Preventing Scorched Grass, the Art of Having Both Healthy Dogs and Healthy Yards

Yes, we can have healthy yards without scorched spots even when dogs urinate and defecate on the grass. Use the recommendations from the Turf Resource Center and the American Board of Veterinary Toxicology to keep yards healthy and dogs happy.

 

Nitrogen Is the Problem

Urine and feces burn grass because waste contains a high concentration of nitrogen. How much nitrogen and how fast it is released from canine waste determine whether the grass will scorch. Urine releases nitrogen quickly while feces release nitrogen slowly, so urine is more likely to scorch grass than is feces. The concentration of the urine, and not the amount of urine, is the most important cause of those unsightly scorched yellow spots in the yard.

 

Grass-Saving Supplements Are Not Recommended

Giving supplements that alter dogs’ urine is not the way to a beautiful yard; in fact, some of these supplements harm dogs. The American Board of Veterinary Toxicology recommends against giving grass-saving supplements for two reasons: they don’t work, and they predisposes dogs to develop calcium oxalate bladder stones. The component of grass-saving supplements that leads to the development of bladder stones is methionine.

Dog breeds most at risk for developing stones from methionine are the

• Shih Tzu,
• Miniature Schnauzer,
• Bichon Frisé,
• Lhasa Apso, and
• Yorkshire Terrier.

Dogs with these bloodlines should not be fed supplements marketed to “save the grass.”

 

Water--for the Grass and the Pet

The solution to avoiding scorched grass is water. the Turf Resource Center has shown that watering the soiled area within 8 hours markedly reduces scorching; don’t delay because watering once a day, even first thing in the morning, does not prevent urine scorching.

Also, water the dog to keep it hydrated. The dog will be healthy and the urine will not be so concentred that it burns the grass.

 

Food--the Role of Easily Digested Proteins

Another step that helps prevent grass scorching is watching what we feed our dogs. Proteins in the food are converted to nitrogen, and the nitrogen is flushed out through the urine. When dogs are fed proteins they can’t digest and thus can`t absorb, the protein winds up as nitrogenous waste. It`s the kidneys` job to clean nitrogenous waste from the boy an`d it does this by fluhing the nitrogen out with the urine. Indigestible or poorly digestible proteins wind up in the urine. In contrast, when dogs are fed easily digested protein, the protein is absorbed from the gut and does not wind up in the urine. Proteins that are easy to digest include fresh beef, fish, and eggs. Proteins that are difficult for dogs to digest include corn, soy, wheat flour, gluten. Foods that are raw or fresh are always easier for dogs to digest than are foods that are cooked or dehydrated. Kibble and dehydrated dog diets are baked, and baking makes proteins more difficult to digest—more nitrogen winds up in the urine. Thus, dogs consuming commercial dog kibble or dehydrated diets are more likely to produce urine that turns grass yellow than are dogs that eat a raw diet.

 

Grass--Fescue and Perennial Ryegrass are Best

After looking out for how we feed and water our dogs, and how we water the yard, we can take one more action to prevent scorched yellow spots—plant grass that is resistant to urine. The two grass species most resistant to urine scorching are fescue and perennial ryegrass. For fescue and ryegrass, dog urine actually works as a good fertilizer when the urine is dilute. In contrast to fescue and rye, Kentucky bluegrass and Bermuda grass are particularly sensitive to urine. In yards planted with bluegrass or Bermuda grass, we can design dog elimination areas with pea gravel, rocks and a decorative hydrant, training our pets to eliminate where waste won’t cause scorching.

 

It’s work to keep the yard looking nice, but it’s worth it. The species of grass we plant, when we water the yard, and how we feed and water our dogs make all the difference.

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