Topic: can i save my lawn

[karrot]

I'm just about to move into a new house with a lovely new garden, the problem is my old lawn has been ruined by Bella her wee has killed the little grass i have and when she's finished her business kicks up the mud. is there anything i can give her to make her wee less acidic or do to the lawn to save it?

[supersprout]

Yes there is! To repair dog wee spots on lawns, mix a small quantity (8oz/227g) of bicarbonate of soda into a full (gallon) watering can of water and walk around the lawn saturating the dog spots every few days. The solution looks like watery milk and you have to pour it shortly after it's mixed or the bicarb will settle in the bottom. The bicarb takes the acidity out of the soil where the dog wee is and helps the turf green up again. It does take a little time (about 3 weeks) but at least it's nontoxic you you and Bella, and it's cheap! :) For the scuffing, you could either sprinkle grass seed direct, or grow it in flat trays then when you have turf, or if you want it sooner, buy a turf or two and patch it in like you would for a spoilt wool carpet  ::)

[ipt8]

I remember one of the female presenters of gardening programmes saying to add a small spoonful of toamato sauce to a bitches food and this makes it less acidic :o I have no idea if it works or why it does ::)

If possible have an area of longer grass-perhaps a wildflower meadow sort of thing and encourage your dog to go there. Be persistant untill she gets the message. Remember who  is top dog and insist she goes there. You may have to keep her in and lead walk her to the spot you want her to use for a while but persistance will save you in the long run.

[karrot]

Thankyou both very much for your helpfull advice. i wish my new garden was big enough to have a 'meadow' ;D. We hopefully will be moving opposite a dog walking park, so lots of trips over the road also will help. i have 2 small children and they are not aloud on the grass at the moment which is a shame, with summer comming I'll give the above a try.
i have also herd about the tomato thing but thought it was a tale :)

[supersprout]

Bella is just gorgeous karrot ;D, what sort of doggie is she?

[grawrc]

Fascinated by the idea of feeding tomato sauce ipt8. Do you mean like Ketchup?

[Hyacinth]

I read of the suggestion to put tomato sauce in pet food for bitches last year, but then on a gardening forum I visit, where Qs are answered by the resident expert, this was his answer to the question posed re: bitches & lawns....

Bitches often mark lawns due to the high acid content of their urine. There is a product available called Lawn Rescue made by Pet and Garden Manufacturing which you can find on sale in some garden centres and pet outlets. This neutralises the acid, saving the grass if done quickly enough, otherwise it makes the soil more hospitable to newly sown seeds when patching the gaps. Some people recommend mixing a couple of teaspoons of tomato ketchup with the dog food each time you feed as this is said to make the urine less acidic. If you are tempted by this idea PLEASE SEEK ADVICE FROM A VET FIRST, in case of any hidden side effects.

Hope this is of some help,

Lishka

[grawrc]

Given the stuff our two cockers scavenge round the house and in the garden I don't think I'd worry too much about a spoonful of ketchup. ;)

[Hyacinth]

Given the stuff our two cockers scavenge round the house and in the garden I don't think I'd worry too much about a spoonful of ketchup. ;)

Spot on! With mine, even all those lethal chicken bones were regularly raided from the bin and chomped up, but I suppose this chappie must have had some reason to cover his back, tho...back to the original question, yes, it seems as tho ketchup is what is being suggested. I'd give it a go if my lady dog was still with me.

[karrot]

Bella has a panchant for nappies at the mo, find them strewn over the garden normally 10 mins before binmen come ;D.

Hi supersprout Bella is a weimeraner, German hunting dog.(although she's gun shy, firework shy and wouldn't know what to do if she caught a fury animal ;D)

will be also trying the tomato sauce and bicarb

[grawrc]

Karrot my "gundogs" are also scaredy-cats  ;) and delight in used Kleenex out of the wastepaper basket.  ::)Think they'll enjoy ketchup though. ;D