How to Treat Brown Spots in Yard From Dogs

We love our pets. What we don't love are the brown patches spaced around the yard, caused by dog urine. Dog urine contains sodium, ammonia and nitrogen, which in small quantities are good for the yard. However, a dog's urine contains significantly more of these things than is healthy for grass, and the result is brown spots caused by dead grass. There are a few things that can be done to lessen the effects of the urine.

Things You'll Need

  • Water
  • Watering can
  • Dog treat
  • Hose
  • Dietary supplements
  • Low-nitrogen fertilizer
  • High-quality dog food
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Instructions

  1. How to Treat Brown Spots in Yard From Dogs

    • 1

      Teach your dog to eliminate in a single spot on your yard. This will limit potential damage to a single, out-of-the-way place. Set a post or a small flag in the grass and take your dog to the marked spot every time you go outside. Once the dog eliminates in the correct spot, offer a small reward, such as a treat.

    • 2

      Fill a watering can, such as you would use to water your flowers, half full of water. Take that with you when you take your dog to eliminate. Once the dog has done its worst to your yard, wait 30 seconds and pour the contents of the watering can slowly over the spot. This will dilute the chemicals in the urine, and significantly lessen the impact it has on your beautiful lawn.

    • 3

      Provide your dog with more water. The more water your dog drinks, the less the urine will hurt your yard, because the offending chemicals in the urine will be diluted.

    • 4

      Feed your lawn with a low-nitrogen fertilizer. The fertilizer will help your yard rebound from the burn caused by your dog's urine.

    • 5

      Switch your dog to a low-nitrogen dog food. By lowering your dog's intake of nitrogen, you'll be able to minimize the nitrogen in your dog's waste and decrease the damage to your lawn. Also, unless you have an extremely active dog, switching to a high-quality, low-protein dog food will help control your pet's harmful emissions.

    • 6

      Give your dog a dietary supplement containing "yucca schidigera." The chemicals in these supplements bind with the harmful chemicals in the urine, rendering them mostly inert and harmless to your yard.