Potting Shed - Dog and Yard - You can have a dog — and a good looking yard

University of Minnesota Extension Service, Hennepin County

  Green thumbs are itching to get into the dirt! Everywhere you look people are out in the sunshine – some in their gardens or some walking their dogs. But does it have to be either/or? Can it be both? Some might say that a garden or a nice yard and a dog are mutually exclusive – but that ain’t necessarily so. With a little planning and training you can have both.

    The most common complaint about dogs and yards is, of course, brown spots in the lawn from dog urine. Dog urine is high in nitrogen and the brown spots are the result of too much nitrogen concentrated in too small of an area. The brown spots are the equivalent of fertilizer burn, which sometimes happens when fertilizer is spilled while being poured into a spreader. The grass in this spot is dead, but the spot will be filled in with rhizomes from the grass around the edges. However a better idea might be to prevent the spots in the first place.

 

    While there are lots of “old wife’s tales” about how you can prevent dog urine from burning the lawn, the only one that really holds water is – more water. You can dilute your dog’s urine and reduce the concentration of nitrogen if you can increase your dog’s water intake. But as the saying goes, you can lead your dog to water but you can’t make him drink. And of course if you do convince your dog to drink more that means more trips outside. So you might try diluting after the fact by pouring three to four times as much water as the volume of urine on the spot where your pet has relieved him or herself. This will require training yourself to do this every time your dog goes out – yes even in the middle of the night. So maybe it is better and easier in the long term to train your dog. That is, to create a doggy “bathroom” in your yard and train your dog to use it. Set aside a secluded corner of your yard and fill it with wood chips, sand or gravel. Two or three weeks of dedicated training should result in a better looking lawn and less work for you in keeping it that way. (Yes, you can teach an old dog new tricks.)

 

 

     Other complaints that lead dog owners to conclude that dog and garden are not compatible are worn paths in the yard, digging, chewing on plants and shrubs, and tracking in dirt. You can determine ways to address those issues with your pet by understanding your pet’s needs and observing his or her behavior. Observe your pet in the yard. He or she needs exercise, shade, water, a place to rest and interesting things to look at. Exercising your dog regularly can reduce their tendency to run in the yard and create paths; and already worn paths can be covered over with wood chips.

 

 

   If your dog is a digger you may be able to curb that habit by not giving the dog food in the yard that he might be inclined to bury (like bones) and placing something over a favorite spot to discourage the dog from digging. If all else fails you might try assigning the dog a specific area where he or she can dig.  

 

 

    You can train your dog not to chew on your plants the same way that I discourage rabbits from eating mine – pepper spray. The spray will not harm plant or animal – just give the plant a very unpleasant taste. The spray will wash off in the rain and you will need to be diligent about re-spraying, but eventually the dog will realize that the plants are not very tasty. Another thing you might try is planting flowers in raised pots and urns or in hanging baskets around the yard to keep them out of the dog’s reach.

 

 

  Create a buffer between the dirtiest part of the yard and the house, such as a deck, patio, shredded bark or grass to reduce the amount of dirt tracked into the house and trim your dog’s nails and the hair between his toes which trap dirt.   With a little bit of planning and training you can have the best of both worlds — garden and dog.