Dog Urine Patches on Lawn

[catbud]

My dog, as lovely as she is, seems to be killing my lawn step by step. I've been informed that it's due to the acid in the urine that makes the grass go yellow and die back. Does anybody know of anything I can do to help my lawn get better? I obviously don't want to use anything poisoness because of my dog.

Many thanks

[SarzWix]

Try sowing some of that EasyLawn seed (you can get it from B&Q amongst others) which is a mixture of grass and clover seed. It won't give you a 'fine' lawn, but it does stay green a bit better, in my experience

[Victoria26]

Theres a liquid you can buy on ebay that you put in her food and it neutralises the acid in her pee and stops the grass burning.

I have the same problem...

[vicky]

Or follow her around with a watering can to pour after she wees to dilute the urine (been there too!)

[Two_Sheds]

Or follow her around with a watering can to pour after she wees to dilute the urine (been there too!)

I was going to say the same thing
Dilute it (male dog pee is diluted due to it's being on a sprinkler system)

[Hilary B]

If the problem with the pee is acidity, do you have acid soil under your lawn? Lime might reduce the problem. We have 2 bitches, a very small garden, and only tiny patches of 'died off' which vanish once the growing season gets underway, but we are on chalk......

A friend of mine in another area has a problem with his dog (male) and the lawn, and is getting tired of following the dog around with a watering can<g>

[Snadger]

Theres a liquid you can buy on ebay that you put in her food and it neutralises the acid in her pee and stops the grass burning.

I have the same problem...

Well simply stop pee-ing on the lawn!

[Snadger]

If you have a small lawn, I don't think there is a solution, apart from keeping the dog off it.
One of the problems on a small lawn is that because they can smell it they pee in the same place each time. A large lawn makes it more random peeing and the grass can recuperate a bit.

[Mustard]

I had this problem when my Lab was a puppy, she fortunately doesn't wee in the garden anymore.

I heard that adding a little tomato juice to their food/water can help neutralise it. Not tried it, so not sure how effective this would be though?

[danmon_81]

I've been told that a teaspoon of tomato ketchup in their food helps stop it....maybe a wives tale...worth a go!!

[Nessie]

Lawn staining is caused by nitrogen in the dog's urine, not the fact it's acidic. It will be worse if the lawn alaready has high nitrogen levels from fertiliser.
Best thing as others have said is to get a hardier type of grass or use a watering can afterwards. One of my dogs used to use a sandpit (not the kids one!!)

[Hilary B]

Lawn staining is caused by nitrogen in the dog's urine, not the fact it's acidic. It will be worse if the lawn alaready has high nitrogen levels from fertiliser.
Best thing as others have said is to get a hardier type of grass or use a watering can afterwards. One of my dogs used to use a sandpit (not the kids one!!)

Nitrogen in wee is (or rapidly becomes) ammonia, which is actually alkaline, but lime can still 'neutralise' it somewhat (which is odd, and I can't remember the chemistry, but it does seem to work).
Bitches often insist on grass to wee on (one of ours does, it's really awkward when we have to exercise them in a carpark or similar).

[Herbie]

We had this problem with our Billy (Jack Russell). We tried Doggy Rocks.Dog Rocks - stop lawn burn patches and fertilizes your lawn They seem to do the trick and arn't harmful to the dog.