Dog owners often struggle to reverse the damage caused by a dog killing grass when urinating. There are common misconceptions over what causes the grass to become that unsightly yellow. Below you'll find out home remedies that restore your grass.
What Causes Dog Urine to Kill Grass
Despite what you may think, any acidity in urine is not to blame for the dog killing grass. The truth is that it is the nitrogen in dog urine. Dog urine regularly contains high levels of nitrogen because of the protein they eat. The more protein your dog eats, the higher the nitrogen levels in the urine.
Any dog has nitrogen in their urine. However, because female dogs squat to urinate, they are more likely to damage your lawn. Male dogs urinate against objects like trees, so less urine reaches the grass. Large dogs are also more likely culprits in killing grass, simply because they have a larger bladder and more urine output.
Mistakes Pet Owners Make
Thinking their grass has been burned by acids in the urine, many pet owners sprinkle on grass fertilizer. This will only serve to further kill the grass. Fertilizers are high in nitrogen, so all you're doing is increasing the amount of poison to the grass.
Switching dog food is another trick owners try. In some cases, changing dog foods to a low-protein brand will help reduce nitrogen. However, dogs need some protein for proper body mass. If you cut too much protein from their diet, the dog's muscles and bones may suffer, especially in younger dogs that are still very active or still growing.
Easy Ways to Stop a Dog Killing Grass
The trick to stop a dog killing your grass is by watering down the urine. The more water, the smaller the concentration of nitrogen in the dog's urine. There are easy home remedies that will help stop urine burn.
Have your dog urinate in the same general area. Make this area near a garden hose. Right after the dog urinates, hose down the area to dilute the concentration of urine. If you can't do it immediately after, make sure you water the spot within eight hours.
The second method involves getting your dog to drink more. This won't work for all dogs. However, for dogs that enjoy playing in water, try spraying a hose near her. Many dogs will bite or lap at the flowing water as a form of playtime, increasing their water intake.
Avoid protein rich dog treats. For training, many pet owners use liver or other meaty treats. Switch to raw veggies. Most dogs love the taste and crunch of raw vegetables. Because there is no protein, you'll be providing a balance to help reduce the amount of nitrogen in your pet's urine.
Change the type of grass growing in the area where your dog frequently urinates. Bermuda grass and bluegrass are more likely to burn from nitrogen overdose than tougher grasses like fescue or rye. Reseeding with these varieties of seeds will not stop grass burn completely, but the grasses are more resilient to the damage.