How to Deal With Pet Stains on the Lawn

Pet stains can be a highly visible lawn issue. The yellow stains and burned grass are caused when a dog urinates repeatedly in the same section of grass. The concentration of nitrogen in the dog's urine overfertilizes the spot and causes the pet stain. Dogs with high-protein diets and female dogs tend to cause more stains than other dogs. Female dogs have more of an effect because they squat to urinate. This concentrates the urine in one particular place. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to deal with pet stains on your lawn.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Apple cider vinegar
• Water
• Dog bowl
• Rags
• Stakes
• Treats
• Bucket
• Shovel or garden spade
• Grass seed or sod

1. Add apple cider vinegar to your dog's water. It can also be added to food. Some dog's may dislike the vinegar taste, so start with 1 tsp. of vinegar and slowly work up to a larger amount per day. Vinegar changes the pH levels in a dog's urine and will minimize the damage his urine does to the lawn. Repeat with every water bowl refill. A well-hydrated dog will produce a less-concentrated urine, will minimize the burning effect on your lawn.

2. Train your dog to urinate in one section of the lawn. Pet stains are caused by the repeated concentration of urine in the same place on the lawn. Encourage your dog to urinate in a less-visible or easily managed area. Soak a few rags in your dog's urine, and place in the designated area where you wish him to eliminate. Bring him over to the area and let him sniff the rags. You can use stakes to prevent the rags from blowing away. Praise him verbally and offer treats when he urinates in the area you have designated as an appropriate elimination spot.

3. Saturate the spot where your dog urinates with water. This will decrease the concentration of the nitrogen in that spot and minimize the chance of lawn burn.

4. Remove any burned spots by carefully digging around the area and removing damaged grass. Reseed or replace sod with a similar grass. Water and follow the instructions provided by the supplier for the type of grass planted. Do not allow your dog to urinate in the area again.

Tips & Warnings

• Apple cider vinegar provides many benefits for your dog. In addition to helping eliminate lawn stains, apple cider vinegar will deter fleas, keep your dog's coat shiny, minimize tear stains and solve many skin issues.
• Consider replanting your lawn with a hardy grass that's considered resistant to dogs and dog urine. Fescue and perennial rye grass have been found to be hardy and resistant to dog damage. Speak to a landscaper in your area to determine the correct type of grass to use for your climate.
• Lawn spots are not solely caused by dogs. They may be caused by a grub infestation or another grass disease. If you can easily remove a clump of grass with your hands, you may have a grub problem. Observe your dog's urination habits to determine if he is the cause of the spots.

References

• Safe Natural Tips
• Pet Education - Lawn Burn
• Dog Urine Killing the Grass