What can i give my dog to neutralize his urine

There is no home comfort more welcoming, loving and cuddly than having a dog. Furry, friendly and always down for some pats, dogs make houses into homes.

Any dog owner will tell you the joy of arriving home to a furry friend. This little (or big) creature is so happy to see you, loves you unconditionally and all for the meager returns of food, walks and tummy rubs.

Cute, loving and great company, dogs are the best of friends - until they ruin your lawn with their pee, that is. Those “burnt” patches of lawn make many-a-lawn-lover pull their hair out and buy a whole lot of gimmicky products they hope will magically reverse the damage their doggy doo does.

Why is pet urine damaging your lawn?

Some of this damage comes from a misconception that dog urine is “acidic”. When actually it is the concentrated levels of nitrogen in both their urine and feces which is turning your dreams of lush, green lawns into nightmares.

While nitrogen is often used to promote lawn growth, it is present in much higher levels in dog’s urine and feces due to the high amount of protein in their diets. When broken down, the protein turns into nitrogen and this has to be excreted somehow...

The effect is actually the same if you put a large handful of fertiliser in one spot, instead of spreading it lightly across a large area.

Luckily, we have a number of tricks which can stop dog pee damaging your lawn and killing your grass with urine spots.

How to stop dog pee killing your grass tip 1: Designated toilet area

Train them to use only a designated “toilet area”. This could be a gravel or bark area, or simply a patch of grass hidden from sight.

By leading them to the area with a leash and rewarding them with food or treats when they “do their business”, the habit can be trained just like regular toilet training.

How to stop dog pee killing your grass tip 2: Sensor sprinklers

If pet urine is damaging your lawn, another tip is to use a sprinkler with a sensor. This way, when the dog goes onto the lawn - the sprinkler scares it off and it does its business elsewhere.

How to stop dog pee killing your grass tip 3: Don’t bother with repellants

While there are a number of repellents available intended to keep dogs away from certain areas, experts say this could, in fact, work in reverse. Dogs may be more encouraged to mark their territory, instead of repelled to do so.

How to stop dog pee killing your grass tip 4: Up your dog’s water intake

Diluting urine will mean the nitrogen levels are also diluted, so adding extra water to your pet’s diet may see a reduction in grass burn. However, this may not work for larger dogs or female dogs (as female’s squat and expel all their urine in one place).

Try adding water to food (like a doggy soup) or adding non-salted broth to drinking water.

How to stop dog pee killing your grass tip 5: Change your dog’s diet

Using higher quality food may also help to reduce grass burn from your dog’s urine. This is because the higher quality protein ingredients will be easier for your dog to digest with fewer waste products.

How to stop dog pee killing your grass tip 6: Water your lawn more

When it comes to practical lawn maintenance for reducing grass damage from dog urine, try simply watering your grass more. This may wash off the dog urine, as well as strengthen the grass to be less affected by these nitrogen doses. Lawns which are healthier and disease-free are more likely to be less impacted from the dog’s urine, so make sure you also keep a look out for infestation and maintain all round grass health.

How to stop dog pee killing your grass tip 7: Fertilise less

As mentioned above, dog urine kills your grass because of the high concentration of nitrogen. Nitrogen is also they key ingredient in fertilizer, which will also kill your grass if you use too much. So instead of spreading as much fertiliser on your lawn, why not try lessening the dose? The trick to fertilise little, but often. This way, the dog’s urine will not have such a concentrated effect.

How to stop dog pee killing your grass tip 8: Pee-resistant seeds

Some grass seeds are more resistant to dog and pet urine than others. So what is the best grass seed for dog urine spots? This will depend on your soil and climate, some seeds to consider include fescues and perennial ryegrasses - although it is recommended not to see this as the holy grail of solutions. Instead, you should consider changing your grass seeds as one of a number of measures to combat grass-killing dog urine.

How to stop dog pee killing your grass tip 9: Dog water purifier

You may have seen people putting rocks in their dog’s water bowls and wondered what was happening. These rocks are widely regarded as helping neutralize dog urine. The rocks are said to purify the water, removing nitrates and ammonia from the water so the dog excretes less of these grass-killing elements.

How to stop dog pee killing your grass tip 10: Watch your mowing

Keeping your lawn height slightly longer can also help reduce the damage from dog urine. Mowing to a minimum height of 5cm means the grass will need watering less as the moisture will be retained from the shade of longer grass blades and promote healthier grass - the key to fighting damaging dog pee.

