#1
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Dead Grass from Dog Urine
I'm not sure if this is in the right forum
Gryphon always pees in the exact spot all year round. It's about 10' x 5" in area. He has a wide open range to urinate however, he chooses this particular locale over the rest of the yard. We have tried to turn soil, rope off, re-plant grass seed and while the later part of summer/early fall looks great, every spring we have to tackle this particular area. So my question is...does anyone know if there is something that we should be laying down on the grass yet harmless for Gryphon or if it's some kind of chemical inbalance with his urine? I attached a couple of pictures below for your kind review. Hubby and I are thinking....Oh Great! Here we go again! Any suggestions or answers would be greatly appreciated and well received
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A dog wags his tail with his heart Dogs have Masters--Cats have Staff Rest in Peace Bailey: 12/10/95-1/9/09 (Golden Retriever) Rest in Peace Kitty: 7/1/2000 - 10/7/2013 Rest in Peace Gryphon (sounds like Griffin): 10/15/2004 - 11/18/2017 (English Springer Spaniel) Bella: 3/09/2005 LHD Cat adopted by/from Child Mollie: 6/2/2009 (English Setter) |
#2
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you think you can put a sprinkler on the area???
-ash
__________________
Pastafarians Unite! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8z1buym2xUM Swift Tribe- Chris- Husband, 04/30/77 Cailyn- Daughter, 07/05/99 Jeffrey- Son, 03/24/06 Alex- Son, 03/25/09 Mister- Black LabX, M, 08/06(?) The Shadow Stalker- Gray Tux DSH, M, 04/04 The Mighty Hunter- Black Tux DSH, M, 04/04 Baby Girl- Tabby DMH, F, 12/03(?) Frances- Tortie, DSH, F, 2007(?) |
#3
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Well the sad thing is want4rain is, that this picture was just taken this afternoon! We've had plenty of unpleasant wet weather and what has happened in the past is that this particular spot soon becomes a blob of muck :sad:
__________________
A dog wags his tail with his heart Dogs have Masters--Cats have Staff Rest in Peace Bailey: 12/10/95-1/9/09 (Golden Retriever) Rest in Peace Kitty: 7/1/2000 - 10/7/2013 Rest in Peace Gryphon (sounds like Griffin): 10/15/2004 - 11/18/2017 (English Springer Spaniel) Bella: 3/09/2005 LHD Cat adopted by/from Child Mollie: 6/2/2009 (English Setter) |
#4
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My lawn is like that too, I have 2 dogs that use the same area. Every year I always go out when we have a good day and rake it to loosen the dead grass and I usually find the green grass coming up underneath and I also sprinkle extra grass seed down mixed with soil.
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#5
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Rake it up and start again..I found as Winston got older it his urine wasnt as strong I guess and the spots were alot less. I say over seed the area. You can cover it with burlap so that the grass isnt as harmed as it would be walking on it. Or you could put a walkway in with some slate or rocks? easy to hose down!
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Tabitha April 10, 1995 - August 23, 2013 Bomber April 10, 1995 - July 12, 2010 Winston Nov 15, 1999 - September 15, 2011 Sophie Aug 30, 2011 "UNTIL ONE HAS LOVED AN ANIMAL, PART OF THEIR SOUL REMAINS UNAWAKENED" He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion. -Unknown |
#6
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Quote:
Quote:
__________________
A dog wags his tail with his heart Dogs have Masters--Cats have Staff Rest in Peace Bailey: 12/10/95-1/9/09 (Golden Retriever) Rest in Peace Kitty: 7/1/2000 - 10/7/2013 Rest in Peace Gryphon (sounds like Griffin): 10/15/2004 - 11/18/2017 (English Springer Spaniel) Bella: 3/09/2005 LHD Cat adopted by/from Child Mollie: 6/2/2009 (English Setter) |
#7
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I haven't had any problem with the grass being too thick. If I didn't seed, it would be nothing but dirt or mud in that area.
