Once all traces of urine have been eliminated from your plants, consider enclosing the garden area with a fence of some sort to keep your dog and neighborhood dogs away. Taking your dog out to pee on a leash gives you control. If you suspect your evergreen isn't getting enough nutrients, spread a tablespoon of balanced fertilizer on top of the soil around your tree. This is one dog of average size. The only thing is that you may notice several of your plants are starting to die. Preventing Urine Smells in the Yard If you’d rather avoid than treat urine odors in your backyard, there are some options out there. So that would be 1.359 mL of nitrogen, per square foot, annually applied to meet the recommended guidelines for fertilizing trees. So if you live on a corner lot and there is a tree that the community dogs like to pee on, it could be getting substantial amounts of nitrogen. Trees, in general, prefer a fertilizer that would be more along the lines of 12-30% nitrogen and 3-12% for both phosphorous and potassium. The result is the DawgTree Pee Guard, which is a circle of plastic rods attached by flexible cord at the top and bottom. Its always a good idea to have a few water dishes around. What is it in dog urine that hurts trees? ). The top is secured around the tree by the top cord, which can expand as the trunk grows. Apply baking soda to neutralize the acid. They are loyal, affectionate companions and they like to pee on things that stick out of the ground like fire hydrants and trees. Ask your vet for a clean 6 or 12mL syringe (no needle necessary) and place the syringe tip firmly into the urinated on area of the pee pad and pull back on … Also, make sure that you are providing enough water for your dog. Rather than give up on one or the other, this creative West Virginia college instructor of criminal justice tinkered with sticks and bungee cords to come up with a new tree protector and a new DawgTree company (motto: "Keep the Pee Off the Tree."). This is not only good for your dog keeping them hydrated, but helps to dilute the level of urea in their urine. But will this kill the tree? And if you have a cat, you can testify to this. Dog urine on grass is a common problem for dog owners. Let’s take a deeper look into the science of urine chemistry to find out. They are like little sterile cups (affiliate link)and are just the right size. PetiGreen is a safe, natural, holistically approach to address dog urine damage to your lawn that works to improve the ability of the soil to metabolize the urine and over time help prevent the formation of dead spots in your lawn. Add in a concentrated amount of urine from a dog and the consequences could be disastrous. Your email address will not be published. Spray With Water. So maybe you’ve got a lot of neighbors who have dogs that love your trees. Everywhere. Most of my problem was with spots in the lawn burning. He recommends a layer of mulch under the product to absorb the nitrogen and salts and to either soak the area occasionally in droughts or replace the mulch if dogs still find the area irresistible. © 2020 Advance Local Media LLC. The dome-shaped, fence-like gadget sells for $29.99 (plus shipping and handling) through Stewart's DawgTree website. Then, you’ll be able to start spraying the areas you want your dog … If you have a dog, then you know they like to make their mark. A sapling the size of your thumb, most defiantly yes and it will be killed fairly fast, assuming that the animal urinates there over and over. Donna Many dog owners think this is the easiest way to save their grass from their dog. Those wounds are most prone to happen at the base of a tree up to about 2 feet on the trunk (i.e. Frequent Watering – Watering your lawn and/or trees will help to dilute nitrogen (there’s that urine chemistry talk … “A [bigger] concentration of people in a smaller area means more dogs per tree,” he says. Stewart first realized this little-known dog side effect when a tree that shades his dining room - and that was a favorite peeing spot - started failing. Those yellow spots on the grass, those are from nitrogen burn. PetiGreen is a safe, natural, holistically approach to address dog urine damage to your lawn that works to improve the ability of the soil to metabolize the urine and over time help prevent the formation of dead spots in your lawn. Keeping dogs from eliminating on the furniture and in the flower beds is typically difficult, but that’s why you need to find the right combination of ingredients to put in a clean spray bottle. Urine Chemistry 101:  What is it in Dog Pee that hurts trees? Perhaps between not being able to smell the pee and the hot sauce up his nose, it will stop him from using this area. Don't place the fertilizer under the soil or … And if you have trees around, you know that those pooches like to moisten their bases. Once your dog lifts his leg, place the container in the urine stream and get your sample. To check your lawn’s health and help determine the cause, gently pull on the discolored turf to see if the roots are firm. Dog urine can cause yellow spots to form in your lawn and quickly kill the grass. Salt can kill trees and also flooding and compacting the roots also kills trees. (Answer will depend on what we find out in question 2. Learn how your comment data is processed. Too much nitrogen will burn the grass and create yellow patches.”. Take your dog to this same spot each time. I realize if he or she is an outdoor dog it is hard to do this training. This brown patch on the sidewalk side of a boxwood is very likely the work of a passing dog. In order to determine if the dead grass spot (s) are caused by an animal’s urine, you’ll need to grasp the dead grass firmly. Note to readers: if you purchase something through one of our affiliate links we may earn a commission. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your California Privacy Rights (each updated 1/1/20). Believe it or not, dog urine is not as damaging as many people believe it is. The biggest job you’ll have on your hands is to neutralize dog urine on artificial grass – or, more specifically, the odors that come with urine. (George Weigel) Q: My … But how much will hurt them if they like nitrogen? The Pee Guard fits trees up to 51/2 inches in diameter. The immediate reward will teach your dog to associate urinating in a certain spot with something good. Why does dog urine burn into grass? (George Weigel) Q: My … You can also form a circle around the bushes or … We use affiliate links throughout the site. There are two things in life that dogs make sure we all know. Brown spots in the lawn are a common, well known and obvious result of dog urination, but damage to trees is more obscure and often overlooked. Then give it a sharp … It depends mostly on the size and age of the tree. Homemade Dog Urine Repellent: Cayenne Spray Solution. Well don’t fret, there are a few things you can do to help out your trees and grass. Disposable “potty patches” made with real or artificial grass can save your lawn from becoming a rest stop for your dogs. Having your dog go on this area will save the rest of your lawn from damage due to urine. His DawgTree Pee Guard has debuted online to protect trees from dog-pee dousing without harming the tree. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Did you find this article interesting? Teach your dog where to urinate in the yard. Adding extra water should definitely help, although I don't guarantee anything. A sign post, a mailbox 4-x-4 or the legendary fire hydrant are all better upright targets than a tree, and a mulched or gravel bed is a better outdoor potty than a groundcover bed or planting of black-eyed susans. A tree will benefit from 1 dog pee per day and any more than 2 dog pees per day on a tree could be harmful to the health of the tree. One of the best methods is to prepare your lawn properly for the winter. You have quite a few choices: 1. A sapling the size of your thumb, most defiantly yes and it will be killed fairly fast, assuming that the animal urinates there over and over. So maybe you’ve got a lot of neighbors who have dogs that love your trees. This way, you can keep her from urinating in the same spot every time. Stewart says the Pee Guards don't head off potential root damage from dogs peeing through the rods and onto the ground below. Several brown spots surrounded by dark green grass is one indication that the damage is caused by dog urine, she says. And damage is more likely when rain isn't happening to dilute the deposited concentrations. About Jeremy Shantz A.K.A. 2. “Dog urine contains a variety of nitrogen compounds. It helps to keep Dog House Times bringing you the best in dog and dog house information. How much of ______ is safe for trees? In reality though, dog spots do not occur due to alkalinity but due to nitrogen salts in the urine. Dog wee actually has a variety of nitrogen compounds which burn your grass, leaving yellow patches behind. Trees can withstand some "dog watering" here and there, but the problem is rooted in canine habit. The same chemical load that kills grass is also potentially harmful to trees and other plants, namely an acidic pH, a heavy concentration of nitrogen, and salts. One average dog can urinate about 17 mL of nitrogen per day, which we can derive from the chart above. Make sure to put on a pair of gardening gloves before touching the grass. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Dogs tend to "mark" targets such as poles and trees, and that leads to a parade of repeat dousing as that and other dogs return again and again to mark, over-mark, re-mark and mark ad infinitum. There are many things you can do to protect grass from dog urine damage. Dog urine, along with a number of other possible factors, can easily kill your lawn if allowed to do so. Don't fret. Sprays are available in pet supply or home improvement stores. Step 2: Use a urine-neutralizing spray on spots Use a urine-neutralizing spray to cover the spot and slow the decay. If you're a dog lover, adopting or buying a new dog can be one of the happiest moments ever. Tip #2 - Scatter some red chili pepper flakes, tobasco sauce or cotton balls dipped in vinegar around the areas that are suffering the most. A special note for “pee pad”-trained dogs: You can actually extract freshly voided urine from a clean pee pad using a syringe. Dog urine can cause yellow spots to form in your lawn and quickly kill the grass. Instructions. Plastic container:These are my favorite because they come in a variety of sizes, and most are leak-proof. Training your dog to go in a designated area can take time but can also save your lawn. "Nothing worked. “If the root system remains secured, then you can take action to reduce issues caused by dog urine. But too much nitrogen and plants like grass start to suffer. Changing Your Dog’s Diet to Stop Dog Urine Killing Lawn Modifications in what you feed your dog can help reduce damage from dog urine on grass. Put your dog on a leash, so you can be close at hand and ready to act when your pet gets the urge. If so, let me know, in the comments below. Although dog urine kills plants, there are dog pee resistant plants that you can place in your backyard. So we can make a simple rule-based upon these extrapolations, which you will find in the Conclusion below. The DawgTree Pee Guard fastens around the base of trees to create a barrier that prevents dogs from peeing on the trunk. Use water or wait for the rain to disperse the nutrients into the soil. An area of mulch surrounding a tree will absorb the nitrogen-heavy urine. They believe that the dog’s alkaline urine is causing the yellow and brown spots on their lawn. "After the tree that shields my dining room died, I cut it down and went to a nursery and bought a fairly large $300 tree," Stewart says. Hawk, 1910, Morton Arboretum’s article on Fertilizing Trees, Dogs That Don’t Bark Much- A list of Quiet Dog Breeds, Pack Leader- How To Become The Pack Leader of Your Pack, Cardigan Welsh Corgi Dog (Breed Information), Snow Salt and De-Icers- The Bane in Every Dog’s Winter Existence, 10 Things To Know About Raising A Setter Puppy, The Best Dog Doors And Windows Buyer’s Guide (Best Quality), The Best Travel Water Bottle And Dishes For Dogs. New Company Releases Product To Prevent Dogs From Ing On Trees Top Dog Tips. boxwood.urine.damage2.jpg. Of this, 2% or 17.41 mL is basically Nitrogen. Train In A Designated Area. Step 1: Identify the urine stains Identify the spots in your lawn that are urine stains. "After digging a hole all day and having six of my neighbors help me unload it, I took the tree limbs that I cut off the dead tree and made a hasty 360-degree briar patch around the base.".