Dogs and Lawns

I think the easiest thing in the long run (rather than running round in your PJs with a watering can at midnight) is to train the dog to use a particular area. Maybe you have a gravel area by your shed, or some bark down underneath a tree or something? Take your pup out there a couple of times a day (first thing in the morning and last thing at night should guarantee that he actually needs to pee when you take him out), take him to the area on lead, and ask him to pee. When he's done it, reward him heavily with something really great, like cheese cubes or pieces of sausage. After about a week of doing this as a matter of routine, he should go there of his own accord.

 

I have a yellow dead patch on my lawn but I do not have a dog,nor do I have visiting dogs.
Does anyone know if foxes do this ?

 

Dog Pee is full of Nitrogen,flush it off with water :D.

 

Compost-c...I have the same problem and I have seen vixens marking the same place and the only thing I can do is put some of my own 'brew':D there. It does the trick but you've got to make sure the nieghbours are understanding:D

 

I am pretty certain that mum (Compost Corner) has a regular visiting fox which must be doing this - I think her garden must be on a fox flight path as there is a fox sized hole in the base of her privet hedge which never gets the chance to get filled in with leaf- I think it is their exit route out of the garden to the field opposite!

Thanks paladin ! .... are you trying to get mum arrested???!!!! :eek::D Her slug murdering by moonlight already has the neighbours worried, but peeing on the lawn at midnight might just about have her committed!

I presume by your own 'brew' you were talking about wee wee..... and not a cup of PG! Erm...:o ,,,please say I haven't just made an utter numpty of myself....again....:o

 

Do Not give dog anything to change the acid / alkaline levels. Nitrogen is the problem. You can do a web search for products which may help. Here's an article that explains what is happening.

Dog urine causes dead patches and lawn burn due to the high levels of nitrogen that is released into the lawn through the urine. Every dog owner who has a yard will be familiar with this.

Nitrogen is actually a lawn-growth stimulant that encourages lawn growth when properly applied as a fertilizer. The problem presented with dog urine is that since most dogs urinate in one spot, then will introduce large amounts of liquid nitrogen (urine) to that spot thereby causing a burning reaction and even a dead-spot in the lawn. Often the effected spot will show vigorous grass growth around the spot due to the nitrogen levels that stimulate growth around the edges. Since larger dogs usually produce larger amounts of urine, there is a direct correlation between the size of your dog and the changes of developing lawn burn and dead spots in your lawn through urination.

The best way to help prevent urine burns and dead spots is to saturate the spots with water. This will allow the excess nitrogen to leach or dilute through the lawn and reducing the concentration in one area. It is usually best to treat the areas up to 9 hours after urination and to apply at least three-time the amount of water to urine to the area. Dead spots can also be reseeded. Most lawn grasses will eventually repair itself to cover the dead areas.

Among the many reputed cures for dead-spots from dog urine are also to apply sugar to the affected areas, with the thinking that this somehow balances out the nitrogen overkill. If you have old unfinished bottles of soda this can be liberally applied to these areas, or apply a handful of corn syrup. This particular remedy is often reported to work!

 

I reseeded my patches but most of the seed didn't grow :( . I am planning on putting a feature in the corner of the garden so I'll be removing the grass is there a way I can dig it up and replant it in the bare patches?

 

I found after using some expensive grass seeds that they didn't grow on the bare patches, the seeds just stayed there without germinating. I bought some cheap - just over £1 for a box of grass seeds from asda and it grew! Now I've just got to make the rest of the lawn as nice, lol.

 

Lol I just bought some cheap grass seeds from B&Q maybe that'll grow

 

Just had to read this because my mum has never forgiven my dog for leaving these patches all over her beautiful lawn when we visit ,:o. Some of them grow up lush and green but others have gone yellow and brown. Good job she's an animal lover and the dogs are good boys who never go on the flower beds.