Bo to Jessie: “Urine” trouble!

  Posted on April 20, 2010  by Joy of Living  No comments

Bo, the most intelligent cat around: This is the time of year when many homeowners work dutifully to keep their lawns looking beautiful.  This is also the time of year when perhaps many of those homeowners with dogs wish they had a way to potty train their canine buddies like the more intellectually advaned pets – cats!   Have you ever seen a yard where there are brown or dull spots dotted across it?  This is the result of dog urine.  High in nitrogen, when concentrated in a small area, dog urine leaves its mark.  It is similar to fertilizer burn.  How can a homeowner/pet owner prevent these unsightly blemishes on their otherwise pristine lawns?

Naturally, I might suggest getting rid of the dog, but, alas, that would not be a very wise thing for me to say in such a public forum.  So, unless you can train that dog to use a litter box like the more advanced species – cats! – then perhaps I can give a tip or two here for you to try.

If you have the time and the patience to remember this tip, a good way to keep dog urine from making the grass turn brown in certain areas is to simply dilute the area with water each time your dog relieves himself.  This will reduce the concentration of nitrogen.  You will have to pour three to four times as much water on the spot as your dog eliminated.  This will require you to remember to bring out a bucket of water each time you take your dog outside to go potty….even in the middle of the night!  Fun, right?

Or, if you can get your dog to simply drink more water, that will, in turn, dilute the nitrogen in his urine.  But, you cannot necessarily force a dog to drink more, and, if he does drink more, well…..guess who needs more potty breaks?

So, since getting rid of the family dog is not an option, and surfacing your entire lawn with asphalt would be hideous, and making your dog hold it all day until the sun falls and he can sneak over to the neighbor’s lawn to take care of business seems so wrong, then  try to train your dog to use a designated area of the yard that you create and fill with wood chips, sand, or gravel.  It may take a couple of weeks to get Fido used to his own personal “bathroom,” but once you do, you will have less work to do in keeping your yard looking great.

(Information for this post obtained at  http://www.camdenews.org/news/info.nsf/get+CCN+Article+All/Potting+Shed_Dog+and+Yard)