Dogs & Lawn Burn

It stands out like a sore thumb and makes any proud gardener pull their hair out, that ugly, inexplicable dead patch in amongst your lush green lawn. There are several reasons that lawn could be dying but one suspicious patch could have an unexpected perpetrator: man’s best friend. 

Lawn burn is a common problem for dog owners that is caused by the nitrogen concentration in your pet’s urine. If your dog has its own ‘toilet’ area in the backyard it is likely to be the location of your trouble spot. While nitrogen fertilisers are good for lawn, you wouldn’t dump a whole lot on one place, and the high-nitrogen content of your dog’s waste acts like an excess of fertiliser and kills the grass.

Is it your pet? 

Double-check that the damage is where your dog urinates in order to eliminate lawn diseases as a cause, and try pulling out the lawn with your hand. If it is still firmly rooted that is an indication of lawn burn. 

Don’t!

Put more fertiliser on your lawn. This only increases the nitrogen concentration that caused the problem in the first place. 

Causes

• If your lawn is already stressed, either by drought, neglect, disease or is only newly planted it is more likely to suffer damage from your pet’s urine.
• Female dogs are more likely perpetrators of lawn burn as they urinate on one concentrated area rather than marking, but if male dogs urinate in one area as well they will also be culprits.
• If your lawn is heavily fertilised you already have a high concentration of nitrogen covering it, so the additional content in the urine may add up to a lethal combination for your grass.
• Check the protein content of your dog’s food; a high protein diet increases the generation of nitrogen and therefore the concentration in urine. 

How to fix it

• If you can, rinse out the area where your dog has just voided their bladder with a hose or watering can to dilute the liquid.
• Buy a high-quality dog food that does not exceed the protein content needed for the lifestyle of your dog. If your pet is not chasing sheep around a farm property then they simply don’t need high amounts of protein in their food. Higher quality products are also likely to contain protein that is more easily digestible and creates less nitrogen by-product.
• Create a non-grass area for your dog with gravel or manure and train them to use it as their new toilet zone.
• Make sure your dog always has plenty of water (you should do this anyway).  
• Reseed your lawn with urine resistant grasses such as fescues and perennial ryegrasses.
• Purchase a spot solution that can be applied to the burned area. Some products will work to neutralise the excess nitrogen left on the soil.
•  Look after your lawn so it is healthy and strong by watering it regularly. 

You will likely need to reseed the dead patch but make sure you have taken the aforementioned steps or else your dog’s toilet habits will make it happen again. Looking to replace your lawn and need some help? Check out our list of gardening professionals.