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#8
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The problem is that urine is so basic that it burns out the grass. Sometimes, if you add lime to your grass, it helps neutralize the urine. It looks like Gryphon is really hittin' that spot pretty exclusively, though...so you might have to give up on the grass entirely. Have you ever thought about outlining the area in timber, digging away some of the thatch, lining it with landscaper's cloth (lets the liquid through but won't allow mud up) and filling it with rock? If you one-and-two-inch stone, you don't twist your ankles when you walk on it. And you can hose the area off it gets too stinky.
Only problem is that if Gryphon will only pee on grass, and is put off by the rocks, he'll just pick a new place to pee.
__________________
"We are--each of us--dying; it's how we live in the meantime that makes the difference." "It's not what you gather, but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived!" "Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle." |
#9
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Quote:
I think I have a visual on the timber lining--not a bad idea Hazel Gryphon is a plain and simple pee'r. If this spot ended up covered in rocks, he would never know the difference. When we let him out, he leaps from the step onto this area and just gets the job done He's a simple boy
__________________
A dog wags his tail with his heart Dogs have Masters--Cats have Staff Rest in Peace Bailey: 12/10/95-1/9/09 (Golden Retriever) Rest in Peace Kitty: 7/1/2000 - 10/7/2013 Rest in Peace Gryphon (sounds like Griffin): 10/15/2004 - 11/18/2017 (English Springer Spaniel) Bella: 3/09/2005 LHD Cat adopted by/from Child Mollie: 6/2/2009 (English Setter) |
#10
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I love a man with a simple and straightforward character!
Just make sure you test him with the size of rock you intend to use, first...in case he turns out to be a rock chewer. We brought in 1-inch, 2-inch, 4-inch and 6-inch samples and put them on a coffee table. The two smallest disappeared almost immediately in the mouths of dogs....the 4-inch one got carried off a few minutes later. So we settled for 6-inch rock as the one least able to be eaten.
__________________
"We are--each of us--dying; it's how we live in the meantime that makes the difference." "It's not what you gather, but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived!" "Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle." |
#11
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mulch would prevent splash back. worked well for us anyway.
my only other thought is for you to water it once a day to dilute his pee on the ground though that might breed some grass diseases. -ash
__________________
Pastafarians Unite! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8z1buym2xUM Swift Tribe- Chris- Husband, 04/30/77 Cailyn- Daughter, 07/05/99 Jeffrey- Son, 03/24/06 Alex- Son, 03/25/09 Mister- Black LabX, M, 08/06(?) The Shadow Stalker- Gray Tux DSH, M, 04/04 The Mighty Hunter- Black Tux DSH, M, 04/04 Baby Girl- Tabby DMH, F, 12/03(?) Frances- Tortie, DSH, F, 2007(?) |
#12
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Thanks for all the suggestions forum friends
Hubby wants to keep it grass for now. So after showing him everyone's wonderfull suggestions, we may very well apply a good raking, re-seed, try the burlap covering and give it plenty of water Hopefully we won't have to resort to re-digging it all up AGAIN
__________________
A dog wags his tail with his heart Dogs have Masters--Cats have Staff Rest in Peace Bailey: 12/10/95-1/9/09 (Golden Retriever) Rest in Peace Kitty: 7/1/2000 - 10/7/2013 Rest in Peace Gryphon (sounds like Griffin): 10/15/2004 - 11/18/2017 (English Springer Spaniel) Bella: 3/09/2005 LHD Cat adopted by/from Child Mollie: 6/2/2009 (English Setter) |
#13
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what about raking, then putting in low growing thyme (living grass) I have read that it is very hardy to dog pee, and it smells great if the dogs roll around in it.
__________________
Have a heart that never hardens, and a temper that never tires, and a touch that never hurts." |
#14
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Wow now that's a thought, I'll have to look into thyme. Does it actually look like grass breeze?
