Dog owners rejoice once their precious pup learns to pee outside! What’s not so wonderful? Dog urine damage on your lawn. Learn why this happens, how to help restore your lawn, and ways to prevent future damage.

Why Dog Urine Damages Your Lawn

If your lush, green backyard is spotted with yellow dead spots, look to your so-called best friend for answers. A high level of nitrogen in your dog’s urine kills your grass. Nitrogen is produced when protein is broken down; so the more protein in your dog’s diet, the more nitrogen released, the more yellow grass.

Restoring the Lawn

If you’re already dealing with a spotted yard, there are products available to help. Various sprays are on the market that claims they can revive the grass. Be sure any chemical or natural product you use is safe for people and pets.

Reseeding the area will only help if you can keep the area clear all season. This would be a good time to train your dog to find a new potty patch.

How to Prevent Urine Damage

Dogs usually have a favorite spot to pee. This is either trained into them at an early age or naturally happens over time. If this favorite spot happens to be the middle of your pristine lawn, you should consider retraining. Try a rocky, graveled garden or even designate a spot of artificial grass.

Other ways to help prevent urine damage include:

Water. After the dog pees, drown the spot with water to help deconcentrate and wash away the urine. If following your dog around with a large water bottle or hose is not feasible, encourage your dog to drink more water. This helps lower nitrogen levels before it even touches your grass.

If water doesn’t work, or if it just creates more pee, try changing their diet. Ask your vet about high-quality dog food that has the right balance of protein and other nutrients. You can also ask about adding special lawn-saver supplements to their food and water.

For more ways to help restore your lawn to the lush green color you love, contact Cardinal Lawns today.

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