# Best way to fix grass burn from pet urine?



## Shpigford (Jul 9, 2007)

So our lovely, brand new sod was quickly ruined by our two pugs peeing all over it and we now have a solid dozen or so small (8") burn spots from it. 

I know how to prevent them from doing it in the future...but how can I fix the all the burn spots that have already happened?


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## mikey48 (Dec 6, 2007)

Water the crap out of them.


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## Kap (Jun 20, 2008)

Also seed or plug in new sod on those spots.

What is your future prevention? I hear that tomato soup fed to the dogs can neutralize the urine and prevent spots.


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## mikey48 (Dec 6, 2007)

I heard tomatoes kill dogs.


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## Kap (Jun 20, 2008)

Really?

I was told this by a vet.


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## kypper (Jan 16, 2007)

I seem to have the opposite effect from the dogs. The spots my dogs pee on seems to grow twice as fast and much thicker than the rest of the lawn. Not much of of an answer, more of an observation. Maybe swapping out the pugs for a couple of pomeranians would help. :laughing:

Jason


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## Shpigford (Jul 9, 2007)

kypper said:


> I seem to have the opposite effect from the dogs. The spots my dogs pee on seems to grow twice as fast and much thicker than the rest of the lawn. Not much of of an answer, more of an observation. Maybe swapping out the pugs for a couple of pomeranians would help. :laughing:
> 
> Jason


Haha. The problem, according to the various things I've read, is that the high concentration of nitrogen in urine is what causes the burn. Nitrogen is also in fertilizer so the burn is sort of the equivalent of over-fertilizing a spot. So in your case, your dogs urine might not have as high a concentration of nitrogen so it acts like a good fertilizer and makes your grass go really well.


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## SECO Landscapes (Jul 5, 2008)

Dog pee is quite toxic to tender roots of grasses. The PPM & pH are off the charts, so when your pooch applies it, it's like pouring on weed killer. Of course, some varieties (St Augustine, Bermuda, Kikuyu) are more tolerant, due to having stolons vs. clumping roots.

What kypper mentioned " growth twice as fast & thick / green " is due to the urea (nitrogen) in the pee, and if it's dilute enough it will cause quick growth - like when you apply Sulphate of Ammonia to a lawn.

Tomato juice = urban legend. also, the Tomato plant is poisonous - don't feed leaves to them, and though some dogs are sensitive to the fruit, it's not so dangerous. 



Shpigford said:


> ...a solid dozen or so small (8") burn spots from it.
> how can I fix the all the burn spots that have already happened?


Buy new strips of sod - (same variety!)

Cut into squares, large enough to cover the burn spots.

Carefully excavate the burn spots to a flat depth of 3/4" deep.

Lay in the new sod patches, soak them well, and squeeze them down with the weight of your foot.

It's a bit of a pita to keep them wet for the next couple weeks till they hook up with new roots, but in a couple months you'll never know the holes were there.


Or just overseed & cover with potting soil (not quite a nice to look at).


My $.02


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