Why Does Dog Urine Burn Grass?

Patches of brown in an otherwise healthy lawn is a typical sign that a dog resides there. It has become common knowledge that where a dog urinates on the grass, it will die. Desiring a green lawn, however, does not mean you have to get rid of Fido. By understanding why dog urine burns grass and how to prevent it, Fido can have a happy home and you can still have lush green grass.

  1. Chemistry

    • Dog urine contains a fair amount of the element nitrogen. Lawn grass needs this nutrient. However, most lawn fertilizers are high in nitrogen, which provides the correct amount for the grass to grow strong and green. When the dog urinates, it is depositing nitrogen onto already nitrogen-rich soil. Too much nitrogen causes lawn burn.

    Interesting Facts

    • Female dogs are more likely to cause lawn burn than males because they relieve their bladder fully in one location instead of marking several areas with their urine as territorial males do, according to PetEducation.com. Active dogs, especially younger ones, also are more likely the culprits as their diets are typically high in protein and have large deposits of nitrogen in the urine. Large dogs are also likely culprits since they have larger bladders and more urine.

    Dog changes

    • Slightly changing your dog's eating and drinking habits can aid in lawn burn prevention. Giving your dog more water will dilute the concentration of nitrogen in the urine. Providing your dog a well-balanced diet instead of a particularly high protein one will also decrease the amount of nitrogen deposits. Another option is to train your dog only to eliminate in one area of the yard, keeping the potential damage to a restricted area.

    Lawn changes

    • When fertilizing the lawn, understand that a little can go a long way. A little bit regularly or a well-balanced instead of nitrogen-rich fertilizer should help prevent excess nitrogen build-up and lawn burn. Another prevention method requires a glass of water poured on top of the spot where the dog just urinated. The water will dilute the acidic nitrogen and actually fertilize the lawn. One more option is to sprinkle the elimination area with a bit of lime that binds to the nitrogen and neutralizes its acidity.

    Solution

    • The long-term solution for lawn burn is to plant urine-resistant grasses, which, according to PetEducation.com, are perennial species like ryegrasses and fescues. Treating it with lawn treatments that neutralize the nitrogen in your dog's urine will prevent most lawn burns. Finally, do not under- or over-fertilize the lawn, which can stress the grass and create other problems.