What to do if your pet urine is killing your lawn
If you want to have a beautiful lawn and a dog, you may come across a few problems. This is because when your dog urinates on your lawn, it may cause that area to burn and yellowish dead spots to appear. There are high levels of nitrogen in your pet's urine, which causes unsightly patches and burnt spots in your lawn. If your dog is a female, you may find this especially true. This is because each time a female dog urinates, she squats in just one area, while male dogs usually lift their leg and urinate on trees, shrubs and fences. There are a few solutions which may help you have a beautiful lawn and a dog.
1. After your dog urinates, immediately saturate the area with a large amount of water. By saturating the area you will dilute and evenly distribute the nitrogen in the urine.
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2. Take your dog to the park or a wooded area near your home. Of course you will not be able to every time your dog needs to urinate but you will lessen the damage done to your lawn.
3. Try re-seeding or sod the area with fescues or perennial ryegrass. These grasses aren't as susceptible to dog urine as other types of grass.
4. Train your dog to do it's business in a particular corner or small area of your yard. Cover this area with gravel or mulch, which can be easily replaced. By doing so, you will be eliminating dead spots in your lawn and also helping to prevent odor from feces and urine.
5. Buy a food additive or supplement at a pet food store or veterinarian office. This additive or supplement can be placed in your dog's food to neutralize the nitrogen in your dog's urine. Make sure the product you purchase does not alter the ph balance of your dog urine. Altering your pet's ph balance can have serious effects on it's health.
6. Be sure your dog has access to water at all times. Keeping your dog hydrated will naturally lower nitrogen levels in its urine.
Another common problem is bare spots on your lawn. There are many causes of bare spots such as disease, insects, and lack of prior maintenance. Before you begin to repair bare spots on your lawn, you must first diagnose what caused it. Once you have determined the cause, take all necessary steps to eliminate the underlying cause before you begin to repair the damaged area. Early spring when the air is still cool and the lawn is just starting to grow is the best time to repair bare spots. Repairing your lawn at this time will help your new lawn blend into the existing lawn. The method you use to repair the bare spots will depend on what initially caused the problem. Some areas may respond to sod better than seed. It may be better to sod if you are repairing larger bare spots. Begin by digging up the entire area and removing a one inch layer of soil. Apply a thin layer of compost and gently rake out the surface. Using a roller, firm down the surface of the spot. It should be one inch lower than the level of the surrounding lawn. Then, lay out strips of sod to cover the area, the sod strips should overlap onto the existing lawn. Cut the sod to fit the bare spot's shape once the strips are in place. The cut sod should be position so each strip is tight with the others. Water the area so that the grass and soil beneath are completely soaked.
