As a dog owner, you know that your furry friend brings endless joy and companionship. However, their bathroom habits can wreak havoc on your beautiful lawn. Those yellow, brown or dark green spots from dog pee are an eyesore. Luckily, there are several effective methods to repair dog pee damage in your grass.
In this comprehensive guide, I’ll walk you through exactly why dog urine burns grass, how to fix various types of dog pee spots, and tips to prevent future damage With a bit of work, your lawn can return to its former vibrant glory
Understanding Why Dog Pee Harms Grass
Before fixing the issue, it’s important to understand what causes dog pee to damage grass in the first place.
The main culprit is nitrogen. Dog urine contains high levels of nitrogen, which acts as a fertilizer. When concentrated in one area, the nitrogen essentially “burns” the grass, causing yellow or brown spots.
Female dog pee is no worse than males, despite the stereotype. Any dog that squats to pee, including females, elderly dogs or puppies, can cause pee spots. Male dogs that lift their legs have urine dispersed over a larger area, reducing damage.
Besides nitrogen, dog pee also contains salts and other compounds that can build up and desiccate soil when concentrated in one spot. This leads to dry, dead grass.
How to Fix Brown Dog Pee Spots
Brown, dead patches are the most severe type of dog urine damage. If your lawn spots are completely brown, your grass is dead and needs reseeding. Follow these steps:
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Thoroughly rake dead grass to expose bare soil.
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Deeply water the area to flush out salts and nitrogen.
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Loosen soil with a rake or trowel.
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Mix topsoil and peat moss, spread over area.
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Generously sprinkle grass seeds suited for your climate.
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Gently water seeds daily until established (about 3-4 weeks).
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Keep high foot traffic away until the new grass has taken root.
Reseeding replaces dead grass with fresh seedlings. Be sure to use a dog urine-resistant grass like fescue or Bermuda. With proper care, your lawn will transform back to lush green.
Fixing Yellow Dog Pee Spots
If your grass is yellowing from dog pee but not fully dead, you may be able to revive it without reseeding. Specialty dog spot cleaners can remove excess nitrogen and neutralize urine salts in soil:
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Spotless Lawn Dog Spot Aid
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Revive Dog Spot Treatment
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Envii Neuturine
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Scotts EZ Seed Dog Spot Repair
Thoroughly spray or sprinkle the product as instructed. Combine with extra watering to leach salts deeper. With quick action, you can restore yellowed grass before it dies completely.
How to Fix Dark Green Dog Pee Spots
Sometimes, dog pee makes grass darker green. This happens when surrounding turf is nitrogen deficient. The nitrogen in dog urine acts as fertilizer, creating lush patches.
To fix, fertilize the rest of the lawn to match the dark green pee spots. Get a soil test to determine precisely which nutrients you need. Apply an organic, balanced fertilizer around 5 times per year. With an even distribution of nutrients, your entire lawn will be a uniform rich green.
Tips to Prevent Dog Pee Damage
While fixing pee spots is doable, prevention is ideal. Here are some tips to stop spots from forming in the first place:
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Immediately rinse pee spots with water after your dog goes.
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Train your dog to pee only on gravel, mulch or rocks. Reward with treats.
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Allow your grass type to grow taller, at highest recommended length.
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Use supplements like Dog Rocks to reduce nitrogen in your dog’s urine.
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Change your dog’s diet under veterinary guidance to alter urine composition.
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Plant urine-resistant grasses like fescue or Bermuda during lawn renovation.
With diligence, you can stop dog pee spots before they start. But if damage does occur, use the steps outlined to nurse your lawn back to health. With a little work, you and your four-legged friend can enjoy a beautiful, lush yard.
How to Fix Dog Urine Spots on Your Lawn – Easy Fix!
How do I get rid of dog urine spots on my lawn?
There are lawn treatments made specifically for dog urine spots. Some examples of these soil-cleansing products are: If the spots in your lawn are yellowing and not completely dead yet, cleansing the soil could be enough to save the grass, so you won’t have to reseed. But if the grass is dead, fixing the soil won’t bring it back to life.
How do you stop a dog peeing on your lawn?
Wash down the area. To the extent possible, rinse off where your dog pees using a hose. If creating a designated spot doesn’t work, allow your dog to pee on different parts of the lawn so that the pee and water aren’t accumulating in one area. Maintain your grass.
How do you reseed a dog Pee spot?
Reseeding means planting new grass seed in the affected area of the lawn to grow new, green grass from scratch. Follow these steps to reseed dog pee spots: Step 1: Rake the brown patch thoroughly to get the dead grass and any other debris in your lawn out of the way. You should be able to see the soil.
Can a dog urine spot be repaired?
Minor lawn damage due to dog urine spots often resolves on its own as healthy new grass growth emerges. However, areas that your dog frequents for urination will typically need dog urine spot repair. Fortunately, dog urine grass repair is a quick and easy lawn fix with the right information and lawn repair products.
