At Greensleeves, we work with pet owners every day. One of the biggest concerns we hear is that having pets makes a great lawn impossible.
It doesn’t. It just takes a little know-how.
Your lawn is an extension of your home. With the right approach, your pets and your garden can thrive together.
Dog owners
One of the most common causes of lawn damage in dog-owning households is urine. The high nitrogen levels can scorch grass and leave brown patches behind.
This is especially common if your dog returns to the same spot regularly.
The good news is there are simple ways to reduce the damage:
- Taking the dog out first thing in the morning means the most concentrated wee of the day happens off the lawn rather than on it.
- Encouraging your dog to drink more water naturally dilutes the nitrogen in their urine.
- Keeping a watering can nearby to dilute any spots immediately can make a real difference.
- Some owners find success in training younger dogs to use a designated area of the lawn, containing any damage to one patch that can be re-turfed as needed.
- It’s also worth reviewing their diet, food that’s too high in protein can contribute to the problem, so look for a high-quality food with the right nutritional balance.
Digging is another common frustration, though it’s worth understanding why it happens before trying to stop it. Some breeds are naturally more inclined to dig, but in most cases it’s a sign of boredom, excess energy, or anxiety. Here are a few ways to tackle it:
- Make sure your dog is getting enough daily exercise and mental stimulation, a tired dog is far less likely to start excavating your flower beds.
- Avoid leaving them in the garden alone with no distractions. Spend time playing or training with them, and leave toys out that are more engaging than the soil.
- If anxiety seems to be the cause, ensuring your dog has a comfortable, familiar safe space can help settle them.
- For persistent diggers, sprinkling cayenne pepper around problem areas can make them unappealing, though bear in mind this will need reapplying after rain.
Cats and your lawn
Cats are usually less damaging to their own garden than dogs. However, they can cause problems in neighbouring gardens.
Their natural instinct is to dig and bury their waste. This often means they target borders and flower beds rather than lawns.
If visiting cats are becoming a problem, try these deterrents:
- Lay mulch containing pinecones or rough stone in your flower beds to make the surface uncomfortable underfoot.
- Scatter used coffee grounds around the garden, they act as an organic fertiliser while the smell puts cats off.
- Plant lavender and other strongly fragrant plants along the borders as a natural deterrent, with the added bonus of keeping gnats and mosquitoes at bay.
- Place prickly shrubs strategically around the garden, particularly near bird feeders, to stop cats from using those areas as hunting grounds.
Grazing animals
Pets such as rabbits and tortoises present a slightly different challenge. as they graze directly on the grass rather than simply passing through it. If you use a hutch or run, the damage tends to be confined to one area at a time, which makes it much easier to manage. We recommend moving the enclosure regularly before any single patch becomes too damaged, and watering down the vacated area to dilute the concentration of urine. It’s also important to let your local Greensleeves branch know about any grazing animals before treatments are applied, as some of our products require these pets to be kept off the lawn for at least 10 days.
Repairing your lawn
Even with the best precautions, patches can appear from time to time, and they’re straightforward to fix:
- Use a rake to remove the dead grass.
- Rough up the surface and consider adding a little top dressing.
- Cover the area with lawn seed.
- Keep the patch consistently moist until germination takes hold, making sure it doesn’t dry out.
Don’t let your pets put you off having a beautiful, healthy lawn. It just requires a little more effort, and our Lawn Care Experts are always on hand to help. Our treatments are safe for pets, but if you have any specific concerns please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Not a Greensleeves customer yet? Measure your lawn and hard surfaces, and receive your instant quote today!
