Quick Fixes for Urine Spots & More
Written by: Bren Parker
You love your garden. Your dog looooves your garden. For them, it’s an outdoor play space to frolic, run, explore, and well, just be a dog. If their good times in your yard have it looking a little worse for the wear, here are a few lawn care tips for getting your back yard back in shape this season.
Problem: Traffic Wear
Much like indoor carpeting, lawns will show wear from traffic patterns. After a while these worn spots turn brown and the grass dies. It’s most likely to occur at the entrance of the patio or porch or along the outer perimeter where dogs like to “patrol.”
Solution: When dogs regularly trounce the same ground over and over again, the soil becomes so tightly compacted that water won’t penetrate to the roots. Simply sprinkling a handful of grass seed won’t work. You’ll need to dig deeper. Thatch any dead grass from the ground and then aerate and re-seed the area. It will need regular watering and try to keep your dog away from it. If you find the problem just keeps recurring, consider filling in the path with gravel, river rock, or a pet-safe mulch.
Problem: Urine Spots
These spots result from the nitrogen in your dog’s urine which “burns” the grass. Just about every dog owner who has a yard deals with urine burns.
Solution: Instead of peeing anywhere in the yard, consider training your dog to a specific spot which will limit the affected grass to the designated area. There are products on the market you can apply to the lawn that correct these burn spots but make certain they are pet-safe. Another option is an artificial grass “potty pad” where your dog can be trained to eliminate. If you only have a couple of spots, a quick thatch and re-seeding should do the trick.
Problem: Eating/Chewing Plants
The first concern here is your dog’s safety. While some dogs may never so much as lick a blade of grass, others will turn plants and flowers into a full meal, devouring the blooms, leaves, stems and roots. This can be potentially fatal as there is a huge list of plants that are poisonous to dogs. Check the ASPCA’s list of toxic plants and make sure none of them are in your backyard, especially if you dog has a tendency to chew on plants and foliage.
Solution: Since you don’t want your dog dining on even the safe plants your have in your garden, try to time your dog’s outdoor sessions after he’s had a meal. That way he’s not hungry. Since bored dogs are more likely to get into mischief, make sure they have plenty of safe toys in the yard. Consider container gardening in elevated beds or better yet, a greenhouse if you grow produce. For the most determined dogs, you may just want to eliminate the plants and opt for good old plain grass.
Problem: Digging
Some breeds are more inclined to want to dig than others but if your pup likes to work on his own excavation projects it can make a muddy mess of your backyard landscaping.
Solution: Filling in the hole and blocking access to it may work for some dogs. For more stubborn diggers, consider giving them a designated digging spot. They can have their fun, and you can keep your yard free of craters. Just make sure to monitor it so that it doesn’t get so big that it can cave in. Since some dogs dig out of boredom, a good walk before letting them out in the yard for hours might make them less inclined to look for activity there.
You’ll see lots of advice online to use chicken wire as an effective method to halt digging. You line the hole with it, fill it up with dirt and when you dog begins to dig again, he can’t go further because of the barrier. We don’t recommend this; chicken wire is metal and can have sharp pieces that can cut paws. It also can rust and dogs can get tetanus just like humans. There is plastic poultry mesh that is available on the market that is more appropriate and safer for this use.
Choosing Safe Lawn Solutions
When undertaking any gardening, landscaping, or lawn project choose your plants and products carefully. There are hundreds of plants that are toxic to dogs, causing anything from mild gastric upset to organ failure and death. Most pesticides, herbicides, and the myriad of lawn treatments on the market can be harmful to your dog. Find products that are labelled “pet-safe”. Seek out natural products that are good for you, your pet, and the environment so your backyard is a safe, healthy, and beautiful space for you and your pets to enjoy.
