pee using Supplements
We’re All About Pets told us that one solution that many pet owners and lawn aficionados look into is lawn-saving supplements. These medications either change the pH of the urination or add salt to the body. None of which will address the problem at hand.
Medications that alter a dog’s pee’s pH run the risk of causing urinary crystals or bladder stones. Supplements that contain high amounts of salt will cause your dog to drink more water. In short, treat the lawn, not the animal!
Achieving a Luscious Green Lawn
Cultivating a patch of grassland that is the envy of the entire neighborhood has never been easier, even with dogs roaming around the yard! You can forget about all lawn-related stress by staying on top of watering and knowing the early warning signs of dead patches.
Something as simple as watering the lawn after your dog goes tinkle can help you create a patch of land that is equally luscious and green, allowing you and man’s best friend to spend time on the things that matter- playing fetch on that world-class grass.
Read More: What Do Dogs Do When They Poop?
Article written by Author: Elsa Smith
