Yellow Grass

[Dave_B]

I want to know what you fellow dog owners use to get rid of the yellow grass spots in your lawns caused from our furry friends doing their thing. I've tried a couple differet kind of sprays but, at $12.00 per bottle, have been very unsatisfied at the results.

Any suggestions?

I have a nice yard and want to keep it that way but, as a new dog owner, do not know what other options exist. Please help!

Dave

[peter]

Have not tried it yet but just the other day I heard vitimin c "I think vitimin c" tablet for the dog helps with this problem.

[mspease]

I'm having the same issue with our female dog and it's driving me nuts! I've heard female dogs are the ones that kill the grass, but not sure if that's true or not. I'm hoping to hear some good ideas that work!

[Administrator]

The female dog has more nitrogen in their urine than the male. This is what turns the grass brown, especially for those that already fertilize. The only real way to combat this is to water down the area where the female peed, to dilute the excess nitrogen.

-John

[Team Elkhorn]

You learn something everyday. I always thought it was because male dogs always lift their legs to mark stuff and miss the grass.
x2, try to keep it watered.

[yamaholic]

That's what the neighbors yard is for.lol

[rocketman356]

Put beer in thier water bowl

[junior1]

you can buy Gypsum? i think that is how its spelled. its a granular that you can put on your whole yard. it is supposed to help offset the dog spots. i used to do it on my yard then a few springs ago i just gave up knowing the dogs pretty old and ill just fix it once hes gone.

[gary_in_neenah]

What John said...X3

Regarding the Gypsum, I've been adding 80 lbs. of lime to our lawn each autumn. It helps off-set the Dog Pee (higher acidity) and it's good for the soil. 80 lbs. of Barn Lime will cost about 5 to 6 dollars at a Fleet Farm or a similiar outlet and you can apply it with your fertilizer spreader. We don't have many issues with the brown spots anymore.

[mspease]

The female dog has more nitrogen in their urine than the male. This is what turns the grass brown, especially for those that already fertilize. The only real way to combat this is to water down the area where the female peed, to dilute the excess nitrogen.

-John

I had read that online to dilute the area with water, and it does seem to help. The only problem is I don't always see where she goes!

I have lime and gypsum and will give that a try. I had used it in the past to offset the pine needles effect on the lawn.

[polarisrider1]

Spay or netuer dog. Worked for my lawn. Urine is less strong????? Anyways it works.

[Dave_B]

She is already an "it" so that hasn't helped. I have started soaking the yellow spots with tons of water but, like mentioned earlier, I don't follow her around with the hose so the grass is already yellow by the time I know where she did her thing. Is it too late at that point?

I will check into the Gypsum/Lime options but will need more advice on how, when and how much to apply.

The wife killed the beer idea faster than I could drink one and the neighbors yard, while the optimal solution, won't work as she is on a wireless fence containment system.

Thanks for all the suggestions!

Dave

[Bradzoo]

Dave try to get the lime in pellets if you buy the powdered lime its like trying to spread flour, if you get the pellets water real good afer spreading or put it on before a rain storm

[gary_in_neenah]

The Lime/Gypsum is a long term solution. It leaches into the soil over time and lowers the PH. I spread mine in the Fall so the snowmelt in the spring soaks it in but a hose would work too at any time of the year.
Just a dusting is all you need for application amounts, I spread two 40lbs bags annually on our lot. I try to hit the garden plot too as I have some pine needles in that area and this keeps the PH right down the middle for the vegetables.

I've been using this method for about 10 years now, we have the same female dog, each year the brown spots have diminished and I don't have any brown spots at all this year.

[anonomoose]

Dave, dave, dave....what are we gunna do with you???


Those brown spots are marks of distinction....poor girl is only makin the boundaries clear so she won't get the begezzus zapped out of her. Also you might want to give her more water....if SHE is diluted so will the acidity level she is squart'n out.

Now if this REALLY REALLY bothers you.....head on down to Minards on Super Sunday....and buy a whole case of green paint. Then when a brown spot shows up....get down there and mask off the whole are as to not over flow onto the real green stuff....and you will note that the brown stuff is now dead, and will accept green paint pretty well. Depending upon the quality of your paint, yah might have to hit the spot twice. Make really sure that she doesn't track thru that spot for at least an hour tho.....or she will put green paw prints down over the kitchen floor....and by golly....what would yah rather have...green paw prints or brown spots in the yard?????

[Dave_B]

Oh, Moose! You crazy Troll!

Yes, her "territory", is determined by the radius I set on her invisible fence. She freely pee's and deficates within that boundary and, by now, knows it's her space!

I agree that some more water may help but, the paint thing, not an option.

She actually does a good job peeing in the same general vicinity, but I would still like to combat the brown spots with a long term solution method and one much more practical than paint!

[polarisrider1]

Dave, you got a sandbox for the kids? May as well teach the dog to use it. We all know the neighborhood cats do. Besides sandboxes are over rated with all the mind warping childrens programing on TV for thee little ones to watch.

[Dave_B]

Yes, and you should quit watching them. It may help your spelling ability.

