Other than pouring water on the spot after she goes, there's not much you can do. I've learned to live with it. My dog only goes in the backyard, so the front is pristine and the back looks like swiss cheese. I enjoy my dog more than my grass, so no big deal to me. I started growing KBG in a raised bed for sod to fill in the bigger dead spots. The smaller ones will fill in on their own.

For me, seeding those patches is a semi-annual ritual (spring and fall). Another thing that helps is I have my dog somewhat trained to go in a certain area. That area is a bit of a swale and butts up agains my neighbor's yard. That neighbor happens to have an irrigation system that often waters into my yard due to wind patterns. The additional water helps to minimize the damage.

I have heard of the tomato juice trick, but don't know if it works. I know someone who, for a while, followed his dog around w/ a gallon of water. But that would get old for me pretty quickly.

To me, trying to alter your dog's body chemistry for the sake of your lawn sort of implies you shouldn't own a dog. To each his own though.

The tomato juice "trick" is simply adding so much sodium to a dogs diet that he gulps staggering amounts of water to compensate, thus diluting the urine. This is not a solution and will of course compromise the dogs health in several ways, never mind the housebreaking incidents caused by an abnormally full bladder all day long. The OTC products made to give a dog are even more damaging as they attempt to change a dogs normal urine pH. Altering a dogs urine pH will also alter what bacteria can survive in the dogs urinary tract and that is asking for an infection or stones IMO- not a good idea. Urine pH is what it is for a reason.

Watering in the urine is the most helpful and basic thing you can do. For more information check out the information below presented by the Turfgrass Resources Center website.

Also- maintain your turf in as good a health as you can manage. If you need the pH raised then do it the healthy way with lime making sure you water it in very well before allowing your animals to walk on it. I also use a soil conditioner to make sure I have all the necessary enzymes present in my soil to process the waste. I have also been know to "wash" areas of lawn with a dilute soap and water spray to clean things up and improve water penetration to any challenged areas.

But watering in the urine at least once a day is the best thing you can do. At my last home I kept a very small lawn with three giant breed dogs and managed to keep it looking perfect. It's a bit of an adjustment to get into the watering in habit but it is what's necessary if you want dogs and a perfect lawn. If it was easy everyone would do it.

Here is a link that might be useful: Dog and lawn problems

Just don't fall for all those "tablets" That's a load of you know what.

"Learn to live with it" and "you shouldn't own a dog" is not exactly how problems are solved. I thank all of the other advice. Training her to go in a certain area is a good start.

I don't know if its true but I heard that Gardenweb will let people exchange each reply they are dissatisfied with for a free jelly donut.

I didn't say you shouldn't own a dog. I said if you're willing to compromise your dogs health for the sake of your lawn, you shouldn't own a dog. If you have the diligence to follow your dog around with water, great. Otherwise, I suggest to just accept that there will be some dead spots and move on.

ummmmm. Donuts.

We've had dogs (one at a time) and a yard for decades.
We now have 2 dogs. This isn't a plug, and it might just be coincidental, but after switching their food over to Canidae - there are no more urine spots.
I've also been watering, so that might have a lot to do with it.
Regardless - It's a great dog food, and it just might help.

I'm having trouble regrowing grass in areas where my dog goes. Ill try the water trick.

We have had this question posed to us for years, then about 5 years ago I came across this product on the web. A dog biscuit treat or a version you put into their water, it neutralizes the ammonia in the urine so the dog doesn't kill the grass.

Here is a link that might be useful: Dog Treats for Urine spots

I believe that is a snake oil product. Anything that could affect the kidney output of a dog would have to be sold by prescription.

I used to have an elderly dog who, in his old age, stopped peeing in the ivy and started peeing in the grass. The organic solution is to scatter a handful of table sugar on the spot. The problem with the urine spot is there is too much all in one spot. Usually female dogs are the culprits, because they squat and pee all in one place; while males have to squirt a little dose on every object that they haven't already sprayed (today). The microbes that usually process urea are not that populous, but they can be convinced to multiply quickly with a blast of sugar. When they multiply and process the urine, you suddenly have a very fertile spot that turns the grass a dark color of green. In three weeks you should see grass returning in a big way.

Tried everyting from tablets to watering with no luck. What I do that works for me is prob atleast once a month apply soil and a mixture of rye, kbg to burnt areas from urine. Within a week I have a rye filled spot that fills in with kbg. Hey, I dont like the extra work, but I love my Bulldogs!

If I was to apply new soil and reseed once a month I'd have a mud problem and that's not going to be allowed. Or else I'd be moving a temporary fence around to provide new seed time to develop... nope.

I maintained a very small dog lawn (seriously small, like 500 sq ft) that provided potty space to over 500 lbs. of dog and I had no problems maintaining the grass.

I think the secret is to be proactive about it and not wait until there is actual damage before you do anything.