If you live in a high-rise apartment with a dog, then you’re the first to realize that it’s just not possible for you to take your dog down for a walk every time nature calls.
Fixing your balcony or garden area with plastic, urine-resistant grass can save you a lot of work and time that would otherwise be spent in cleaning and making the smell go away.
If you have a pet and you want to potty train it, you can check out this article on how to potty train your dog if you live in a high-rise apartment.
In this article, we’ll cover the various uses of urine resistant grass, its advantages and disadvantages over real grass, and tips on how to maintain it should you choose to get it.
Table of Contents
How Does Dog Urine Damage Grass?
If you have a pet and they urinate on natural grass, you might notice that there are brown spots and dead grass in the affected area. This is because of the chemicals present in dog urine that is detrimental to the health of the grass.
Dog urine has high levels of nitrogen in it. While this is used in fertilizers to provide your lawn with the nutrients it needs, a high concentration of nitrates can cause lawn damage. Green lawns are often affected by this, causing lawn burn and other kinds of damage.
There are ways to protect your entire lawn by changing your dog’s diet. For example, giving your dog access to clean, cool water throughout the day will make it drink more and can dilute the minerals in the urine, giving you a lush lawn.
You can also reduce the amount of protein that is fed to your dog. A high protein diet will make your dog’s urine more concentrated, causing more damage and resulting in time-consuming lawn repairs. However, it is not always possible to change your dog’s diet to ensure a healthier lawn.
This is where urine-resistant grass comes into the picture.
What is Urine Resistant Grass?
Urine resistant grass can come in different types. You can always opt for a fake plastic grass spread that will not be damaged by your dog’s urine, but there are also other natural options available that will live up well and not get damaged with bodily fluids.
In the next few sections, we will discuss the various options available to you.
Natural Options
Natural options for urine resistant grass involve either using a product on it that neutralizes urine damage or using a different type of grass that would be more durable and less susceptible to yellow patches because of pet urine.
Pet owners can take care of their beautiful lawn and protect it from yellow spots by using both of these methods.
Different Grass Seeds
The first option is to replant the lawn from seed that is more urine resistant. For example, if you have bluegrass on your lawn, you will see more damage if your pet pees on it. To ensure a healthy lawn, you should opt for grass seeds like ryegrass and fescue.
These types are much more durable and less susceptible to damage than bluegrass. No natural grass is completely immune to concentrated urine, but the longevity of this grass ensures that it gets more time to heal from urine burn. The damage caused is on a lower scale and does not show up as it does on a more sensitive type of lawn.
Chemical Treatment
If you do not want to replant the entire lawn with different grass seeds to save it from canine urine, there are some chemical treatments and salts that can help you reduce and neutralize the effects of urine on the grass.
As mentioned earlier, urine from dogs contains large amounts of nitrogen. This nitrogen content is responsible for brown patches in the grass. However, using a neutralizing agent can cancel out the effects of concentrated dog urine if applied liberally.
This has to be done considering the amounts of urine that your lawn is subjected to on a daily basis. Gypsum is one of the best options to neutralize the salts from your dog’s urine.
There is another simple method to prevent lawn burn. You can just immediately hose off the lawn as soon as your pet pees on it to dilute the urine. However, you cannot follow it around all the time, which is why this might not be the best fit for everyone.
Artificial Options
Artificial options are a more feasible way of making sure that your lawn or balcony garden remains in the best visual shape. Fake grass, like K9 grass, is made out of soft plastic blades.
These plastic blades come in a natural grass green color, are soft to the touch, comfortable for your pets, and are completely weather-resistant. You do not have to water this type of grass, and just spraying it off with a hose can do the trick.
There are several advantages offered by artificial grass for your lawn, which we will discuss in the next section.
New Fake Grass that Dogs Can Pee On
Advantages of Artificial Urine Resistant Grass
No Watering: Since artificial grass is made out of plastic, there is no need to water it. It will stay in the same shape and color without needing any maintenance.
No Mowing: Similar to the last point, there is no need to mow artificial grass as it does not keep growing. With natural grasses, the maintenance and upkeep require you to mow it every few months, after which you also have to hose it down and clean it to remove the extra grass.
