When you own a dog, having a great lawn can be ruff.
Urine causes yellow and brown spots. If you have a digger, look out for sudden holes. And if you think a lawn is meant to stand up to the frequent exuberant running of an energetic pooch, you’re barking up the wrong tree.
How to prevent your dog from ruining your lawn?
Fetch these tips:
Try St. Augustine Sod
St. Augustine will hold up better to dog urine than other sod varieties. Zoysia is more susceptible to brown spots.
Train Pooch to Pee in One Spot
Sod and dog urine aren’t a great match. Create an area of rocks or mulch and try to train pooch to do his business there instead of on the sod. (Note we didn’t say this would be easy.)
Water Sod and Dog Urine
Dragging the hose around the yard every time Sebastian does his business can make you dog tired. But if you have an irrigation system controlled by your smartphone, this is easy.
Just turn it on for a minute or two after you see your pooch go and the water will help dilute that potent urine.
Create Paths for Running
No sod will hold up to the rigors of a dog constantly running on it.
Create mulch or gravel running paths where your dog tends to travel.
How to Keep Dogs off New Grass
New sod will have a better chance of holding up to dog urine if you give it a chance to get established. Try to keep your furry pal off of it as much as possible for the first few weeks.
Take them for a short walk first thing in the morning, or at least out on a leash instead of letting them barrel out onto your new sod to do their business first thing. 
Sod and Dogs Too Much to Handle? Try Artificial Turf
Artificial turf is a surface of synthetic fibers made to look like natural grass.
It’s an increasingly popular choice for homeowners ready to hang up the mower, retire their sprinklers, and put away the fertilizer for good. It also holds up well to dogs. 
But it’s not wallet friendly. A lawn that might cost $1,000 in natural sod will cost about $8,000 in artificial turf.
Expect to pay $8-$12 per square foot. While it’s significantly more expensive up front, you could save money over time on maintenance.
Sod and Dogs: Start with a Healthy Lawn with Ground Source
Here at Ground Source, we love sod. But we also love our dogs.
When you have both, you do the best you can, but you often have to sacrifice the most perfect lawn. Our furry friends are worth it, right?
Give your sod lawn its best chance against your dog’s antics by making sure it’s the best, healthiest sod from the start.
We’re sod experts, but our skills don’t stop there. We’re with you every step of the way as you plan your perfect outdoor space.
Sod, irrigation, landscape design: Let us transform your yard from an embarrassing eyesore to a place you spend every spare minute.
Are you ready to enjoy the vibrant, impressive yard you've always wanted? Request a quote today! We’ll help you review your options and then transform your property.
