This dog's dedicated sandbox fulfills his desire to dig. Submitted photo

Anyone who owns a dog is familiar with the damage they can inflict on lawns. They dig holes, wear paths and burn the grass. Here are recommendations for maintaining a lawn that is used by your beloved and adored dog.

Dog urine is one of the most common causes of lawn damage, often leaving circles of brown spots in the grass. Urine contains high concentrations of nitrogen. While nitrogen is a required nutrient for grasses to grow, too much nitrogen will “burn” grass. Understandably, a high concentration of nitrogen in a lawn where a dog has urinated can turn areas of grass brown.

Simply keeping your lawn well-watered with 1 inch of water per week in the areas your dog accesses will go a long way to control urine damage. If the concentration of nitrogen and other dissolved molecules in the urine is less than that inside the roots of the grass, then water will flow into the roots and the grass will benefit from an influx of water as well the nitrogen in the urine. Some people even follow their dog around with a watering can and immediately dilute the urine.

A female dog can do more damage urinating on a lawn than a male dog. The urine itself is not much different, but female dogs tend to squat in one spot and empty their bladders all at once. Male dogs will more often lift a leg and urinate on several spots to mark territory. Again, it comes down to the concentration of nitrogen. The same reasoning applies to the size of the dog and the volume of urine the dog can produce.

Beyond keeping your lawn well-watered, maintaining an overall healthy lawn is the best way to make it most resistant to damage from dogs. Start with a soil test to determine if soil amendments are necessary, such as fertilizer or pH adjustment using lime.

Dog owners are often uncomfortable using chemical additives on their lawns for fear they will harm their dog. Using organic fertilizers and applying either before a rainy period or just before you and your dog are away from home for a day or two will allow the amendments to dissolve into the soil and limit exposure to your dog.

Another common problem is that repeated dog activity in the same area will compact the ground. A good soil aeration will both improve the soil structure as well as ensure that amendments and water are easily available to the root system. Occasionally adding a thin layer of compost will also improve the soil structure and allow grass to absorb more water.

Some varieties of grass are better able to withstand damage from dogs. If you plan to overseed your dog lawn or if you are going to patch damaged areas, choose a grass seed mix that is labeled for high use and drought resistance. Examples include tall fescue (Festuca spp.), perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) and Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis). These mixes are more resistant to dog urine damage. Kentucky bluegrass spreads by underground rhizomes, so it can fill in spots without having to reseed.

Brown areas on this lawn are caused by dog urine. Submitted photo

Of course, a viable alternative to putting so much time and energy into maintaining grass in a dog area is to replace at least some of the grass with a dog-friendly landscaping material such as mulch, gravel, leaf litter or even artificial turf. The trick is convincing your dog to use the designated area.

If your dog has worn a path from pacing or circling your property it is probably best if you avoid growing grass in that area. Create a designated walkway where they have worn a path by laying down mulch, pavers or gravel.

Dogs that are hole diggers will always be hole diggers. Give them somewhere to dig by installing a sandbox and filling it with sand. Keeping the sand wet on hot days will encourage the dog to look there for a cool place to dig a hole in which to lie.

With a little effort, dogs and green lawns can coexist in the same home. If you have questions about lawn management, call the Penn State Extension Master Gardeners of Butler County Garden Hotline at 724-287-4761, ext. 7, or email the Master Gardeners at butlermg@psu.edu.

Carol Chmielewski is a Penn State Extension Butler County Master Gardener.

Carol Chmielewski