Remedy for Dog Urine Damage to Grass

Dog urine can burn the grass in your lawn.

For a person who dreams of a perfectly green lawn, a dog might be her worst enemy instead of best friend. Dog urine damage is a common problem for home lawns, but remedies are available.

Damage

Dog urine damages grass by depositing large amounts of nitrogen compounds and salts in a small area, according to Colorado State University. This can burn the grass, causing a patch of dead brown grass surrounded by a darker green border of living grass.

Repair

If the grass where a dog has urinated is watered within eight hours, the urine will have a fertilizing effect on the grass rather than burning it. Mildly burned grass will repair itself over time. For more severe damage, sodding to replace dead grass is the best option.

Prevention

The best remedy for dog urine damage to grass is to prevent it from happening in the first place. For a dog owner, this means either walking the dog away from the property to urinate or teaching it to urinate in areas covered in gravel or mulch. If other dogs are causing the damage, a barrier fence can keep them out, according to Texas A&M University.

References

• Texas A&M University: Dog Gone It Lawn Problems
• Colorado State University: Dog Urine Damage