Find What You Are Looking For Here
FYI: If you make a purchase via a link on this site, I may receive a commission from various affiliate programs, and as an Amazon Associate and Chewy affiliate I also earn commissions from qualifying purchases—at NO extra cost to you. See the Disclosure page for more information. Thank you!
Guide To Australian Shepherd Training & Care

Does Your Lawn Need a Dog Urine Grass Saver? How to Save Your Lawn

By Anton Hout, author of The Guide to Aussie Training & Care

F inding a dog urine grass saver may not seem like such an urgent issue, but if you've ever looked out at your lawn and noticed a whole lot of dead, yellow spots scattered all over then you know how frustrating it can be.

Recommended Dog and Puppy Training Videos

Obviously, your dog needs to go outside to do his duty but at the same time you don't want his urine ruining your lawn or the lingering odor making it impossible for your family and friends to enjoy your outdoor living space.

So what's a dog owner to do? There's no reason why you and your pup can't share that outdoor space provided you take the proper steps to treat your lawn and other outdoor areas with outdoor urine odor eliminator and other products. There are even ways that you can treat your dog's water that can help to address the issue without harming the dog itself. The first step is understanding the cause of the problem so you can figure out the best way to address it.

Does Your Lawn Need a Dog Urine Grass Saver? How to Save Your Lawn - Photo: Woman laying on lawn with her Australian Shepherd.

teamjackson / stock.adobe.com

Why Does Dog Urine Kill Grass?

The reason that urine causes grass to turn brown or yellow has to do with chemistry. There are certain substances in the urine that have a negative effect on grass, preventing it from growing properly. In order to prevent or successfully treat your lawn with dog urine lawn neutralizer or other similar products, you need to appreciate the chemistry behind it.

Healthy soil requires a certain amount of nitrogen, but too high a concentration can cause grass to die. Dog urine is naturally high in nitrogen, so every time your dog pees he is adding to the existing level of nitrogen. That level may be even higher if you use a fertilizer on your lawn that contains nitrogen. The result is a deadly overdose of nitrogen which produces those ugly brown spots. Dog urine grass saver can help to restore the balance of nutrients in your soil allowing your lawn to remain healthy.

There are other compounds, including salt, that are found in dog urine which can cause trouble for the grass. Highly acidic or alkaline urine can alter the pH level of the soil, making it difficult for grass to grow properly. Dog urine lawn neutralizer can specifically address pH levels and help to create a healthy growing environment.

Nuvet Plus and Nuvet Hip & Joint Support

Can an Outdoor Urine Odor Eliminator Help With the Smell?

Simple Solution Yard Odor Away
Simple Solution Yard Odor Away
Hose Spray Concentrate | Pet Odor Eliminator for Outdoors

Another unpleasant effect from dog urine is the lingering odor. Even outdoors where wind and rain can disperse odors more easily, it can still be possible to have strong ammonia-like odor in areas that your dog uses frequently. Unless you have a very large property and can confine your dog to one specific part of it that can make for an uncomfortable effect when you and your family and friends want to enjoy your deck, pool, or lawn.

To specifically address the problem of lingering odor, you can use an outdoor urine odor eliminator, like Simple Solution Yard Odor Away. These are products that can be sprayed on a number of surfaces from grass to stone pavers to wood decks without staining. They contain bacterial enzymes that attack the odor causing bacteria found in urine while remaining safe for your pets and your human family members.

Rinsing off the area your dog uses immediately after he pees can help to discourage odor and switching to a low-nitrogen lawn fertilizer can help to avoid an unhealthy buildup of nitrogen that kills grass. Another way to combat nitrogen is to increase your dog's water intake by adding moist food to his diet. The extra water should help to dilute the nitrogen level in his urine.

Does Your Lawn Need a Dog Urine Grass Saver? How to Save Your Lawn - Photo: Dead patch of grass caused by excessive nitrogen in dog urine.

iagodina / stock.adobe.com

Protect Your Lawn From Dog Urine by Containing the Problem

Revive Dog Spot Treatment
Revive Dog Spot Treatment
A cure for those ugly brown spots caused by pet urine burns!

Of course the aftereffects of dog urine are not limited to just one breed. Whether you've got an active Australian Shepherd or a couch potato Pug, the damage will be the same. Gender doesn't make much difference either. Female dogs may cause a little more damage as they tend to squat and urinate in one place while males lift their legs and mark standing objects rather than urinating directly onto the grass, but all dogs have a similar chemical makeup to their urine.

Fortunately, there are some simple steps you can take to help control the problem. First and foremost is to designate one section of your lawn for your dog's use and train him to go only there. You can camouflage it with low shrubs or plants to make it less visible. If it's not possible to block it off, you can plant a urine-resistant ground cover like clover that will retain its good looks. You might also want to use plant free landscaping like mulch or paw friendly stones that won't show the effects of urine.

A Dog Urine Lawn Neutralizer Can Help Recondition the Soil

If you can't designate a potty area, then you'll want to look into dog urine grass saver, dog urine lawn neutralizer and other products, like Scotts EZ Seed Dog Spot Repair, that are specifically formulated to treat damaged lawns. Products like these are designed to neutralize salt, nitrogen and other chemicals and may also include other ingredients to promote the growth of healthy grass.

Dog Rocks Dog Pee Grass Neutralizer
Dog Rocks Dog Pee Grass Neutralizer for Green Grass in 3-5 Weeks
Prevent Grass Burn Spots by Urine - Save Your Lawn from Yellow Marks

Rather than using a dog urine grass saver on their lawn, some people choose to address the problem at its source by feeding their dog supplements designed to lower the pH level of urine. However, these supplements can have serious health complications so I'm not comfortable recommending them.

A safer alternative are products, like Dog Rocks, that can be added to the dog's water to filter out impurities that can negatively affect grass without any dangerous side effects for your dog.

There's no reason why your dog's bathroom needs should prevent you from enjoying your lawn. With some simple, safe and chemically sound options like dog urine grass saver, you can continue to have the lush, green lawn you want with no more ugly yellow stains.

Use Pinterest? Save This Pin!
Finding a dog urine grass saver may not seem like an urgent issue, but if have a lot of dead, yellow spots all over then you know how frustrating it can be. Find out what you can do to save your lawn. #australianshepherd #urinespots #dogurine #lawncare #aussielovers

Australian-Shepherd-Lovers.com icon

Guide To Australian Shepherd Training & Care

Have Dog Training Questions?

Check out these introductory dog training videos...

I want my dog to stop being aggressive.

I want some help training my new puppy.

I want my dog to stop barking at everything.

I want my dog to walk nicely and calmly on the leash.

I want my dog to listen and come every time I call!

Australian-Shepherd-Lovers.com icon
Newsletter for Aussie Lovers!

Get Australian Shepherd Info, Website Updates, Special Offers, and Cartoons...

FREE GIFT
You'll also receive a free copy of the ebook
My Everyday Dog Training Tools
by professional dog trainer Daniel Abdelnoor, "Doggy Dan"