Our canine companions are some of the most loved animals on the planet, but they can make a bit of a mess at times, can’t they? Sometimes, no matter how well-trained a dog is, there are occasions when they might make a bit of a mess inside the house or outside in the garden. Dogs can be particularly destructive when it comes to our beloved lawns, too.
Dog owners certainly have to consider other things when it comes to lawn care. Will a particular dog’s pee ruin the grass, for example? Are certain lawn treatments harmful to our pooches, too? For dog owners, it isn’t always about maintaining a healthy-looking grass area, but also making sure that both the grass and the dog are living in harmony together without any cause for concern.
In order to help keep your dog safe and your grass looking healthy, let’s take a look at a selection of lawn care tips for dog owners.
Always deal with dog waste quickly
For starters, dogs regularly pee and poo. In order to stop their toilet habits from destroying your grass and absorbing it into the soil, it’s important to stop the soil from soaking it up. For instance, urine burns grass due to its nitrogen levels. As such, it’s vitally important to stay on top of any dog waste and clean it up as quickly as you can. A hose is particularly recommended.
A damage-resistant grass type is recommended
As we’ve touched on already, dog urine can be harmful to grass. We all know that dogs are lovable little critters, a perception enhanced when we see movies like 101 Dalmatians or when we see cute animations in games like The Dog House online, which has animations showing an immaculate front yard. But the reality is somewhat different. They are lovable, sure, but they can be problematic when trying to keep your yard pristine. In order to avoid this potential annoyance, make sure you have a durable grass type that can handle dogs and their general behavior and habits. Popular options for dog owners include tall fescue, Kentucky bluegrass, zoysiagrass and perennial ryegrass.
Mow your grass higher
Taller grass means that your particular grass will have deeper roots which results in a more reliable and strong lawn. As such, many canine owners purposely let their grass grow to a high length in order to combat any dog action. Of course, your grass needs to be maintained to a certain extent and the last thing you want to do is leave it to grow in an ugly manner, but mowing less and, in particular, letting the grass grow to a higher and more durable length will make a noticeable difference.
Don’t fertilise as much
Another highly recommended lawn care tip for dog owners is to avoid fertilizing too much. While our grass needs the nitrogen that many lawn fertilizers provide, too much nitrogen can harm the grass and essentially burn it. The high nitrogen in this type of product combined with a dog’s urine can result in a lethal combination for an array of grass types. In order to combat this common issue, consider altering your fertilizing schedule. For instance, some dog owners add fertilizer once in early spring and once in early fall instead of the four or five fertilization schedules keen gardeners typically follow.
Keep an eye out for foxtail weeds
Foxtail weeds aren’t everywhere, but they’re worth keeping an eye on should your lawn develop a small population of them. These harmful weeds have barbed seed heads that embed into your dog’s skin which can potentially lead to infections and a range of other health complications. Use weed killer to see them off or pull them up quickly.
