The Grass Doctor

What can be done to stop the dog's waste from ruining my lawn?

Is their something that can be added to the dog's food to make her urine and feces less acidic? My lawn is covered in large brown spots.

Public Comments

1. Clean the poop up as soon as its dropped. It sounds like a female dog so you might have to try and train it to pee in one area
2. It's the urine that is acid, and what is causing the broown spots. And yes, there is a pill you can give the dog. It must be prescribed by a vet. But before you give your dog something that might have health side effects for him, try something for your lawn instead. There are products you can spray on your lawn to lessen the affect of the urine. Guard Dog is one. You'll have to spray more frequently uintil the spots green up, then periodically for as long as you have your dog. You can find them at garden stores. Or take your dog for walks rather than just letting him out. - that way you can make sure he pees in different spots. (Dogs do have a habit of choosing the same few spots to pee on...over and over)
3. I think the only thing you can do is grab a pooper-scooper -- or train your dog to "go" in one corner of the lawn (preferably behind a bush). This extension agent said the only thing that will help is lots of water to move the salts out of that space. http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/askextension/thisQuestion.cfm?ThreadID=8144&catID=154&AskSiteID=34 He said you may still have to rake and overseed the lawn.
4. Dog urine causes the grass to burn. This is going to sound strange but it works. Take a piece of dry wall (broken piece is fine). Crumble the part in the middle. As soon as possible sprinkled the crumbled dry wall when the dog goes then water well. The dry wall neutralizes the acid in the urine.
5. My dog must be unusual. Wherever she piddles, the lawn is greener and grows faster. I pick poop almost every day, even when there is snow on the ground. If the "output" is too strong, a light watering every evening would help to dilute the waste.
6. Try "zoning off" a corner of your yard for poochie's "bathroom."
7. Hi, I have had dogs all my life. The "Brown spots" could be from your pet (or) neighbors but that also could mean you have grubs that are eating your grass roots. Try both remedies: 1. Get a chemical that gets rid of grubs. Example: Grub be Gone. 2. Give your dog a half an apple every day. If it will take it. I start my dogs as puppies and now they ask for apples. They think it is a treat. The acid in the apples makes the urine so it isn't so strong and doesn't kill the grass. Yes it makes the dog a little gassy. But a little gas is a lot better than Brown spots. I am not a professional on anything. I just have learned from my experience. I hope it works for you.