How to Stop Dog Pee from Killing Grass – Dogster
It’s safe to say — brown spots on your grass from dog pee are an eyesore. By understanding what chemicals in your dog’s pee damage grass, plus using the right lawn products, you can protect your lawn. Dogster has your dog-pee killing grass solutions.
Why does dog pee kill grass?
Dog pee can kill, or discolor, grass because of the chemical compounds found in your dog’s pee. Any of the nutrients that your dog eats in their food and supplements that aren’t absorbed in their bloodstream get filtered out through their kidneys and end up in their pee.
So as your dog pees in the grass, and the water is evaporated by the sun, high concentrations of nitrogen are left behind. Even though nitrogen is often used in lawn fertilizers, too much nitrogen can hurt your grass.
How can you tell if dog pee is killing your grass or it’s some other reason?
If your dog’s pee is killing your grass, you’ll see several brown spots that are green around the edges. Moles can also leave patches of dead grass in your yard from digging tunnels. But if you have a mole problem, you’ll also notice a bumpy surface from their tunnels.
What are the top treatments for pee spots on grass?
There are three things you can do to get rid of dog pee spots.
- Use a grass-saving product to get your grass back to green. Here are some examples:
- Have a lawn care expert perform an aeration treatment, which stimulates root growth. An example of a dog-friendly lawn care company is Natural Lawn of America.
- Cut out the damaged sections into squares and replace them with new sod pieces and grass seed.
What can you do to protect your grass from dog pee?
If you don’t want wait to fix the problem, there are some things you can do to head off the brown pee spots before they happen:
- Keep your dog well-hydrated – the more hydrated the dog is, the less potent her urine will be. Make sure she has several bowls of fresh water, including one outside that is changed frequently. Feed dog-safe, hydrating fruits (e.g., blueberries, watermelon, apples, cantaloupe)
- Use a hose to spray the areas of your grass immediately after your dog pees.
- Create a designated pee area for your dog (this could be grass, mulch or gravel).
- Reseed your lawn with more urine-resistant grasses like fescues and perennial ryegrasses
Your lawn will be green again before you know it!
