Backyard Gardening

By Carol Lugg

If you are a gardener with a four-legged gardening buddy, you are not alone. Gardening with dogs means you may have a steady companion who doesn’t point out your weeds or shrubs that should be trimmed, but trots around your yard with you, enjoying the outdoor experience with their favorite human. Gardeners who enjoy an emerald green lawn to showcase their blooming beauties may find frustration with one of the downsides of dog ownership: dog urine.

The relationship with our best buddies becomes challenged when our lawns have uneven growth or become dotted with yellow or brown patches, which often indicates the area our dog has chosen for potty time. 

Before we begin exploring why uneven growth or the brown spots appear in the lawns of dog owners, and how to combat the impact on our lawns, let’s clarify a few myths about the spots. Colorado State University Extension produced a fact sheet (see link to reference below) that dispels “urban legends” regarding urine damage. Some legends are related to dog gender or dog breed, such as the urine of female dogs creating the brown spots or that certain breeds produce urine at higher nitrogen levels, creating the spots. Without delving too far into the urination habits of dogs, female dogs indeed tend to squat and thus, create a targeted stream, while male dogs prefer to spray, or mark, a vertical spot. Male dogs have an innate desire to mark their space and may choose vertical landscape features in the yard, creating a different problem to solve. Your dog’s breed may play a role, as logically, larger dogs produce more urine. Smaller breeds tend to stay closer or be on a lead during potty time, which means they may urinate in a more restricted space in your lawn, resulting in concentrated areas succumbing to brown spots versus the broader range of large dogs.

A misunderstanding of pH levels has also led to myths regarding the brown spots in the yards of dog owners. Dog urine is alkaline, typically with a pH above 7.0. The brown spots occur because of the nitrogen levels in urea, not because of the pH levels of your lawn. Simply put, 

urea is a major component of dog urine. Urea is rich in nitrogen. A carnivorous dog will typically consume diets high in protein, which produces higher levels of urea. It is the nitrogen levels in our dog’s urine that determine whether we have spots in our lawn, not the pH levels of the lawn. I suppose you could say this legend misses the mark (dog pun intended) regarding the pH levels of your lawn. Related to the pH levels of your lawn and the relationship with brown spots, some entrepreneurs have espoused the use of food supplements to alter the pH levels of dog urine, such as  “dog rocks” or other pH-altering interventions. Others espouse the use of tomato juice or cider vinegar to alter the pH of your dog’s urine. As it isn’t the pH of the urine, but the level of nitrogen that harms your lawn, do not alter your dog’s diet in an attempt to solve your issue with the brown patches. If you are tempted to purchase a product to alter the nitrogen levels of your dog’s urine, consult with your veterinarian before using it with your pet. You may want to discuss the food you are providing to your dog with your veterinarian to see if there are options that might benefit both your dog and your lawn. 

So, what can you do to repair the lawn damage from areas that received excessive nitrogen? 

First, determine whether you want to “even out” your lawn, meaning your lawn does not have any brown spots, but you have areas of uneven growth and coloration due to the increased nitrogen from dog urine, or if you have dead patches that need to be repaired. If you have uneven growth or color patterns, increase the amount of nitrogen fertilization throughout your lawn, being careful not to overapply. A soil test will help you determine whether your lawn requires additional nitrogen. During dry spells, water your lawn to lessen the impact of the targeted nitrogen from your dog’s urine.

If there are brown spots you need to repair, rake out the patch of dead grass and agitate the soil. Re-seed the area, preferably with the same variety of grass seed as your existing lawn. Water lightly until germination. Slowly reduce the frequency of watering over the next few weeks until the grass seed has rooted and is firmly established. If you are uncertain as to the type of grass you have (Kentucky bluegrass, fescue, etc), Perennial ryegrass is a good option. However, if the original lawn was not perennial ryegrass, it will disrupt the uniformity of your lawn. If your lawn is seeded with Kentucky bluegrass, the variation will be minimal. It is not uncommon for lawns to be seeded with a mixture of Kentucky bluegrass, fescue, and ryegrass, so the impact on lawn uniformity of using only Perennial ryegrass should not be noticeable.  It is suggested that you avoid a variety of perennial ryegrass, called “Lynn.”  It is inexpensive and may be readily available, which makes it an attractive option, but this variety of Perennial ryegrass has a habit of fading from your lawn. If your brown patches are in heavy shade, fine fescue can be used. 

While working with your lawn may take effort, you should also dedicate time to working with your dog. If your dog is up for learning new tricks, consider working with your pet in an area of your lawn with less noticeable brown spots or in a mulched or gravel location. For male dogs, place a vertical element in the mulched or gravel area to create an opportunity for marking their territory. Also, ensure that your pet remains well hydrated, which will dilute the nitrogen level of the urine. 

As the owner of an Australian shepherd, an active, mid-sized breed, my dog is not on a lead when outside, taking care of business. If your dog only goes outside with you on a lead,  a sure-fire way of resolving the issue is to take a container of water as you and your pet head outside for potty time, diluting the area that was targeted with nitrogen-rich urine immediately after the dog has voided. This routine will lessen the likelihood of brown patches, but the areas of your lawn enriched with the increased nitrogen stream will still show signs of increased growth and vigor. Research has shown that watering the spot after your pet has urinated is the only proven method for neutralizing the area and reducing the harmful effects on your lawn. 

For many reasons, beyond the concern for the health of your lawn, dog excrement should be picked up, bagged, and disposed of immediately. Dog waste should never be tossed into compost piles or used to amend soil. 

While a few brown spots in your garden may be the price you pay for the loving companionship of a dog, if the spots begin to distract from your lawn and home, you may be ready to take a few steps to lessen the impact on your property. While our gardens bring us joy and delight, they don’t look to us with the same admiration, loyalty, and love as a family pet. Both gardening and dog ownership reduce stress levels and improve our overall well-being. As dogs and gardening don’t co-exist without a few challenges, it is up to us humans to find harmony in enjoying both our gardens and our pets. 

Carol Lugg became a Penn State Extension certified-Master Gardener in March 2022. She can be contacted at clintonmg@psu.edu or through the Master Gardeners of Clinton County Hotline at (570) 858-0198. She shares joint ownership of her dog, Flo, with her husband. 

Resources:

https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/good-growing/2019-08-02-dog-gone-lawn

https://yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu/how-to/managing-large-brown-or-dead-patches-grass-spring

https://cmg.extension.colostate.edu/Gardennotes/553.pdf

https://www.psu.edu/news/agricultural-sciences/story/choose-right-grass-seed-pennsylvania-lawns

https://extension.psu.edu/lawn-establishment