Why Does Dog Pee Kill Grass and How Can You Stop it?

There’s nothing quite like spending hours tending to your yard – seeding, watering, mowing – only to have your dog’s pee kill your precious grass. What’s the deal? Why does dog pee kill grass and what can you do to prevent it? We’re here to answer your questions and offer some solutions.

Why does dog pee kill grass?

First, let’s have a little science lesson. Urine contains urea which has high levels of nitrogen, ammonia, and salt. Although grass and gardens need nitrogen to grow, when your dog pees in the same spot over and over, the high concentration of these nutrients essentially burns your grass. Additionally, due to the high concentration of salt, dog pee tends to be alkaline which can also lead to grass decay.

Both male and female dog urine can kill your grass, but due to the behaviors in males (peeing in different places and spraying) they tend to kill less grass than females.

What can you do?

Supplements:

There are a few things you can do to prevent your dog from killing your grass. First, Lawn Aid is our easy-to-give, yummy tasting supplement that uses ingredients like Yucca schidgera and methionine to help reduce the ammonia and nitrogen in your dog’s pee. Diluting these chemicals will make it less likely for your yard to turn brown.  Additionally, we’ve added cranberry to the supplement to support urinary health.

Behavior:

Dogs are creatures of habit, but if you can, try and get them to do their business in different places. Consider taking them on walks or to a dog park if you want to give your lawn a little reprieve.

Clean up:

Spraying your lawn with water after your dog has done their business is a simple (albeit time-consuming) way to prevent lawn burns. If you can get your dog to go in one part of the yard you might find it easier to rinse it with water.

Restore:

If all else fails, you can treat your yard with salt neutralizers like gypsum to help minimize damage. Keep a bag on hand and spread a few tablespoons on affected spots, then lightly water.

Every dog owner with a yard knows the trouble of combatting brown, dead spots. But there are steps you can take to make sure your grass really is greener! And hey, for what it’s worth, we think a yard with dog spots just means the home is full of love.