If you have a dog, you know that with spring coming the snow is going to melt. So here are some lawncare tips for dog owners to help you with having a beautiful lawn that you and your dog can enjoy.
Urine pH & Nitrogen Load
The pH of a dog’s urine should be 6-6.5. If the pH of his urine is higher than 7, it’s going to burn the lawn. It also can lead to bladder stones that alkaline urine can cause. You can test the urine of your dog by buying pH strips and collecting a sample from the dog when you get up. If it’s high, you can reduce it with a grain-free, low-carb diet.
If your dog’s diet is very high in protein, it also can cause lawn burn. When protein’s broken down, there is nitrogen excreted. Higher protein amounts cause higher nitrogen, and this can lead to lawn burn. If you’ve heavily fertilized your lawn, there could be a lot of nitrogen already in the lawn and the extra nitrogen in the urine can cause damage to the grass.
Lawncare Tips for Dog Owners 1 – Keep Your Dog Hydrated
Make sure that your dog’s well-hydrated. This is going to help with decreasing the concentration of urine. Put some water bowls in a few locations around the yard and home. Also, consider adding some water to the dry dog food. You also can think about feeding them wet food. This will help with promoting hydration.
Lawncare Tips for Dog Owners 2 – Create a Specific Potty Area
It’s also worth it to train the dog to urinate in a specific spot, like a designated potty area outside that you have filled with mulch or gravel. This is especially important when you take your dog out first thing when you get up since the urine’s often most concentrated. A pee post that is pheromone treated can promote the dog urinating in a certain area. You also can walk your dog on a leash to the new area, offering treats when they pee there.
Lawncare Tips for Dog Owners 3 – Select a Hearty Type of Grass
To help with keeping the lawn looking its best, you want to choose hearty grass. Tall fescue’s a good option because it is good for handling canine foot traffic and urine. It’s also drought-resistant, so it won’t need as much water. If there are problem areas in the lawn, ryegrass’s perennial form is a good choice. If you have a lot of foot traffic, Bermuda grass or Kentucky bluegrass are both good choices.
Lawncare Tips for Dog Owners 4 – Protect the Lawn
Frequently water it to help with diluting the dog’s urine and put gypsum on the yellow or burned spots. This will help with improving your lawn’s health and color. You also can make a product yourself that can help with the spots. Combine the following:
- 1 can beer
- 1 can soda
- 1 cup ammonia
Put these all in a 20-gallon hose-end sprayer. Remove any dying or dead grass and apply this mixture every two weeks until your lawn’s color is normal.
