Last Updated on January 19, 2023 by Kunthida
Urine Trouble In Dogs: Stains On The Grass
I have two lovable dogs. These dogs have been in the family for a number of years already.
Although they have given us so much happiness, I must admit that I have had my fair share of frustrations.
I will share one and how we solved that problem in this article.
They love peeing in the same area on the lawn, which is a 4 square foot of purely burned lawn that is just so awful to look at.
I decided to do something to fix it. read below to know how to do it for your backyard without ever getting rid of the precious dogs who further enrich your lives too.
Why Dog Urine Turns Grass Brown
It is upsetting to know that many kinds of shrubs, annual flowers, and perennial plants are burned by the dog’s urine. This burning is caused by the nitrogen in the dog’s urine. After the dog eats his commonly high-protein meal, the metabolic process produces nitrogen in his urine.
Actually, nitrogen, if it is only in a very small amount, can fertilize the plants. Unfortunately, the dog’s urine has too much nitrogen that it burns the greens and leaves us frowning upon the sight of it.
With fertilizers containing nitrogen, a small amount goes a long way. If you’re using a rotary spreader (which is used to fertilize the lawn), spilling a pile of fertilizer in one spot would be similar to a pool of urine. The concentration would be too high and would kill the grass below.
So once the grass is dead, it is very difficult to revive it. You will just have to replant. But there is a solution, you can always go to the local landscape professionals and ask which grass is dog urine proof. For sure, they can give you something good for your home.
Diluting your dog’s urine is a very effective way to keep your lawn green. Be sure to do this before your grass dries. If you can, pour the water immediately after your dog urinates. But if you cannot afford to follow your dog always, well as most of us are very preoccupied, then you can just get a sprinkler to keep your lawn moist and to protect it from your dog’s urine.
There is one season wherein the lawn is difficult to protect from the dog’s urine – that is the dry summer spell. It is because the dog’s urine dries easily. But if you really want to have a lawn that is green all year round, you can buy the type of grass that can withstand the dog’s urine better. There are 4 different types of grass in Colorado that were tried and it has been discovered that the fescue and the perennial ryegrass are most resistant to dog urine. Kentucky bluegrass and Bermuda grass are the most sensitive ones.
However, the reverse seems to be true in a different area, notably the Southern region, where fescue tends to really show dog urine burn in hot weather and Bermuda grass seems to be more durable to it.
Of course, if you live in Nebraska, for example, what works and what doesn’t could be completely different. Unfortunately, there isn’t a universal “dog urine grass test” to choose from. You must test different grasses on your lawn, depending on your area.
it is a good decision to go to the local agriculture office. If you like you can also visit a local nursery that is quite experienced in those matters. If you will be visiting the local nursery, make sure that their reputation can be well trusted. You can also ask the experts what other plants can be added to your lawn to make your backyard more pleasing to the eyes.
Have a visit in Ed Randall’s site to learn more about dog training commands, he has helped hundreds of dog owners train their dogs and his awesome obedience dog training will surely make your friends wonder how you taught your dog.
Treating Dog Urine Burns in Your Lawn
Urine Trouble In Dogs: Helping Your Dog With His Urine Problem
In the interest of keeping your lawn green, you may want to consider changing your dog’s diet. Because nitrogen is a byproduct of metabolized protein, a lower protein diet would produce less nitrogen.
Please be aware that your dog needs protein, and having too little isn’t good. You never do this just for the sake of keeping your grass green. Restricted protein diets are for specific medical conditions and are not healthy alternatives for the average dog. In fact, if your dog gets too little protein, it may not have enough energy to even get up and walk anywhere before urinating.
Work With Your Dog
Below are some of the suggestions in dealing with the urine stain issue:
1.) You can make a few changes to the location where your dog always causes irritable-looking urine stains. For instance, if your dog frequently causes a stain on the porch, you might want to change the paint of the porch into a darker shade.
2.) If your dog is the type who likes to pee in a secluded and private area, then grow some shrubs in that part of the lawn that will ‘cover’ him when he pees. Make it look very attractive. There are some plants that can withstand pee like the English Ivy.
3.) Train your dog to pee in a specific spot where the urine stain won’t be that obvious. Never use negative training because your dog will resent you for it. Just like humans, we need to focus on the positive training scheme.
