Dogs cause big problems to lawns in 3 different ways: compaction, over fertilization, and pH imbalances.
They also pose threats as they tend to dig holes in the grass do other things dogs do.
However, you don't have to get rid of your dog to have a nice yard; you just need to know how to fix dog problems in your lawn.
I once did work for a guy that had a very small (400 square feet) back yard.
He had just recently gotten a Great Dane.
He couldn't figure out why his yard was suddenly not growing.
It had been a beautiful lawn before the dog.
The man with the Great Dane had a problem with lawn compaction.
The weight of the dog, along with the constant running back and forth across the small lawn was too much for the grass roots to handle.
The root system had gotten so compacted, the grass wasn't growing at all.
Lawn repair for this problem is resolved with mechanical aeration.
Sometimes, it is also improved with the use of soil additives like peat moss or gypsum.
Take note that depending on the size & energy of the dog, aeration may need to be done up to 4 times per year.
Over fertilization is a common problem with dogs.
It is what causes yellowing pet spots in your lawn.
Usually the grass nearest the front and back doors have the most problems.
This is because dog urine has urea in it.
Urea is a very powerful nitrogen fertilizer that is almost 100% nitrogen.
Its N-P-K value is 46-0-0.
Used in the proper amounts, urea is a wonderful fertilizer.
However, if it makes the soil too acidic, it burns the grass.
There are several ways to solve this problem.
Some include: giving your pet an additive (vitamin) in their diet to neutralize the urine or pouring water over the areas where your dog peas.
Lastly, you can train you dog to urinate on other areas - not the grass- make them a special "potty" area.
Ovulation is the third pet problem, but is only problematic with female dogs.
It is even more acidic than urine & will do even more to ruin the lawn.
You can fix this by fixing patches in your lawn on a regular basis.
Just scrape off the surface of dead grass and reseed.
When you reseed that spot, be sure to put starter fertilizer down and use a good top dressing.
Water regularly until the lawn is set up well.
This usually takes about 3 weeks.
You can also add sweet soil (lime) to the area to neutralize the pH of the soil improving the soil for future grass.
They also pose threats as they tend to dig holes in the grass do other things dogs do.
However, you don't have to get rid of your dog to have a nice yard; you just need to know how to fix dog problems in your lawn.
I once did work for a guy that had a very small (400 square feet) back yard.
He had just recently gotten a Great Dane.
He couldn't figure out why his yard was suddenly not growing.
It had been a beautiful lawn before the dog.
The man with the Great Dane had a problem with lawn compaction.
The weight of the dog, along with the constant running back and forth across the small lawn was too much for the grass roots to handle.
The root system had gotten so compacted, the grass wasn't growing at all.
Lawn repair for this problem is resolved with mechanical aeration.
Sometimes, it is also improved with the use of soil additives like peat moss or gypsum.
Take note that depending on the size & energy of the dog, aeration may need to be done up to 4 times per year.
Over fertilization is a common problem with dogs.
It is what causes yellowing pet spots in your lawn.
Usually the grass nearest the front and back doors have the most problems.
This is because dog urine has urea in it.
Urea is a very powerful nitrogen fertilizer that is almost 100% nitrogen.
Its N-P-K value is 46-0-0.
Used in the proper amounts, urea is a wonderful fertilizer.
However, if it makes the soil too acidic, it burns the grass.
There are several ways to solve this problem.
Some include: giving your pet an additive (vitamin) in their diet to neutralize the urine or pouring water over the areas where your dog peas.
Lastly, you can train you dog to urinate on other areas - not the grass- make them a special "potty" area.
Ovulation is the third pet problem, but is only problematic with female dogs.
It is even more acidic than urine & will do even more to ruin the lawn.
You can fix this by fixing patches in your lawn on a regular basis.
Just scrape off the surface of dead grass and reseed.
When you reseed that spot, be sure to put starter fertilizer down and use a good top dressing.
Water regularly until the lawn is set up well.
This usually takes about 3 weeks.
You can also add sweet soil (lime) to the area to neutralize the pH of the soil improving the soil for future grass.