Female Lab ruined lawn

[forcedtowork]

Anyone have any ways to get my grass back to green from where she pees? I have my lawn professionally fertilized, but she has quite a few spots that the lawn is now yellow, and looks dead from where she went consistently during the winter months.

[lindy rig]

I've heard a combination of gypsum and lime will help.

[bobberineyes]

Agreed..... scratch up the areas and put both products down. While your at it just do the whole yard, a 40 pounder is only bout 8 bucks. Some years the areas turn fairly quick but some it takes a little bit. Make sure it's gonna rain.

[Jaspernuts]

I have this too. Will I need to reseed? It looks pretty dead.

[fishersofmen]

Throw down some back dirt and rake some seed in works just fine.

I have heard the females urine is more acidic but I have seen plenty of males including mine that fry the lawn just as bad.

[Dotch]

True about both sexes being capable of burning holes in the lawn. We had a male Border Collie who was fixed at about 6 months. He squatted and wasn't into marking his territory. He was just as lethal on the grass as the females were.

Fixing the problem for me has been fairly easy using the method you describe. The only thing I would add is that if it hasn't rained a fair amount since the damage occurred, it may be wise to water the area well to dilute the urea form nitrogen contained in the urine. We have heavier soil with higher organic matter here in SC MN than some in the TC area so we typically won't see much benefit from gypsum, which is calcium sulfate. Any response seen on the grass in other areas is more likely due to the sulfur than calcium. In our case, the sulfur is normally supplied by the high organic matter. Lime is calcium and/or magnesium carbonate and does little to neutralize the urea. Unless soil acidity is a problem, it is likely unnecessary. Usually by the time mid to late June roll around here the grass has filled in. Heavy rains have helped dilute the problem out frequently. The grass really gets into the nitrogen left behind by the dogs, becomes very dark green and grows very rapidly. By the end of summer it has evened out and is undetectable.

A couple links:

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/archives/parsons/turf/dog_lawn_problems.html

https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/AY/AY-327-W.pdf

[forcedtowork]

Thanks for the info. I put lime down on Sunday, I will try everything suggested above.

[Tom7227]

I have read that some dog foods can cause fewer of these types of problems but I am not sure if that is true.

[Dotch]

I've read that too Tom and some of the discussion that followed. Basically what I read sounded like a couple things: Lower protein = less nitrogen excreted not unlike a hog's digestive system. Fairly simple. And some of the foods being talked about cause an increase in the amount of water intake reputedly diluting the urine nitrogen content. Myself, I would just as soon not mess with my dogs diet. They're doing very well on what we're feeding and the older dog has a history of being finicky. Rather than run the risk of her going off feed and something negative happening to her health, I'll take my chances with a few dog pee spots in the yard. Besides, she's my gate watcher. That's just me though. I don't claim to have a picture perfect lawn and the areas the dogs are using are tough to see from the road.

[flipper]

Perfect lawns are for people that don't have dogs (or a life ). Just my most humble opinion.

[eyeguy 54]

females squat, males spray. so the female spots look worse since more concentrated. pee is pee.

[fishersofmen]

My male dog squats too. Has never lifted his leg.

[eyeguy 54]

does he wear a pink collar? most males spray.

[eyeguy 54]

here is a good read.

spotting

[Dotch]

That's the best Q & A info sheet I've seen on dog pee spots, there pilgrim. 'Splains it very well.

[fishersofmen]

does he wear a pink collar? most males spray.

I almost got him one last week. I know of a guy who was trained by his wife to sit down when he pees so it doesn't splash...I should drop the dog off with him.

[eyeguy 54]

make sure it's a shock collar

[nofishfisherman]

My current strategy has always been to maintain the front yard and keep the dog in the back yard.

A new strategy I am thinking about for the new house is to set up an area in one corner of the yard and put down wood chips and then train the dog to use that area for his business. Should contain the mess and save some of the lawn.

[Dotch]

Wow! If that guy's wife puts a shock collar on him that's what I call controlling and manipulative.

Sounds like a plan nofish. No substitute for being responsible for your dog. That is one of the beauties of living in the country though. If I burn spots in the lawn I can always blame the dogs.

[harvey lee]

Every spring I simply dig the bad spot's up either from the dog or snow mold, resseed and in 4-5 weeks, noone would ever know.

This winter I had mostly a snow mold issue.

Not that big of a job.

[NEANGLER]

Petco sells a dog treat that helps keep the burning of the grass. Can't remember the name off hand but worked w our labs.