Why Does Dog Pee Burn the Grass?

My first rental house in college was surrounded by bright-green turf, which my dog’s pee promptly turned into a polka-dotted mess. On walks around the neighborhood, I started noticing my predicament was not unique. Circular brown spots were a common theme in many yards.

Back then, I had little free time or desire to figure out what to do about it. When I moved out, my diminished rental deposit reflected that decision. But it doesn’t have to be that way. You can have a dog and a healthy lawn.

“One tactic is to make sure your dog gets regular exercise and encourage them to explore different areas for bathroom breaks,” says Shaina Denny, co-founder and CEO at Dogdrop.

“Dogs, like us, can develop habits, especially if they’re less active. They might tend to favor specific spots out of convenience or familiarity, or they might decide to pee on another dog’s pee to claim their spot.”

Here’s the science behind what causes those dog-pee brown spots, plus tips from Denny and other experts for solving this pee-plexing problem.

About The Experts

• Dr. Tara Hansen, a veterinarian at Chewy, has been practicing veterinary medicine for more than 20 years. She’s passionate about client education, pain management and rehabilitative medicine. She received her degree from Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine.
• Shaina Denny is co-founder and CEO of Dogdrop, a venture-backed, female-founded dog care startup. An expert in canine care, she’s the proud owner of a mini dachshund named Poppy.
• Kathy Glassey is an International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) certified arborist, healthy soil advocate and plant care expert at Inspire Green. She previously worked at numerous landscaping companies, including Monster Tree service.
• Roger May, Ph.D., is director of technical operations at TruGreen, where he has worked for 14 years promoting healthy lawns. He holds a doctorate in plant breeding and genetics/horticulture from Michigan State University.

Why Does Dog Pee Kill Grass?

Because of the nitrogen content of urea.

“Nitrogen is part of the necessary nutrients that all plants need,” says Kathy Glassey, soil expert and senior consultant at Inspire Green. “However, too much concentrated in one area is problematic.”

Big dogs tend to pee higher volumes, so you may notice the effect more if you have a large pup. But otherwise, breed doesn’t play a role in killing grass, according to Dr. Tara Hansen, a veterinarian at Chewy.

“Nitrogen is a normal part of pee, but dogs that eat higher protein diets may produce more nitrogen,” she says. “Also, dogs who squat will leave a more focused area of pee on the grass than dogs who go in multiple areas or lift their legs, so female dogs and puppies may kill grass more commonly than male dogs.”

Glassey says nitrogen isn’t the only thing creating those burn spots.

“Urea in dog urine can be converted into ammonia, which raises the soil pH, creating a harsh, alkaline environment that’s bad for grass roots,” she says. “Also, when urine evaporates, it leaves behind concentrated salt deposits that disrupt the osmotic balance of the soil, making it harder for grass to take up water and nutrients.”

How Can I Stop Dog Urine From Killing My Grass?

While you can’t take the nitrogen out of your dog’s pee, you can lessen its effect on your yard by doing the following:

• Keep your dog hydrated, which will dilute their urine. Promptly water the grass your dog peed on to disburse the nitrogen and salts.
• Apply low-nitrogen, dog-friendly fertilizer.
• Keep grass longer and well-watered.
• Plant more urine-resistant grasses like fescue, rye and sedges, which are also great for drought-prone areas.
• Ditch grass altogether and rewild your yard with native plants.
• Create a designated pee spot in the yard with pebbles, wood chips, mulch or artificial turf.

“Then you can encourage your dog to use this designated spot by positively reinforcing their behavior with praise and rewards each time they do their business there,” says Denny. “This not only protects your grass but also establishes a consistent routine that aligns with your pet’s needs.”

Does Dog Urine Kill Grass Permanently?

It can, if the salt content from the urine draws enough water out of the soil and grass.

“If the grass is turning yellow, it may recover with some watering,” says Hansen. “But once the grass turns brown, it is permanently damaged and will require reseeding.”

Interestingly enough, around the dead patch you’ll usually also see a ring of fast-growing dark-green grass. “Essentially, the urine turns into fertilizer beyond the dead spot and causes the grass to grow,” says Roger May, Ph.D., director of technical operations at TruGreen.

How To Fix Brown Spots From Dog Urine

“Some naturally spread grass types will repair themselves over time,” says May. “The key to repairing those brown spots is keeping them watered.”

If you need a faster fix, May recommends removing the dead area and replacing it with a patch of grass from a different part of the lawn. Lawns with cool-season grasses can also be reseeded. Sometimes you can get away with just removing the dead grass to allow new grass to grow into that area.

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