Related to my new post about getting a new Scottish Terrier puppy, I need to ask the Forum brain trust about getting the lawn ready.

The DFW fall and winter have been pretty crazy, and our nice St. Augustine lawn has gotten the usual weeds and big brown spots. I know that urine makes keeping a green lawn difficult, but our goal is to get rid of the weeds. We have four weeks to get the lawn fertilized to get it in some sort of shape, but use an organic product that won't harm the new puppy.

Thoughts and recommendations?

Our Vet made a suggestion related to grass. Dog urine will brown out grass quickly since they tend to pee in the same general area.

Our Vet suggesting giving uncut and unsalted green beans. There's something in the beans which must neutralize the urine. It also works as a filler, reducing caloric intake. Good for keeping the dogs weight down.

Good luck with the new puppy. It's fun watching them grow, albeit it happens way to fast.

There is nothing you can do to prepare the lawn. Maybe pull out your chair and try to explain to it you want a dog then apologize for the abuse it will receive for the foreseeable future.

I taught my lab that her facilities were in the pine straw. No fuss, no muss, no cleanup, and harm to the lawn.

^^^ Ozarkwoods is right.
Your lawn won't like the dog.

I have a dog-run between two trees in the back yard. It's about 60' of cable, and a 10'-12' lead that let's him travel the entire 60' x 20' approximately. He digs up the area around the trees, but the run limits the damage to that area.

Is this a fenced yard? Here’s a suggestion. Most of our acreage is native grass, but my wife wanted the fenced-in back yard sodded. I knew our GSD would trot the fenceline and we placed a flagstone path inside the fenceline. This is not a solid sidewalk path, but just “steps” placed in the grass (I should take a picture). It’s incredible how she trots on the individual stones—no matter how fast she is traveling along the fence. There is no trace of wear on the grass inside the fenceline.

For pee spots, we have been using a product purchased from a pet supply store (can’t think of the name). It attaches to a garden hose. A bottle costs about $25, but is good for 3 applications. It apparently neutralizes the high nitrogen content of urine; especially bad with females since they pee out in one spot. Seems to help.

Shaql has it correct. Train your dog where it is OK to pee. Take it out every single time to that area and praise him/her when they go.

It won't take long and you won't have to worry about brown spots on the lawn.

Maybe instead of fussing with the lawn, try this stuff: For the dog

A) A dog
B) A nice lawn.

Choose one.

quote:

Originally posted by JimmyRayBob:
A) A dog
B) A nice lawn.

Choose one.

^^^This. Given your new hound is small, your lawn damage should be minor. Try having a pair of 70 pounders watering and fertilizing the yard a few times a day. I gave up on the backyard looking its best a long time ago.

Spread a bag or two of agricultural gypsum onto your grass.

Once it absorbs into the soil it will leech the salts in the urine (which turn the grass brown/kills the grass) away from the grass.

quote:

Originally posted by JimmyRayBob:
A) A dog
B) A nice lawn.

Choose one.

We have a "dog friendly/dog ready" backyard.

What is a lawn in the back yard? Between grandkids and a Pit X that loves to dig I give up. Let the back yard look like the Battle of Verdun,

We tried a couple of things and found that the Dog Rocks in the water worked pretty well for us here.

But I've never had a dog so rough on yards in general as our Aussie. She runs everywhere and always skids to a stop.

just take him /her to the edge of your law or the woods if you have them every time when house braking at 2am

Is your pup a boy or girl? Boys will typically find something vertical, girls make the serious burn marks.
Also, if you water the location immediately after he/she urinates, that’ll greatly diminish the burns by decreasing the concentration of urine.

In spring, the area where they pee will be a richer green, as summer digs in it’ll burn much more easily. As previous posters stated, designate a spot and praise. My dogs head to the edge of the yard in summer (under trees, and where the higher brush is). Of course, all bets are off if another animal comes in your yard and marks. Your dog will then be honor bound to defend his/her territory by marking over it (double burn)!

i have two big dogs that exceed a hundred pounds.
Now what I do is wash the yard...
Yep wash it several times a year with a hose end spray thingy.
Quart size,add 1/3 dawn dish soap to 2/3 water and wash.
I have St Augustine grass,its the shits in winter as its is dead on top.
That G S likes to roll and then deposit it in the house.
Dog door so not under my control but hell I love the dogs and it is our humble home.

Just remember that anything you put on the lawn ... fertilizer, weed killer, etc etc ... will end up on your dog's paws, which they may lick off and ingest. My dogs have a backyard and nothing gets put down on the grass back there as far as lawn & grass treatment. Nothing at all ever. It is what it is.

Over the years we’ve had a few of the ‘brown spots’ or ‘urine stains’. Just part of owning a dog, can’t see washing with a hose after each event.

Dogs do like the same area, in many instances.

Much depends on where & how you live. Here in country WI, a few dead stains are no biggie. You have the rain, then stuff grows back.

You can attemp to train for a certain area, results may depend on effort expended. I just let nature take its course.

Our current shepherd goes into the rough areas for a #2, never in the yard. I only see it when I am out along the edges for some reason.

As noted above, teach where it is acceptable, off to the edge of the yard, in a corner, under a particular tree, etc.

Teach by walking it there on a leash, short leash at first, then longer, etc.

Reward verbally and/or with treats. Reward for coming when called.

Don’t accept digging. Scold, fill in holes. Scold some more. We intentionally made a larger area fenced in so the dogs (two Border Collies) would be less likely to tear it up. Still have a pup that likes to dig, but he is learning.

Some dogs learn slowly over time and YOU are the one that needs to have patience. Some dogs will learn with one lesson. - try giving food off the table? ONE lesson there and he/she will always be back.

While we have only had Border Collies for the past 25 years, they have always been trainable, whether from a pup or adopted. I have learned that when YOU think they are done learning, you(we) in essence shut the door and they stop learning. At least they stop learning correct behavior. They can and will learn their whole lives. What you accept is what matters.