How to recognize the effects of dog urine?
For dog owners, it is not at all uncommon to find yellow spots surrounded by a green stripe in the lawn. These spots are caused by dog urine, especially during dry periods. It depends, of course, on the dog you have, but this phenomenon is especially common for female dogs or large dogs.
They are round spots that are 10 to 20 cm in diameter with dead grass in the middle surrounded by dark green grass. You can easily see those stains in the spring because they contrast with the grass that is turning green.
Dog urine is rich in acids, salts and nitrogen, which causes the grass roots to dry out or burn. The more concentrated the dogs urine is and the more acidic its pH, the more obvious this damage is likely to be on your lawn. Nitrogen, the main agent involved, is a mineral found in fertilizers that promote grass growth. However, if your pet defecates on dry soil, the undiluted nitrogen contained in urine will cause yellow patches with a green outline to appear.
Danielle Smyth is a writer and content marketer from upstate New York. She holds a Master of Science in Publishing from Pace University. She owns her own content marketing agency, Wordsmyth Creative Content Marketing, and she enjoys writing home and DIY articles and blogs for clients in a variety of related industries. She also runs her own lifestyle blog, Sweet Frivolity.
Yellow and brown patches on lawns can be caused by insects, diseases, drought and yes, dog urine. Fortunately, urine-soaked soil can be treated and repaired, but you’ll also need to change the dog’s habit of urinating on your lawn to avoid the need for continued treatment.
This method should neutralize the dog urine in the grass. In some cases, a commercial lawn repair treatment might help bring the grass back to life. Some are made with salt neutralizers and also contain grass seed. As an extra measure, water the spots thoroughly as soon as you see the urine, as you may be able to dilute it before it causes damage.
To neutralize dog urine odor in soil, writers from Pet Helpful suggest a homemade remedy. Mix 1 teaspoon of baking soda and 4 cups of water in a spray bottle, shake well and spray onto the brown spots. You can substitute lemon juice or vinegar for the baking soda, and try that instead if you like. If there are a lot of spots to cover, use a plastic tank sprayer.
Depending on the dog, the urine could be acidic or alkaline. Experts from HumicGreen explain that if the soil is acidic (low pH), and a dogs urine is basic (high pH), its urine wont actually harm your soil from a pH perspective, since the pH values will cancel each other out. However, not all soil is acidic, and not all pet urine is basic; each runs the gamut based on location (for soil), your pet and its diet.
How to Fix Dog Urine Spots on the Lawn
Before you can maintain a beautiful, lively yard, you’ll want a yard that’s alive. There are a few ways you can revive your yard.
You can also overseed these dead patches in the fall or late spring so they are ready and green come summertime.
Say you’ve just reseeded your lawn to eliminate those dead spots from last year. The summer season has come around, and you want to keep your lawn green without dead patches. For this, you’ll want to focus on preventative steps to stop the spotting before it even happens.
One of the most useful and easy preventative tips is spraying or pouring water on the area. Whenever your dog goes outside to use the bathroom, be ready with a watering can, spray bottle, or hose. Water can help cleanse the lawn of harmful nitrogens in dog urine and prevent brown spots on the grass.
Rather than risking your lovely green lawn, taking your canine companion around the block may be a better alternative. Walking your dog gets three things accomplished in one activity. You get exercise, your dog gets exercise, and they get a chance to use the bathroom without the risk of burning the lawn.
Watch where your dog pees and thoroughly water down the area soon after to keep the green in your lawn.
Training your dog to pee in one area can help decrease the number of dead spots in any given lawn. Pick a corner of the yard for the family canine to do their business. Reward the pup when they do business there, and before you know it, you’ll only need to take care of one damaged area instead of 20 brown patches.
Pro Tip: Consider making a doggy potty area if you don’t want any spots to fix or water later. You can use tall grasses, mulch, or dog rocks that absorb the urine better than regular lawn grass and won’t leave any lasting brown spots.
How to FIX Dog Pee Spots 100% of the Time!
You love spending time with your pet on the lawn but you are tired of seeing pee stains on your lawn? You do your best to maintain your lawn but your dog loves to make a mess?
Dont worry, youre not alone! Fortunately, this damage can be repaired. In this article, we offer you some solutions to combat the ravages caused by dog urine.