Urine killing grass, want to landscape

[bayleighmom]

With 2 dogs, I am having a hard time keeping the grass growing where they use the bathroom. I have read on here about creating a "potty area". I was thinking about laying landscape fabric down and then pea gravel.

I have 2 questions. #1: How do you keep the gravel area from smelling? I would scoop every day and hose it down but should I add something else? Maybe sprinkle lime and water it in?

#2: They basically go in one area of the yard. If I "potty landscape" this area, how do I reinforce the fact that is where they go? Start out on a leash everytime?

I am just worried about the smell, especially in the summer heat!

 

[KonaKoffe]

Sprinkle granualer lime on the burned spots to help reverse the acidic burning of the urine. It also helps to spread gypsum on the lawn ahead of time.

Lime helps with the odor too.

A few times a year I lossen the dead grass on the burned areas then sprinkle lime and grass seed to repair the bad spots.

 

[abbey_eisma]

With us its not urine thats killing our grass but boxer burns! Our backyard is just dusty with a few sparse areas of grass. We would like to keep it grassy back there, but how do you replant your backyard and allow it proper time to grow? We were thinking about putting sand or gravel back there, but I dont think our house would resale very well in a few years. We need some good advice too!

 

[3dognight]

You can use apple cider vinegar to alter the pH of their urine. Here is a link with more info. http://www.earthclinic.com/Remedies/acvfordogs.html

I know you can use pH test strips (get at pharmacy) to check their level to see if in fact that is what is causing the grass to die. I think if their pH is too high it will kill the grass....but I'm not sure. I'm also not sure what the "normal" level should be (I'm sure your vet could tell you).

You may want to try that first before starting such a big project.

Abbey Eisma - I'm not sure how large your yard is, but we used the orange (I think it comes in green too if you aren't into unsitely orange ) "snow fence" and some wooden stakes to close off portions of our yard to plant seed, once an area had been mowed a couple of times we simply relocated the fencing to another area of the yard. Luckily our dogs didn't bother messing with the fence and the grass grew in nicely. Its relatively cheap and easy enough to roll up and store when you are done.

 

[abbey_eisma]

Our yard isnt real huge, its all fenced in and gives them plenty of room to do their business and a few boxer burns. We will have to try that once all of our snow melts. Thanks for the advice!!

 

[Koda]

potty area

We have been taking Koda to the same spot for potty everytime in the yard since we brought her home. Actually I bought a couple pieces of that foot high white picket fencing and formed an area near a tree for her to use. Like I said we took her there every time (on a leash) after she went we would go nuts in praise. If she goes anywhere else we would yell no!!no!! Go in your potty. Pick her up and place her there. If she still didn't get it we would cager here for short period of time. We got here on May 28th 2005, and it was long and tidious but somewhere in October-November she finally got it. She goes in her spot and we praise here everytime (without leash). And finally we havent had an accident in the house for about 3 weeks now. KNOCK ON WOOD. Hope this helps with the area training.

 

[Koda]

chips

I also forgot to tell you, we filled the area with cedear wood chips/nugguts, this helps with the smell and can be replaced as necessary.

 

[Lola's mum]

I read somewhere that adding tomato juice to your dogs food stops their urine killing the grass. Don't know how true it is though.

 

[Hberry23]

Good luck I ended up cedar chipping the back yard six inches and the girls love it.

 

[KonaKoffe]

I read somewhere that adding tomato juice to your dogs food stops their urine killing the grass. Don't know how true it is though.

Not sure about the tomato juice or the vinegar. Both are acidic and so is the urine. It is the acid that is killing the lawn. I would think you would want to get the PH to a more basic or "ideally" neutral level.