Can Dogs and Perfect Grass Co-Exist?

by Kevin Smith Author

Dog owners love their pets, much like family members. Dogs provide companionship and unconditional love. Sometimes they offer protection. But how much love and protection do they give your lawn? Unfortunately, what’s beautiful landscaping to you is more of a toilet for them. Often, dog owners discover over time a growing eyesore on their grass in the shape and color of brown patches. With an estimated 62% of households owning a dog, that’s a lot of brown spots nationwide.

While many think these unsightly patches come from acidic chemicals in a dog’s urine, the truth is that it’s something different entirely. Dogs typically have high-protein diets. And that means it will also have high levels of nitrogen. When the proteins break down in dog waste, an excess of nitrogen will kill your lawn. You may find nitrogen-rich liquid fertilizer at a local nursery, but these offer small enough amounts to be beneficial, rather than destructive.

Before looking around for lawn care services in Atlanta, take a few steps to help protect your lawn from your dog’s waste.

Dilute, Build, and Plant

Running the hose for about ten seconds over the spot where your dog relieved itself can help to dilute the nitrogen and lessen the probability of its destructive nature. Because water can help dilute it, try to encourage your dog to drink more water. But not all pets behave so well. And that could often mean more trips outside with your dog or potential accidents inside the house.

Another option is to construct a designated area for your dog to do its business that isn’t grass-covered. Artificial turf, mulch, or even gravel are potential ideas. Training might take a while, but it could be worth it. And you could always decorate the area to make it visually appealing and not a noticeable pet latrine.

You should also determine what type of grass you have. Knowing your grass type will help to better understand its susceptibility to brown spots. For example, fescue and ryegrass are most resistant to nitrogen, while Bermuda and Kentucky bluegrass requires nitrogen to thrive, except during seasonal times where it becomes sensitive.

Use Less Fertilizer

You can also reduce the chances of brown spots on your lawn by dressing it with less fertilizer, especially in the areas your dog urinates. There’s enough nitrogen in fertilizer that even small amounts can wind up killing the lawn, on top of your dog’s contribution. If your lawn needs fertilization, only concentrate on areas outside the perimeter of the brown spots or common urination areas for your dog.

You may be wondering if there’s a foolproof way to ensure that brown patches don’t show up on your lawn. While many of these options are suggestions for taking preventative measures, the only tried and true method is to develop a designated area for your dog to relieve itself. The highest probability of success is in ensuring your lawn is entirely off-limits to your dog.

You may be more concerned about your dog having an accident inside rather than on your perfect grass. But these preventative measures can help. If you currently have brown spots and need assistance in how to fix them, find lawn care services in Atlanta to help.