Looks: Artificial grass looks more uniform and clean-cut than natural grass and comes in multiple green tones to make it seem real. There will be no patches or spots on it caused by urine or other factors that can cause damage to real grass.
No Need for Fertilizers: Real grass needs a lot of upkeep apart from watering and mowing. It is susceptible to diseases and pests, which means that you will have to invest in fertilizers and pesticides when you have a lawn. This is not an issue with artificial grass, as the plastic construction ensures proper durability.
Weatherproof: If you have an artificial grass lawn, you do not have to worry about high or low temperatures or other extreme weather conditions. The grass blades can survive everything with minimum or no damage.
No Weeds: Besides pests, weeds are a major nuisance when you have a natural lawn. As artificial lawns do not use soil or other elements where weeds might grow, this is a problem that will not have to face again.
Bills: If you have a natural lawn, the water intake needed will definitely drive up your water and electricity bills. This is not a problem with artificial grass, as it needs no upkeep.
Great for Dogs: If you have a pet, getting an artificial lawn is the best thing you can do. The grass is soft and comfortable so that your dogs can sit and play in it safely. Dogs also instinctively urinate on grass, so you do not have to be worried about keeping your house clean.
As there is no soil used in artificial grass, you can just hose it down and easily clean it every few days when your dog urinates on it. The grass will also not be damaged or show signs of patches under the influence of dog urine.
Bestseller of Fake Grass for Dogs to Pee On
- Dog Grass Pad with Tray:4-Layer System - Artificial Grass Mat + Absorbent Mat +Disposable Pee Pad +Anti-Slip Mat + Tray,Indoor Potty System for Dogs Can Help You Better Clean Up Pet Urine,The Solution of The Perfect Pet Toilet Potty Training.
- Replacement Grass Pee Pads Set: Small Patch 20.9x19.7 Inches Compatible for 22.8x21.7 Inches Puppy Potty Trainer Tray. You Will Get 2 Replacement Grass Pee Pads. It is Convenient for You to Wash One While The Other is Available for Use.
- 5 Disposable Pee Pads: The Dog Potty System Come with An Incredible Dog Pee Pad Solution.When The Drainage Holes Get The Liquids to Travel Downwards, Puppy Pee Pad Catch The Urine and Absorb it Quickly, So The Extreme Odor-Causing Issues Can Be Easily Curbed.
- Easy to Clean: Both The Fake Grass Mat and The Tray are Extremely Easy to Clean Plastic Material, Which is Not Easy to Stick to The Dirt and Can Be Rinsed with Water.it's Back to Like-New Condition. After Cleaning, The Artificial Grass Pad Make Your Pet Friends More Comfortable and Keep Your Home Clean.
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- DOG GRASS PAD WITH TRAY - This artificial turf dog pee pad provides a sanitary place for your pet to relieve themselves inside or on your balcony or patio. It’s a reusable alternative to disposable dog training pads for small to medium-sized pets.
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- PRODUCT DETAILS - Materials: Synthetic Plastic (Grass Mat) and Hard Plastic (Tray and Insert). Dimensions: (L) 25” x (W) 20” x (H) 1.25”. Color: Green and Black.
Disadvantages of Artificial Urine-Resistant Grass
Price: Though the money saved up on cleaning, fertilizers, pesticides, watering, and general upkeep will be more than the initial investment, you might have to expand your budget, in the beginning, to get artificial grass in your home.
Installation: Natural lawns are easy to grow, as all you need is soil and grass seeds. This is not the case with artificial grass, as you will need to get professional help to get it installed in your house. The permeability of the grass and the drainage has to be done correctly to ensure the best results.
Feel: If you love nature and love the feel, touch, and especially the smell of natural grass in the morning, artificial grass might come as a disappointment to you. Because of its plastic construction, artificial grass is not the best fit for people who love natural grass.
Gardens and flowers: If you are used to growing flowers and other potted plants in your garden, artificial grass will not be able to provide you with these opportunities. You might want to get potted plants as a workaround.
Final Word
For people with pets, urine resistant grass can be a lifesaver. It will save you a lot of time, effort, and money spent on cleaning and taking your dog out for a walk twice every day, and will look natural and amazing at the same time with minimum upkeep.
Be sure that you consider the pros and cons mentioned in this article before you decide to get it installed. If you’re interested in similar topics, feel free to check out our other articles as well!