Aids HIV FAQ

burned-out lawns from dogs

Question:

Spot Training: there are products available. They are usually called something like "puppy housebreaking aids" and they work well, even on older dogs. (I’ve proved it.)       I also noticed that my old dog’s urine never caused spotting until I lived where the yard was fertilized regularly. This would tend to agree with a previous poster’s remark about too much nitrogen!

Response:

> Spot Training: there are products available. They are usually called > something like "puppy housebreaking aids" and they work well, even on > older dogs. (I’ve proved it.) >       I also noticed that my old dog’s urine never caused spotting until I > lived where the yard was fertilized regularly. This would tend to agree > with a previous poster’s remark about too much nitrogen!

This solves the mystery we’ve been pondering. Why are there burned out spots on our lawn, but not spots on the grass in the park, where there are hundreds of dogs! Looks like we’re about to save some money on our gardening bill! Betsy

Response:

> >       I also noticed that my old dog’s urine never caused spotting until I > lived where the yard was fertilized regularly. This would tend to agree > with a previous poster’s remark about too much nitrogen!

I’m not so sure this is right as we haven’t ever fertilized our lawn and our new puppy has no problem burning spots in it.  I think it has more to do with whether or not the dogs pee’s all in one spot (as puppies tend to) or spreads it around (as adult dogs are more likley to do) Just my $0.02 worth Martin

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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Do you know of any products that will reinforce behavior > training, such as something that will attract the dog to a > certain area?  I know that you can buy stuff to repel a dog, > but how about attract a dog? > Bill: Strange as it may sound, you may want to try a bit of dog urine in > the area. I don’t think it matters whether it’s from your dog or that of a > neighbor’s, but the scent should stimulate your dog to use that spot.Make > certain to praise him whenever he returns to the appropriate section of > your yard. > Susan

Dog urine does help.  I think there are a number of products that attempt to simulate it, but nothing beats the real thing.  You can always ask someone who is currently housebreaking their puppy for some used paper towels, dry them out, shred them up in the blender, then sprinkle in the area you want your dog to visit. -Alan Wallace

Response:

>>You can either have a dog or you can have a lawn.  If you’re really >persistent you can teach your dog to go in a designated spot, which will >soon stink to high heaven. >        Steve Barnard >Steve, >Do you know of any products that will reinforce behavior >training, such as something that will attract the dog to a >certain area?  I know that you can buy stuff to repel a dog, >but how about attract a dog? >Thanks, >Bill

There is a german product "Ipevet" for such purpose.Don’t know if it’s avaliable on american market. Drazen Ilic Take it easy.

Response:

>My precious 4 year old mutt is slowly burning my lawn out spot by spot. >He is almost exclusively on a dry food diet (Kibble Select).  I have tried >using yeast & Garlic tablets.  Any ideas for the dog or the lawn?

I heard on a local garden show on the radio that lime pellets will help with the urine spot problems.  The guy said to put lime down more often than you would in a yard without dogs.  We haven’t tried it yet.  

Response:

I was told by a friend that if you carry water mixed with baking soda with you (about 1 tablsespoon of baking soda to every 1 cup -8 ox of water) and pour it over the urine spots, the grass will come back and the burns will go away. You have to be consistent, though! — In a Court of Law, there are always 3 sides to the issue, The Plaintiff, The Defendant, and the Truth. It is my job to be the Advocate for the Truth.  Dixie La Pierre

Response:

> I heard on a local garden show on the radio that lime pellets will help with the > urine spot problems.  The guy said to put lime down more often than you would in > a yard without dogs.  We haven’t tried it yet.

Don’t waste your money on lime pellets. Just a big ol’ bag of lime. It’s very cheap and you can spread it by throwing handfuls of it at your lawn. Water also helps to dilute the nitrogen-rich urine. Nitrogen is fertilizer. Urine is TOO MUCH fertilizer. Do *not* add fertilizer to the areas where your dog urinates. You’ll just be adding to the problem. Check with the local nursery to find out what grass seeds work best in your area. It varies with weather and soil conditions. Usually a mixture of three or more different seeds is best. Honestly, you *can* have a dog and a green lawn but you have to work at it.

Response:

> And, contrary to another post, you can have both a dog and a yard.

As the person who posted that, I admit that I have a lawn and I have (3) dogs.  I don’t let them pee on the lawn.  I used to, until it turned into a dead, brown, stinking mess, and I had to resod the whole thing.         Steve Barnard

Response:

> Do you know of any products that will reinforce behavior > training, such as something that will attract the dog to a > certain area?  I know that you can buy stuff to repel a dog, > but how about attract a dog?

Bill: Strange as it may sound, you may want to try a bit of dog urine in the area. I don’t think it matters whether it’s from your dog or that of a neighbor’s, but the scent should stimulate your dog to use that spot.Make certain to praise him whenever he returns to the appropriate section of your yard. Susan

Response:

: My precious 4 year old mutt is slowly burning my lawn out spot by spot. : He is almost exclusively on a dry food diet (Kibble Select).  I have tried : using yeast & Garlic tablets.  Any ideas for the dog or the lawn? What’s a lawn?  –J.B.

