We work hard to keep our landscapes looking their best. However, when you have a dog, you may find patches of yellowing or brown grass forming in the most common places your pup does their business. Fortunately, there are ways to help mitigate the harm caused to lush grass when nature calls – and prevent dog urine from killing your grass.
What causes these brown spots in the first place? All animal waste contains concentrations of nutrients that are toxic or could not be absorbed by the body. Dog urine in particular has a high concentration of nitrogen that builds up in the soil over time. While nitrogen is necessary for lush, green grass growth, too much can easily cause chemical burns in the grass. It can also cause changes in the local pH of that patch of soil, making it difficult for more grass to grow later on.
Dilution of Dog Urine is a Solution
Dilution of your dog’s urine is a key factor in managing your lawn to prevent brown patches. First, you could try to dilute the source–aka, make sure your dog stays hydrated. This decreases the concentration of waste nutrients in your dog’s urine so that it is less likely to cause yellowing of the grass. You’ll often find that female dogs are more likely to cause an issue with browning grass than male dogs. Because they tend to squat, their waste is contained to a small area which concentrates it further. When male dogs lift their leg, the urine is distributed over a larger area and so is less concentrated.
You can also dilute the product after your dog goes to the bathroom. Watch your dog as they go outside to do their business. If you notice that they tend to return to the same few spots, make a point to bring a hose or watering can out every couple days and thoroughly soak these spots. If your dog goes in a random spot each time, you’ll have to watch them to see where they’ve gone and spray the area each time, diluting the concentration and spreading it out over a greater area. This way, your lawn will be getting fertilized instead of burned.
Specify a “Potty Area”
If you would like to avoid having to constantly monitor where your dog goes to the bathroom to rinse the area, you can train your pup to only go in a specific part of your lawn. Choose an area that is out of the way–perhaps you have a corner that is not very visible, or a patch of dirt where grass struggles to grow anyway. Once you’ve determined your preferred spot, you can begin training. While it is best to start this training the day you bring your dog home before they form any other bathroom habits, it is possible to teach them to use this single area whenever–it may just take a bit more time and patience before they master it. At first, you will need to accompany them outside; have them follow you, or put them on their leash if they have a difficult time listening when loose in your backyard.
If you let your dog outside each day to potty, training him to head for the same spot can prevent dead spots on your lawn. If you need help with training for this and other types of behaviors, call Gulf Coast K9 Dog Training. From puppy classes to obedience classes, we are here to help.