__________________
A dog wags his tail with his heart Dogs have Masters--Cats have Staff Rest in Peace Bailey: 12/10/95-1/9/09 (Golden Retriever) Rest in Peace Kitty: 7/1/2000 - 10/7/2013 Rest in Peace Gryphon (sounds like Griffin): 10/15/2004 - 11/18/2017 (English Springer Spaniel) Bella: 3/09/2005 LHD Cat adopted by/from Child Mollie: 6/2/2009 (English Setter) |
#15
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it's very compact, great for high traffic areas.. I used it between stepping stones looks great, smells great. does not need cutting as often does it look like real grass, depends on how good your eyes are I guess it could like a patch of weeds
__________________
Have a heart that never hardens, and a temper that never tires, and a touch that never hurts." |
#16
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I was just googling low growing thyme. I may plant some this around the step (kinda bordering the step). There's a little pee damage around this step but the thyme might be an attractive alternative then dead grass.
__________________
A dog wags his tail with his heart Dogs have Masters--Cats have Staff Rest in Peace Bailey: 12/10/95-1/9/09 (Golden Retriever) Rest in Peace Kitty: 7/1/2000 - 10/7/2013 Rest in Peace Gryphon (sounds like Griffin): 10/15/2004 - 11/18/2017 (English Springer Spaniel) Bella: 3/09/2005 LHD Cat adopted by/from Child Mollie: 6/2/2009 (English Setter) |
#17
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just make sure that it is the "LOW" growing kind not the regular kind..
__________________
Have a heart that never hardens, and a temper that never tires, and a touch that never hurts." |
#18
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I'll make sure it's low Besides, if hubby saw it was too long--he'd take the weed wacker to it
__________________
A dog wags his tail with his heart Dogs have Masters--Cats have Staff Rest in Peace Bailey: 12/10/95-1/9/09 (Golden Retriever) Rest in Peace Kitty: 7/1/2000 - 10/7/2013 Rest in Peace Gryphon (sounds like Griffin): 10/15/2004 - 11/18/2017 (English Springer Spaniel) Bella: 3/09/2005 LHD Cat adopted by/from Child Mollie: 6/2/2009 (English Setter) |
#19
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Quote:
o and pictures are a must lol
__________________
Have a heart that never hardens, and a temper that never tires, and a touch that never hurts." |
#20
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Although with it being so close to Gryphons pee---I probably won't use it for cooking
__________________
A dog wags his tail with his heart Dogs have Masters--Cats have Staff Rest in Peace Bailey: 12/10/95-1/9/09 (Golden Retriever) Rest in Peace Kitty: 7/1/2000 - 10/7/2013 Rest in Peace Gryphon (sounds like Griffin): 10/15/2004 - 11/18/2017 (English Springer Spaniel) Bella: 3/09/2005 LHD Cat adopted by/from Child Mollie: 6/2/2009 (English Setter) |
#21
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Quote:
I think you should plant some in another place if you want to use it for cooking I don't know if you can use the low one for cooking never looked into that.. hmmmmmmmmmm maybe not if your walking on it either yup saw the before, now just need the during and after ones..
__________________
Have a heart that never hardens, and a temper that never tires, and a touch that never hurts." |
#22
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Quote:
__________________
A dog wags his tail with his heart Dogs have Masters--Cats have Staff Rest in Peace Bailey: 12/10/95-1/9/09 (Golden Retriever) Rest in Peace Kitty: 7/1/2000 - 10/7/2013 Rest in Peace Gryphon (sounds like Griffin): 10/15/2004 - 11/18/2017 (English Springer Spaniel) Bella: 3/09/2005 LHD Cat adopted by/from Child Mollie: 6/2/2009 (English Setter) |
#23
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Only use the burlap to get the seebdlings going...once a fair amount have sprouted I would remove it! lots of water..The thyme sounds like a wonderful idea and I was thinking clover! clover is really tough!
Oh and after pics are a must! I wouldnt try rocks or gravel for winston cause her would just move to another spot on the grass!
