We love our furry-legged friends, but we don’t love when their urine causes brown spots and rings to form on our lawn after putting all of that time and energy into it. A dog’s urine is very high in nitrogen and salts due to its protein-heavy diet, and a nitrogen overload often leads to the destruction of grass.
Although you might worry that those spots are irreversible, have no fear — they can not only be fixed but also prevented from damaging your lawn.
Learn the five quick tips you can try to say goodbye to dog spots and hello to healthy, green grass.
Hose the Grass After Your Dog Urinates
If you have a garden hose nearby, water the grass after your dog urinates. This helps to dilute and spread out the urine, therefore preventing its nitrogen base from settling into one area. You can also set your sprinklers to turn on during the times where you usually take your dog outside to the bathroom so they can water the grass and spots for you.
Plant a Different Type of Grass
Did you know that there are grasses that are urine tolerant and other grasses that are urine sensitive?Bluegrass, grown best in the northern part of the United States where warm summers and cold winters align with its growth cycle, and bermudagrass, grown best in areas with plenty of sunlight and warm weather, are urine sensitive. On the other hand, fescue grass and perennial ryegrass, grown best where summers are moderate and winters are cool, are urine tolerant.
If you get caught in the never-ending cycle of trying to fix these dog spots, consider growing fescue or perennial ryegrass instead to prevent the damage from occurring.
Use a Reduced Nitrogen Fertilizer
Although nitrogen is the most important nutrient for grass, being responsible for its healthy growth and beautiful coloring, using too much of it can do more harm than good. Opt for a fertilizer with a lower nitrogen rating so that it will have less stress on the cycle and allow your lawn to process the nitrogen that’s being absorbed from your dog’s urine.
Train Your Dog to Urinate in a Designated Area
If you want to avoid your dog urinating on the grass all together, you can create a spot in your yard with dog-friendly landscaping — such as mulch or gravel — and train your dog to take its bathroom breaks there. Unlike plants and grasses, mulch and gravel absorb the nitrogen-heavy urine, which means that no damage is done.
Get Lawnbright’s Pet Spot Repair
Lawnbright’s Product Pet Spot Repair is a unique organic formula designed to quickly penetrate the soil to buffer, biodegrade, and remove the toxic levels of urine in the soil. Its natural solution also helps the damaged grass to recover quickly and results in a continued reduction in size and number of dog spots, eventually preventing them on lawns entirely.
Whether you have a few small dog spots on your lawn or you feel like your lawn is covered in them, putting these tips to use can revive your lawn in no time.