4.) Just get used to it. You will eventually outgrow the feeling of always being upset with the incident. This way, you won’t have to go through the trouble of training your dog. Besides, having the perfect lawn and the perfect pet would consume much of your spare time. There are still so many ways to make your spare time a more beneficial and pleasant one.
You basically need to take a look at your dog’s habits and turn those habits into opportunities for training, as well as to improve your yard.
Have a visit to Ed Randall’s site to learn more about dog training courses, he has helped hundreds of dog owners train their dogs and his awesome dog training hand signals will surely make your friends wonder how you taught your dog.
Urine Trouble In Dogs: Repairing Dog Urine Damage in Your Lawn
Save Your Lawn From Dog Urine
Most dogs get accustomed to urinating in the same spot every time, and my two adorable Rottweilers are not any different. The grass around the bottom of the deck is their chosen spot and they pee here all the time.
Unfortunately, this resulted in a horribly looking large patch of dry, burned grass which really ruins the look of my professionally landscaped backyard.
Now the choice was either the dogs or the lawn and my choice was neither. I knew I had to find a solution that would give me a garden I can show off, and still keep my dogs happy.
Dog Urine Causes Grass To Brown
It’s no secret that urine burns grass, as well as many types of shrubs, annual flowers, and perennial plants. What causes the burn is nitrogen. When a dog eats a meal, the protein in the food is metabolized. A byproduct of metabolized protein is nitrogen. However, don’t think that if your dog pees in your gas tank, that that equals a nitro-booster.
A majority of the body’s wastes are processed by the kidneys. As the kidneys do their job, a healthy dog will excrete all the nitrogen in his urine.
What’s ironic is that nitrogen is actually used as a fertilizer. So how come a dog’s urine can burn any plant it touches? This is due to the concentration of nitrogen in the urine.
When used in fertilizers, the amounts of nitrogen are very minimal with each dose. Using too much fertilizer in one spot would also kill the grass because of the high concentration of nitrogen.
There is very little you can do to grass that has been damaged by nitrogen. To have lush green grass, you would have to get rid of the patch of dried lawn and plant some new grass.
Replanting dead areas, however, is somewhat of a “band-aid” approach. If you don’t get to the root of the problem (dog urine), you’re likely to wind up with more dead patches of grass all over the lawn.
Want to find out more about dog training, then visit Ed Randall’s site and find the best dog obedience trainer for your needs.
⇑ Go to the Table of Contents – Urine Trouble in Dogs ⇑
Pee Alert – Urine Trouble In Dogs And Your Lawn
Diluting your dog’s urine before it dries on the grass is one of the best ways to prevent the bad effects of nitrogen on your lawn. Immediately after your dog pees, pour a glass of water on it. That simple act can counter the burning effect that nitrogen has on the grass.
For most dog owners, it can be a bit of a chore to follow your dog around and be alert as to when he’s going to pee, just to be able to pour water on it. They just opt to keep their lawn moist instead.
Those living in humid or wet areas have less to worry about. Effects of urine burn are more intense in summer when everything is dry. A dog’s urine on the grass dries fastest when the weather is hot.
Save your lawn from the harmful effects of dog urine by getting sturdier grass.
Kentucky bluegrass and Bermuda were the most sensitive grasses, according to a study done in Colorado, while fescue and perennial ryegrass were the most do-urine resistant.
However, the reverse seems to be true in a different area, notably the Southern region, where fescue tends to really show dog urine burn in hot weather and Bermuda grass seems to be more durable to it.
I’m sure Nebraska would be a completely different story. There is no test that can determine the universal effects of grass as it differs from one place to another.
One option for you is to speak to a grass expert in your community to find out which grasses would work best for your lawn.
People working in nurseries should also be knowledgeable about dog-resistant grasses, especially if they’ve worked with dog owners before. These garden experts can give you advice as to what grass would be best.
Local nurseries that have worked with dog-owning homeowners should be savvy as to more urine-friendly plants that will work in the backyard. Good choices in many areas of the country include Chinese holly and barberry bushes. Chinese holly is an excellent grass, however, many dogs feel hungry again just an hour after eating it.
Looking to find the best dog training advice, then visit www.e-zdogtraining.com to find the best advice on secrets to dog training for you.
Click Here to Get 4 Free Dog Training Videos!
Puppy Training Videos – German Shepherd Training – Beagle Training – Bulldog Training