When Is It Safe for a Puppy to Go on a Fertilized Lawn?

A healthy green lawn is an attractive and inviting addition to the home, but getting it green and keeping it that way can pose a health hazard to pets. Puppies in particular are typically small, low to the ground and eager to taste just about anything they can. While this doesn't pose a risk with every type of lawn fertilizer, in some cases it can make a puppy ill and possibly even kill it. It is best to keep pets safe by keeping them off of the lawn until the fertilizer has had a chance to be absorbed.

  1. Types of Fertilizers

    • There are many different kinds of fertilizers available for home use. Some simply feed the lawn while others have added ingredients that kill weeds or insects. These additives can be much more harmful than the fertilizer alone and should not be used on a lawn where a puppy will be, if at all possible. Organic fertilizers are those that do not use chemicals but instead are made up of such things as bone meal, seaweed, dried blood and other non-toxic ingredients. Most organic fertilizers are very unlikely to harm a puppy once they have been applied to the lawn.

    Safety

    • Each kind of fertilizer will specify on the package how long children and pets should be kept off of the lawn. Following the directions carefully will help ensure a puppy isn't allowed onto a treated lawn too soon. In most cases the amount of time a puppy should be kept off of the lawn is 24 to 48 hours. In the case of fertilizer with pesticide as one of the ingredients, 72 hours may be called for. In cases where the timing isn't certain it is best to err on the side of caution and keep the puppy off of the lawn for at least 72 hours.

    Precautions

    • One way to help make the yard safe for the puppy sooner is to water it thoroughly after the fertilizer is applied. This helps to wash the fertilizer into the soil, putting it safely out of the puppy's reach. The pup will not be able to lick up any of the fertilizer nor will any appreciable amount stick to its body or paws after it has walked across the grass.

    Additional Considerations

    • Any type of fertilizer or lawn product can be harmful if eaten is sufficient quantity. All such materials should be stored in cupboards or on high shelves where pets can't reach them. Some yard products may contain deadly ingredients even if the products are organic. An example of this is cocoa mulch, which is made of cocoa beans. A puppy can become seriously ill or die as a result of ingesting anything with coca beans or chocolate in it, since the theobromine found in cocoa beans is deadly to dogs.