Remedies for Brown Spots in Grass Caused by Dog Urine

Every dog has to go outside to do the deed, and if you have a lawn, you know how potent a dog's urine can be to your greenery. Brown spots, or burn spots, in the grass are caused by the salt and nitrogen in your dog's urine. Getting rid of the burn spots can be simple with the right approach.

  1. Flush Out

    • Dog urine has a high level of nitrogen, much like liquid lawn fertilizers you can purchase at your local lawn care store. Just like nitrogen rich fertilizer, too much dog urine will cause brown, or burn, spots. Flushing out the area with water after your dog has urinated will help dilute and wash away the nitrogen and salt. After your dog has urinated, take a garden hose or bucket of water, and thoroughly soak the area. It make take a few days until the burn spots begin to reduce, and new healthy grass begins to regrow.

    Drink More Water

    • Just like humans, dogs need fresh, clean water daily to live a long, healthy life. Encouraging your dog to drink more water will help dilute your pet's urine. By exercising your dog regularly, your companion will drink more water just like human athletes do. Some pet owners have also had luck by adding just enough non-sodium chicken broth to the dog's water to encourage the dog to drink more. Dogs who drink more water have urine with a lower nitrogen and salt concentration, which will help reduce burn spots in your lawn.

    Treatment for Your Grass

    • Some companies have come out with solutions you can use on your lawn to fight off brown spots due to pet urine. Earth's Balance has come out with a product called Dogonit, which helps flush toxic dog urine out of your soil, and promotes regrowth of healthy grass in those areas. Treatments like Dogonit can be purchased in a spray solution, or in a concentrate that must be mixed with water to be poured onto the burn spots.

    Love Those Hardy Grasses

    • Some types of grasses are more resistant to the nitrogen and salt in dog urine, and will not burn as quickly like more delicate lawn grasses will. Bermuda and Kentucky bluegrass are the most sensitive grasses to dog urine, and will show burning faster, especially in areas where your dog frequently urinates. Grasses such as fescue and ryegrass are the most urine-tolerant grass varieties, and will not show burning as quickly or at all.