You’ve finally got your dog housetrained, and they’re pooping outside. Congratulations. It’s a real feeling of success. All your weeks of hard work have finally paid off, and your furry friend regularly does its business outside instead of inside.
But now you have noticed weird brown patches all over your lawn. The bad news is that, unfortunately, dog poop does kill your grass. Unlike horse and cow poop, dog poop is not a good fertilizer for your lawn.
Why Does Dog Poop Kill Grass
The reason that dog poop kills grass is that it’s naturally high in nitrates, just like dog pee. Even though lawn fertilizer contains nitrates, like most things in life, too much of a good thing is bad for you, and your lawn is no different. Concentrated nitrates in one spot will scorch your lawn, especially if your pup has a favorite area they like to visit!
A dog’s diet is meat-based and high in protein, whereas cows’ and horses’ diets are plant-based, making their poop suitable for gardens. Too many nitrates, especially undiluted nitrate, will scorch your lawn. Left untreated, it will kill the area of grass.,
How Can I Stop The Dog Poop Killing My Grass
There are ways to help reduce the chances of your lawn going from a beautiful green sea to a hodge-podge of brown patches.
- Section off an area of your garden and train your dog to do their business there.
- Take your dog out for a walk first thing, then regularly throughout the day.
- Pick up the poop as soon as it’s been done, or at least weekly.
- Keep your grass a little longer to help it recover quicker.
- Water the area after you have picked up the poop; this will help dilute any nitrates that have been released into the grass.
Ways To Save Your Lawn From Dog Poo
You can save your lawn in several ways, and they don’t all have to cost a fortune.
- Reseed your lawn using a hard-wearing mix seed, such as perennial ryegrass.
- Let your grass grow slightly longer than you usually would, and this will lessen the damage.
- Consider buying a Pee Post to encourage your dog to toilet in one area; many options are available on Amazon.
- When you see your pup pooping, pick up the poop as soon as possible, then water it down using a hose or watering can.
- Laying down some bark, mulch, or gravel in an area for your dog to toilet.
If you don’t like picking up the poop, you can buy pooper scoopers to help make it less unpleasant. There are lots of different options available online and in pet stores.
Why You Should Pick Up Your Dog’s Poop
Not only does a lawn full of poop look and smell unpleasant, but you are putting yourself and others at risk of diseases and parasites. CDC says dog poop can cause various illnesses, from skin diseases to severe infections. Especially for young children, pregnant women, and the immune-compromised.
Dog poop left in the grass kills the grass and can contaminate water sources. Therefore, dog poop should be bagged and disposed of responsibly, whether in your garden or out and about in fields and woods.
If you go over dog poop with the lawnmower, it will splatter all over the garden, possibly landing on you. Also, scattered poop raises the risk of stepping on poop and tracking it into your home – yuck!
Last Word on Dog Poop Killing Your Grass
Bagging and binning your dog’s poop is a great habit. It keeps your environment clean and pleasant. Plus, it will help to keep your lawn healthy. But, even if you don’t like doing it, there are a variety of pooper scoopers out there to make it easier for you.
Nothing is more irritating than being on a lovely relaxing walk and stepping into something stinky and unpleasant! So please, bag and bin that poop!
I hope that you found this article helpful.
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