Response:

>My precious 4 year old mutt is slowly burning my lawn out spot by spot. >He is almost exclusively on a dry food diet (Kibble Select).  I have tried >using yeast & Garlic tablets.  Any ideas for the dog or the lawn?

We have five dogs leaving their "signatures" all over the yard – doesn’t really bother us – less to mow! A friend who has a "show garden" (open to the public) follows her dogs around with fresh water and rinses the urine away after they have been. Too much like hard work with five…. We have read in numerous books that a small amount of white vinegar added to the drinking water alters the ph balance on the urine and stops the burning. Val

Response:

> Steve, > Do you know of any products that will reinforce behavior > training, such as something that will attract the dog to a > certain area?  I know that you can buy stuff to repel a dog, > but how about attract a dog? > Thanks, > Bill

No, I don’t.  Sorry.

Response:

> > My precious 4 year old mutt is slowly burning my lawn out spot by spot. > He is almost exclusively on a dry food diet (Kibble Select).  I have tried > using yeast & Garlic tablets.  Any ideas for the dog or the lawn?

I read often about adding a little baking soda to the drinking water and have been doing that this summer — just wet my finger as I fill the bowl, dip the finger in soda, swirl it in the water.  Few brown spots so far and I have 3 dogs.  There are neighbor dogs who visit late at night, the yard is not fenced, so they could account for the few brown spots. I also have a fenced area, about 5 or 6′ x 25′ (or whatever the length of the garage is) ground covered with shredded mulch, where they are supposed to go.  We’ve been lazy this year and I haven’t got the mulch replaced yet.  It worked last year.  Important things:  pick up the poop immediately (yeah, right) and wash the area down very thoroughly with a garden hose once a week or so.  Keep strange dogs out, especially of the same sex. How do you get them to use it?  WITH A LEASH.  Don’t give them the chance to make the decision for themselves.  Go out on leash and they stay there till they go. For now, because the yard’s a disaster anyway, I’m thinking I’ll let them keep going in the yard this summer to see if the soda really makes a difference.  Also, I’m more likely to pick up after them everytime in the yard than in the dog potty.

Response:

>My precious 4 year old mutt is slowly burning my lawn out spot by spot. >He is almost exclusively on a dry food diet (Kibble Select).  I have tried >using yeast & Garlic tablets.  Any ideas for the dog or the lawn?

As you might imagine, the problem is due to the pH of the dog’s urine and the concentration of salts. I have had two customers with two different solutions. One has put her dog on Methio-Form tablets to help neutralize the dog urine. Ask your vet about them. Another has been giving her dog 250mg of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) each day. This tends to alter the pH of the urine and do away with the problem. Again, before doing either of these, I would check with my vet just in case there may be any other conditions your dog has that would bar you from using these items. And, contrary to another post, you can have both a dog and a yard. Jim Harger PetWatchers, Inc. Your Pet’s Second Best Friend

Response:

> My precious 4 year old mutt is slowly burning my lawn out spot by spot. > He is almost exclusively on a dry food diet (Kibble Select).  I have tried > using yeast & Garlic tablets.  Any ideas for the dog or the lawn?

I have heard to use dried lime on the lawn spots to counteract the acidity. You might try to consult your local hardware store on how to bring the general acidity of your lawn down so that the dog pee doesn’t burn it. Also, the other suggestion about having the dog pee in one area isn’t a bad one, but I would recommend that you consider a fenced area with rock or something that drains/cleans and can be picked up easier.                     Catherine A Chen, RCDD                      Network Systems, ANS

Response:

>You can either have a dog or you can have a lawn.  If you’re really >persistent you can teach your dog to go in a designated spot, which will >soon stink to high heaven. >    Steve Barnard

Steve, Do you know of any products that will reinforce behavior training, such as something that will attract the dog to a certain area?  I know that you can buy stuff to repel a dog, but how about attract a dog? Thanks, Bill

Response:

My precious 4 year old mutt is slowly burning my lawn out spot by spot. > He is almost exclusively on a dry food diet (Kibble Select).  I have tried > using yeast & Garlic tablets.  Any ideas for the dog or the lawn?

You can either have a dog or you can have a lawn.  If you’re really persistent you can teach your dog to go in a designated spot, which will soon stink to high heaven.         Steve Barnard

Response:

I seem to have that same problem.  Have you had any solutions or suggestions yet? Thank you, Michael –

Response:

>My precious 4 year old mutt is slowly burning my lawn out spot by spot. >He is almost exclusively on a dry food diet (Kibble Select).  I have tried >using yeast & Garlic tablets.  Any ideas for the dog or the lawn?

Yes, don’t let her pee on it.  Diet doesn’t have anything to do with. There is acid in urine, acid burns.

Response:

My precious 4 year old mutt is slowly burning my lawn out spot by spot. He is almost exclusively on a dry food diet (Kibble Select).  I have tried using yeast & Garlic tablets.  Any ideas for the dog or the lawn?

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