To find out the best solution for you, or which combination to use, contact one of our turf specialists by phoning us on 0800 887 383 or emailing .

If you have a dog and a grassy lawn, chances are you have urine spots peppering that lawn of yours. Those brown spots are caused by the grass-killing nitrogen present in dog pee.

Dog urine ruins lawns the same way too much nitrogen-rich liquid fertilizer does. You can use a little fertilizer to make your lawn look great but overdo it; otherwise, it can kill your grass.

We’ve put together some of the best ways to naturally prevent dog urine from killing grass so you can enjoy your lawn again without having to look at all those ugly brown spots.

How to Prevent Dog Urine from Killing Your Grass Naturally (6 Methods

A good way to prevent dog urine from killing your grass is to spray the lawn after your dog goes pee to dilute the grass-killing nitrogen. While this is an easy method to try that doesn’t take much time, you will have to spray your grass each time your dog pees if you want to prevent lawn damage.

This method won’t work in the dead of winter when your hose is put away for the cold weather. It’s also more difficult to do if your yard is big and your dog pees everywhere and often.

The more water your dog drinks, the more diluted the nitrogen will be in his pee. That’s why you should encourage your dog to drink more water. Place water dishes around your yard so your dog is more apt to drink when he’s outside playing and snooping around.

While this is an effective way to reduce those brown urine spots, there’s no way to force your dog to drink water so this method isn’t foolproof. This is another method that won’t work so well in the wintertime when your dog’s drinking water will turn to ice when placed out in the cold.

One of the best ways to prevent dog pee from killing your grass is to train your dog to do his business in a non-grassy area. If you don’t have a patch of mulch or gravel in your yard, consider adding it.

While this method takes time and patience, it’s the best way to keep your lawn spot-free! Consistency is key with this method. You should be present every time your dog goes outside so you can show him where you want him to pee. Use lots of praise when he does his business in his new pee spot.

If you don’t already have a mulch or gravel area in your yard and need to put one in, this method can be costly. It also requires muscle power so be ready to roll your sleeves up and get to work!

You can give your dog a grass-saver supplement that will bind with the nitrogen in his urine to reduce brown spots in your yard. While this isn’t the most effective way to get rid of all the pee spots on a lawn, you should see fewer brown spots if you follow the directions on the label.

You should get approval from your vet when you want to give your dog a dietary supplement. Many dog owners find these supplements effective, so it’s an option worth checking out.

If you have a lawn consisting of grass that’s very susceptible to dog urine like Kentucky bluegrass or Bermuda grass, consider replacing the grass. Grass that stands up better to dog pee includes Fescue grass and Ryegrass. The good news about these resilient grasses is that most are low-maintenance, which means less work for you!

While replacing your grass costs money and takes time and labor to do, it’s a great way to get your lawn back in top shape. If you want to go this route, speak with the experts at your local garden center. They’ll be able to tell you what kind of grass is the most resistant to dog pee and a type that’s appropriate for your environment. This method is the easiest and cheapest for small lawns.

Many homeowners are turning to natural rocks to prevent dog urine spots from killing their grass. You can find these unique paramagnetic rocks at online pet stores.

These lawn-saving rocks are 100% natural and sourced from the ground in Australia. They work to eliminate the harmful toxins in dog urine that damage grass. You simply drop a few rocks in your dog’s water and watch as your grass starts looking better with time.

It typically takes several weeks of use before you start seeing noticeable improvements in your yard so be patient if you choose this method!

Keeping Your Grass Nice and Green

Once you find the right solution for preventing dog urine from killing your grass, you’ll want to keep that lawn looking pristine. Take your dog out for walks more often so he’s peeing less on your lawn. It’s also a good idea to use a sprinkler regularly on your grass to keep it well-hydrated and healthy.

While dog poop isn’t as harmful to your lawn as dog urine, you should still pick it up. When piles of dog poop are left to sit on a lawn, they can kill the grass underneath. So arm yourself with lots of poop bags or a proper pooper scooper and keep your yard neat and tidy!

• See Also: 7 Best Artificial Grass for Dogs: Reviews & Top Picks

Conclusion

You can own a dog and keep a nice lawn that’s free of brown urine spots if you’re willing to do some work. Be patient with your dog, your lawn, and with yourself as you work to get rid of those ugly brown spots in your grass. Pick the right method above that’s suitable for your yard and get to work restoring that luscious green lawn!

And when it’s time to clean your house…

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• Next on your reading list: 9 Plants Resistant to Dog Urine

Featured Image Credit: Flower_Garden, Shutterstock