__________________
Tabitha April 10, 1995 - August 23, 2013 Bomber April 10, 1995 - July 12, 2010 Winston Nov 15, 1999 - September 15, 2011 Sophie Aug 30, 2011 "UNTIL ONE HAS LOVED AN ANIMAL, PART OF THEIR SOUL REMAINS UNAWAKENED" He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion. -Unknown |
#24
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I think I may have a special spot for the thyme and already told hubby what I was going to do With Gryphon being so simple....he would just up-root every single rock and find them all new homes scattered all over my yard
__________________
A dog wags his tail with his heart Dogs have Masters--Cats have Staff Rest in Peace Bailey: 12/10/95-1/9/09 (Golden Retriever) Rest in Peace Kitty: 7/1/2000 - 10/7/2013 Rest in Peace Gryphon (sounds like Griffin): 10/15/2004 - 11/18/2017 (English Springer Spaniel) Bella: 3/09/2005 LHD Cat adopted by/from Child Mollie: 6/2/2009 (English Setter) |
#25
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yep! just water right over it! and once it get growing fairly decent I would keep seeding and seeding until its nice and think. What I do to make it easy for seeding is getting a pail mixed with my soil and I add my seed to the soil and then spread it out...keeps it from blowing in the wind!
I forgot to mention that I have heard you could by pills that help with the urine burns on the grass. I have also tried those patch kits they sell and they are also a waste of money! They say if you keeo the grass nice and thick it keeps the weeds out! Careful buying cheap seed cause it will likely be full of weeds. I like a Kentucky Bluegrass but its really hard to find a back that is 100% K Blue.. Cindy
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Tabitha April 10, 1995 - August 23, 2013 Bomber April 10, 1995 - July 12, 2010 Winston Nov 15, 1999 - September 15, 2011 Sophie Aug 30, 2011 "UNTIL ONE HAS LOVED AN ANIMAL, PART OF THEIR SOUL REMAINS UNAWAKENED" He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion. -Unknown |
#26
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Well I think its gonna be the seeding, re-seeding, seeding etc., I like the idea of adding the seed to the soil then spreading it Hoping for a nice Easter Sunday tomorrow to get out there and prep it up!
__________________
A dog wags his tail with his heart Dogs have Masters--Cats have Staff Rest in Peace Bailey: 12/10/95-1/9/09 (Golden Retriever) Rest in Peace Kitty: 7/1/2000 - 10/7/2013 Rest in Peace Gryphon (sounds like Griffin): 10/15/2004 - 11/18/2017 (English Springer Spaniel) Bella: 3/09/2005 LHD Cat adopted by/from Child Mollie: 6/2/2009 (English Setter) |
#27
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Just a thought, I have a book for 101 uses for vinegar, and it suggest putting a couple of tbsps of vinegar in the water. However they suggest you start gradually with a tsp 1 wk, then 2tsp, then a tbsp etc... This balances out the acidity in the urine and saves the grass. I also heard that only female urine burns the grass. But this time of year it's hard to tell if it's actuallty dead too. You could try thatching the grass, and it may come back. We had to thatch everyyear when roxy was alive (rest in peace), and generally aside from isolated little spots that were her ALL time favorite, the grass came back. Hope this helps.
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#28
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Just another thought I wrote my last response and then went out the front of the house for a smoke and looked at my own grass it looks very much like yours as it does every year, and no animals pee out there! The reason our grass looks like this pretty much over the entire acre and a half is becuase this town is basically built on sand, so my other thought to you is that maybe just MAYBE the PH balance in your soil is not high enough or too high, and watering with some miracle grow might help!
Last edited by MajorsMom; April 12th, 2009 at 08:23 AM. |
#29
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Thanks MajorsMom and everyone else at that for these great ideas--it has really helped with tackling this area and will post after shots if all turns out well.
__________________
A dog wags his tail with his heart Dogs have Masters--Cats have Staff Rest in Peace Bailey: 12/10/95-1/9/09 (Golden Retriever) Rest in Peace Kitty: 7/1/2000 - 10/7/2013 Rest in Peace Gryphon (sounds like Griffin): 10/15/2004 - 11/18/2017 (English Springer Spaniel) Bella: 3/09/2005 LHD Cat adopted by/from Child Mollie: 6/2/2009 (English Setter) |
#30
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The vinegar actually goes in the dogs water to control the acidity and stop the grass from turning yellow Vinegar on your grass will kill your grass as it is a natural weed killer when sprayed directly your weeds.
Last edited by MajorsMom; April 12th, 2009 at 07:35 PM. |
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