Besides, who can resist a good dose of Phineas and Ferb...Quality stuff!

[polarisrider1]

Yes, and you should quit watching them. It may help your spelling ability.

Besides, who can resist a good dose of Phineas and Ferb...Quality stuff!

When my kids were young it was teenage mutant ninjas to Sponge Bob era. Still think a doggie sand box will work.

[LoveMyDobe]

I want to know what you fellow dog owners use to get rid of the yellow grass spots in your lawns caused from our furry friends doing their thing. I've tried a couple differet kind of sprays but, at $12.00 per bottle, have been very unsatisfied at the results.

Any suggestions?

I have a nice yard and want to keep it that way but, as a new dog owner, do not know what other options exist. Please help!

Dave

It is all another thing of owning a dog! Your yard will never be the same. Get over it! Unless you want the "Home & Garden" show yard, you should not have a dog.My past Reba girl was on Proin for female issues and she burnt the grass where she piddled. But this drug kept her from uncontrolled peing in her sleep.. Now I have my Skye girl, amazing, her first potty in the am she does it in the driveway! We love our fur kids, guess we just do what we gotta do. By the way, I have caught my Hubby waking up and trying to pee in the closet after a night out. How do I cure that?!!! Shock collar?

[skiroule]

By the way, I have caught my Hubby waking up and trying to pee in the closet after a night out. How do I cure that?!!! Shock collar?

Funny, funny, funny... Does gypsum work on flooring?

[anonomoose]

It is all another thing of owning a dog! Your yard will never be the same. Get over it! Unless you want the "Home & Garden" show yard, you should not have a dog.My past Reba girl was on Proin for female issues and she burnt the grass where she piddled. But this drug kept her from uncontrolled peing in her sleep.. Now I have my Skye girl, amazing, her first potty in the am she does it in the driveway! We love our fur kids, guess we just do what we gotta do. By the way, I have caught my Hubby waking up and trying to pee in the closet after a night out. How do I cure that?!!! Shock collar?

Hummm....I got that problem myself after a night out with the boys....but my wife jist points to that box of diapers with sailors and kites on them and sezz..."suit up" buster! I'm gett'n so I like them.

By the way, I have caught my Hubby waking up and trying to pee in the closet after a night out. How do I cure that?!!! Shock collar?

Shock collar would work....but your probably only gunna get one chance at that bad boy...so roll that juicer up there into the red zone....nothin like a few super amps to make him reverse motions and zoom around the house trying to hold on.... for dear life that is....but I would also recommend one of those home defibs...they sell, jist encase he does the belly flopper on yah....wouldn't want to lose the old guy; course if the life insurance is paid up.....sure makes one think abit eh?

[Dave_B]

It is all another thing of owning a dog! Your yard will never be the same. Get over it! Unless you want the "Home & Garden" show yard, you should not have a dog.My past Reba girl was on Proin for female issues and she burnt the grass where she piddled. But this drug kept her from uncontrolled peing in her sleep.. Now I have my Skye girl, amazing, her first potty in the am she does it in the driveway! We love our fur kids, guess we just do what we gotta do. By the way, I have caught my Hubby waking up and trying to pee in the closet after a night out. How do I cure that?!!! Shock collar?

I'm not trying for a Home and Garden Lawn and this is not an issue I lose sleep over! I just know that there are ways to control the issue and alot of dog owners on this site who could offer some advice which they have. Suggesting that I should not have a dog wasn't the kind of solution I was looking for!

I'm not really sure what your intent for the post was but, the OMG, Get over it and apparent jab at the shock collar gives the whole post a negative overtone which rubbed me the wrong way.

If I misinterpreted your intent, I'm sorry.

Dave

[skiroule]

Dave_B,

Since you've reminded us to re-focus, I'll relate our experience. We have had two to four dogs since I can remember (we currently have three). Except for the most recent addition, all have been female. Needless to say, our yard is subjected to a substantial contribution of liquids and solids from the group.

I AM fanatical about our yard but with the overwhelming odds of the opposition, I've had to make some adjustments. Because they favor a particular area of the yard all winter, there is a concentration of damage in the spring (for some reason, this area varies from year to year). Much of the damage recovers by the time the rest of the yard starts to look good but I've resigned myself to resodding/reseeding some of the most severely damaged sections and then it's good for the summer.

We do get a rare spot during the summer but these are almost always avoided by regular watering (and I mean regular). I installed a sprinkler system to augment the natural rainfall and it helps a lot. If it's hot and the yard gets dry, it seems to contribute to an increase in brown spots.

The gypsum/lime sounds like a good idea but my experience has been that watering will reduce the effect considerably.

[polarisrider1]

Dave, lets get realistic here. You don't get to pee anywhere you want at home, so why should the dog get to. Make an area in back yard were the dog can go. Be it on concrete, sand or "Pee" (pea) gravel. teach her to go there, problem solved and you can walk barefoot in your yard again. Dogs tend to us the same area once you get them used to it. I am not into the shock collar use on pets but that was not the question.