Prevent Dog Urine From Killing Grass
Protect the Lawn From Brown Spots Caused By Canines
Maintaining a healthy looking yard can be difficult for dog owners. Unsightly brown spots, or lawn burn, in the grass caused by dog urine is a common problem. Preventing and repairing the damage created by our four legged friends can be both time consuming and costly since many home remedies fail to correct the problem. However, there are several products available for a minimal cost that are able to successfully combat the damage.
What Causes Lawn Burn?
Lawn burn is caused by highly concentrated nitrogen levels present in dog urine. Low doses of nitrogen can be good for a lawn, but high concentrations will kill grass and harm the microenvironment of the soil. The problem can be exacerbated by a dog that tends to void his or her entire bladder in one area and then repeatedly returns to the same area during subsequent trips outdoors.
How Can Dietary Changes Prevent Lawn Burn?
There are several steps that can be taken outdoors to prevent lawn burn from becoming a problem. The effects of the urine can be minimized by pouring water on the grass and attempting to divert the dog to areas of the yard that are less visible. However, these steps can become tiresome and are not necessary if actions are taken to combat the problem at the source.
Changes made to a dog’s diet can alter the composition of dog urine and prevent lawn burn over time. High quality dog foods that are easily digestible will limit the build up of nitrogenous waste in urine. Additionally, supplements like NaturVet GrassSaver® Wafers and Nutri-vet® Green Grass Supplement are available in pet stores and are designed to help metabolize food and, as a result, combat lawn burn by lowering the nitrate levels in urine.
Overall, adequate hydration will help lower the concentration of a dog’s urine, but there are also products that can be added to water to assist in preventing lawn burn. A tablespoon of apple juice or apple cider vinegar added to a dog’s water will help alter the nitrogen levels in urine. Dog Rocks® are another available product that will help protect the grass for many months when placed in a dog’s water bowl. These rocks are found in a quarry in Australia and have strong paramagnetic properties that alter the ion exchange in water, reducing the nitrate level and thus lowering the amount ingested whenever the dog drinks from his or her bowl.
The implementation of any of these simple solutions can help prevent lawn burn from becoming a landscaping nightmare for dog owners.
Dogs Can Create a Landscaping Nightmare
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