Keeping A Healthy Lawn And A Happy Dog
Keeping A Healthy Lawn And A Happy Dog
The pride of any urban home is a well maintained and luscious green lawn. If you have children or pets, this can sometimes make keeping that beautiful lawn very difficult. Our pets are valued parts of our family, and they tend to love our grass as much as humans, but often for entirely different reasons.
As home owners, we like the aesthetic appeal a nice green lawn offers, while our dogs see the lawn as a perfect place to frolic, play, 
sleep, or even grab a belly soothing snack. If you want to figure out how to strike the perfect balance between having a happy dog, and a nice green lawn, follow a few of our simple tips.
Prevention and Repair
The best way to keep your lawn looking fresh is to prevent damage in the first place, but of course, accidents happen and should be repaired as soon as spotted to ensure that your lawn and dog stay equally happy. If you notice your dog urinate on the lawn, you need to take action right away. Dog’s urine has a high amount of salt, which can cause those hated browns spots on your lawn. Try to cut your grass regularly to lessen the damage area, and also, if you notice the dog urinate, water the area well to dilute the salt on the spot.
If you already have spots on your lawn that have started to brown, you need to move forward with repairs. You can simply patch the area with sod, or dig up and re-seed the area. There are also several spot repair products on the market that help prevent further damage. For long term preventing, build a mulch pile away from your lawn and train your pet to urinate in that area.
Growing A Healthy Lawn
Just like you feed your dog to keep it healthy, you also need to feed your lawn on a regular schedule. The average lawn needs only to be fed fertilizer 4 times per year to maintain a healthy thickness and shine. Avoid overfeeding since this not only will make your lawn wither, but it can also make your dog or children sick.
Make sure that you prevent your dog and children from using the lawn right after it is fertilized. Depending on which brand and type of lawn food you use, the wait time may vary. In general, the lawn should be fed, watered, and allowed to dry completely before anyone uses it again. Keep in mind that dogs often eat grass as a natural cure for an upset stomach. While eating grass is not harmful, eating lawn food will harm your pet.
These are just a few suggestions that can help you keep a happy dog, and also a shiny thick lawn with only a few simple changes to your routine. If you have cats, or multiple pets, you might also want to consider allocating a rear area that is populated with sturdier grass just for their play.
Zane Schwarzlose is a writer at The Grass Outlet, an Austin sod company. Zane’s dog is very particular about the grass she chooses to play in.