Yard Tips for Dog Owners

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Photo by kobkik -Getty Images

Puppy on a grass lawn

The despair was almost overwhelming. I stood in my back yard and stared up at the sky. “People who have puppies can't have nice things,” I said. “And people who have nice things can't have puppies. You've made your choice.”

When I'd moved into my house three years earlier, the back yard was a cool, green haven with hostas, peonies and a lush bank of ferns arrayed along the fence on one side and a bed of day lilies along the other. I made additions: hydrangeas, yarrow, and a small vegetable garden. I had ambitious plans for a pollinator bank.

But in the meantime, I’d added something else: A rambunctious 40-pound pup of uncertain heritage courtesy of the Humane Society. In a shockingly short time, a bare strip of dirt ran diagonally through the center of the yard and then spread outward. He dug up the hostas, flattened the ferns and made a healthy snack out of the tomatoes and peppers. That final moment of despair came when I discovered his love of digging extended to the root base of the evergreen hedges, the yarrow, and my living room carpet.

So, is it true that people with puppies can’t have nice yards? Not at all. But it does require planning and maintenance. And if you haven’t planned ahead, you can still recover your lawn’s beauty. That's the beauty of growing things—they almost always grow back.

Prevention

The best way to deal with damage is to prevent it from happening in the first place. There are alternatives to a grass lawn, like gravel, wood chips, pavers or artificial grass, but let's say you want to keep your natural greenery.

First, and simplest: Let your grass keep a bit of height. Taller grass means deeper roots, which means a more durable lawn. Adjust your mower accordingly and never mow the grass shorter than five inches.

If your dog loves to dig, try to figure out why. If it's just an isolated scrape to keep cool, it's not a huge problem. But if they just love to dig—and many do—you can’t eliminate the behavior, only redirect it. If you have a fenced yard, add a row of bricks or garden stones along the base. Protect vulnerable plants by fencing off flower beds and garden areas. Then, create preferred digging spots and train your dog to use them. Mulch beds are magic, because they’re easy to rake back into place and have no root systems to damage. You can also make a sandbox out of a kiddie pool or a raised garden bed. Make digging spots more attractive by burying toys or bones or treats. If your dog starts digging elsewhere, redirect them to the preferred spot, where they’ll always sniff out something worth finding.

The most common way pets damage grass is with their waste. Preventing that damage isn't difficult but does require vigilance. The prime offender: the high nitrogen content in urine and feces. Nitrogen is an effective fertilizer in small doses—most fertilizers contain nitrogen—but when concentrated, it can alter the chemistry of the soil. With your dog helping, you don't need to add nitrogen, so look for a fertilizer with a lower nitrogen content and fertilize just once or twice a year. Watering the area where your dog pees dilutes the nitrogen and prevents ugly yellow burns. You can also lower pH levels at the source by keeping your dog hydrated (which you should do anyway). Some commercial pet food supplements promise to prevent grass damage by altering your dog’s chemistry but check with your vet before adding any supplements to your dog’s diet. Pick up poop immediately (or at least once a day) to ward off fungal diseases and parasites. Dogs often will find a favorite spot and seek out other areas if that spot is already soiled, so if you clear away waste immediately, you’re more likely to contain the waste to one area. If you’re working with a puppy, lead the pup to a specific potty spot during housetraining, then immediately clean up after them.

Repair

However, if you're like me, you didn’t do the prep work and are now stuck doing the work of yard repair. First, those grass burns. Check to see if the roots are intact by trying to pull up the yellowed grass. If it holds, it’s the urine causing the problem, not a root issue. Try sprinkling the spot with gypsum; if it doesn’t improve in a few days, add a handful of grass seed. Follow this routine throughout the summer, regularly reseeding new problem spots.

For widespread damage, like the dirt path that transformed my yard into a moonscape, more drastic measures are needed. Highly compacted areas (zoomies are fun to watch, but they wreak havoc on the soil) may need aeration. A landscape specialist can do this or, depending on your level of comfort, you can rent an aerator from a garden supply company.

Then, reseed dead or thinning areas. Look for a blend of grasses, as single-type lawns are less durable. Tough grasses like tall fescue, Kentucky bluegrass and ryegrasses are often sold in a mix with white clover, which is fast-growing, hardy and pollinator friendly. You can also opt for a thicker ground cover—sedge, creeping thyme, ivies, moss, or ornamental grasses—but make sure you choose varieties that aren't toxic to dogs. Reseeding takes time, as you must keep your dog off areas of new growth for up to three weeks. Work section by section, fencing off vulnerable areas until the seeds fully sprout. 

In the worst-case scenario, you may want to just throw up your hands and start over. If that's the case, call a landscaper for a consultation. But be clear that you’re looking for sustainable solutions, or you'll start the same cycle all over again—because that dog isn't going anywhere!