Unfortunately, pet waste can cause significant damage to your lawn over time. It’s important to be diligent about this problem by providing proper lawn maintenance and working with your dog to mitigate the issue. Here’s how dog waste can damage your lawn and ways you can reduce the effects.

Pet Waste & Its Effects on Your Yard

Over time, you may notice brown spots in your yard from your furry friend using it to go potty. These patches are usually round in shape and can be a few inches to a foot wide, depending on how often your dog urinates in the same spot. Sometimes there will also be a ring of taller, healthy grass growing around the brown spot.

Dog urine causes brown patches because it’s high in nitrogen. Although nitrogen is a common ingredient in fertilizer, grass cannot handle it in large concentrations. It can cause root burn or make the grass die entirely. Drought conditions will make this type of damage worse, especially if you neglect watering and other lawn maintenance services. 

Solutions to Consider

Hydrate Your Pup

There are two main ways to lessen the damage of pet waste: changing the way you care for your dog or altering your lawn maintenance routine. Consider training your pet to use the bathroom in a small, inconspicuous area of your lawn. This area will become damaged, but the rest of your grass will remain healthy.

Drink more water can dilute the nitrogen in a dog’s urine. Making sure your pup is properly hydrated can also help minimize the effects. Add water to your dog’s dry food or provide them with wet food to increase their water intake. Always make sure their water bowl is full.

Invest in Regular Lawn Maintenance

Regularly watering your lawn dilutes the nitrogen from your dog’s urine, mitigating any damage. Tackle the problem right away by spray the spot with water from the hose immediately after they urinate. This will dilute the urine before it has a chance to cause issues.

To repair your current brown spots, hire a lawn maintenance company to reseed your grass to cover dead or dying spots. However, don’t do this unless your pet has been trained to pee elsewhere. The problem will reoccur if your dog continues to urinate in the same location.

 

If you need help with the brown spots in your yard, turn to the lawn maintenance professionals at M K Landscaping in Valley Park, MO. Their lawn care professionals have over a decade of experience in the industry and offer a wide range of services, including mowing, fertilizing, edging, and landscaping. Their company is fully licensed and insured to keep your lawn safe and healthy. Visit their website, or call (314) 805-6922 to schedule an appointment.