Why does dog urine turn grass brown?

All dog lovers surely have had experience with brown patches of grass all over the lawn. It is easy to see where your dog’s favourite pee spots are! But do you know why it happens?

Well, the answer is Nitrogen. Nitrogen that is excreted by the kidney into the pee, burns grass. The more protein eaten, the more nitrogen excreted. The more your pooch goes in the same spot, the more the grass is damaged. Some varieties of grass are also likely more susceptible than others.

So, what can you do to ensure your lawn remains the envy of your neighbours?

Nothing. Well, you can run around with a water bucket and dilute the urine where your pooch pees on the ground, but that’s about all that will help. There are some products that can be bought over the counter, that claim to acidify or alkalinise a dogs urine to stop grass burning however, they don’t work well (or, at all), and can actually be damaging to their health.

So, this means that your lawn will forever have some yellow or brown patches on it! But it is just part and parcel of having a dog, and with all the benefits that having a pooch brings, really, who cares?!