Dogs. Unconditional love in a furry cute package. We love them. But our lawns…. Not so much… Most people know that dog urine is detrimental to your lawn. And there are plenty of myths about how to help the issue. Here's some hardcore truths about what causes the problem and what to do about it.
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| Early Stages of Dog Urine Burn |
Dog urine has high contents of nitrogen. In smaller quantities, nitrogen is actually good for the turf. It helps to "green up" the grass. Dogs are creatures of habit, though. They tend to go in the same area day after day, thereby providing more nitrogen than the grass can tolerate. It burns the grass and creates those unsightly brown spots in your lawn. Some think that female urine is actually more acidic, but that's not true. This myth stems from the fact that whereas male dogs typically lift their legs to mark territory on something like a tree, shrub, or the ever-present fire hydrant in short bursts, females squat and make larger puddles, thereby providing more nitrogen in a concentrated area. Added to the fact that dogs mark over each other's scent (does your dog ever urinate directly on top of another dog's urine?) that can add up to a lot of "fertilizer" for your lawn.
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| Continued Damage |
What do we do about it? Old wives tales abound about how to save your grass. Some think that changing the dog's diet will help. Heck, they even make doggie diapers now. But short of putting Pampers on your puppy, the only ways to truly stop damage over time is to water the area directly after your dog urinates to dilute the nitrogen OR to train your dog to go in an appropriate specified area of your yard. I don't know about you, but the idea of watering every time my dog goes sounds like too much work to me. So the best solution is to allocate space for the dog to go. This could be a natural area or pine needled area (which also helps with #2 removal). Training takes consistency and perseverance but with continued effort, eventually your dog will get it. Be careful of shrubs and trees in the area, though. They are susceptible to damage from too much nitrogen just like your grass.
So what's the answer? Short of getting rid of our furry friends, we say LONG LIVE THE DOG RUN.
Thanks,
The AA Tex Lawn Team
