Ok gardeners with dogs... our yard is starting to green up nicely, as Chris fertilized in the fall, aerated a couple of weeks ago, and waters with the hose a couple of times throughout the winter... but as spring is starting here, we're noticing a portion of the back hard where Nikolai consistently pees and it's pretty splochy/burned. We've seen supplements at the pet store for "lawn savers" but I'm not committed to giving my dog something every day to help with our lawn... there's got to be another way to salvage things out back. Any advice?

I seem to remember reading that you can add apple cider vinegar to his drinking water and it will help with the problem. I can't remember the amount however so maybe someone else will chime in.

Apple cider vinegar might help. I give my 3 dogs ACV about 3 times a week and my grass actually grows faster, thicker, and greener wherever the dogs pee! My hubby keeps telling me to collect the dogs' pee so we can use it as fertilizer for the lawn...the sad part, he's not joking!

My 6 lb chi girls get 1 tsp of ACV, and my 55 lb sibe gets 1 tbsp. While I only give ACV 3-4 times a week, you can give it every day if you want.

Apple cider vinegar is the best, you want to use the pure, unpasteurized product with the mother in it (you can find it at most health food stores). ACV really is such an amazing product and has so many benefits. ACV is antibacterial and anti fungal; it improves the immune system, liver, bladder and kidney function; helps with itchy skin and allergies; balances digestive enzymes; normalizes the pH of the body; repels both internal and external parasites like fleas and worms; provides potassium for tissue and joint health; makes a great ear cleaning solution; reduces inflammation...the list could go on and on! Don't take my word for it, look up more info on ACV yourself. It's benefits not only work for us but our dogs too. You can mix ACV directly into your dogs food or put it in their water. If you are trying to get rid of fleas or combating skin issues you can make a 50/50 mix of ACV and water in a spray bottle and spray it on their coat or you can give them a bath in the 50/50 mix. I hear that ACV also helps eliminate or lessen the incidence of gas in some dogs too if you have problems with that.

Yes, it is safe for cats as well. I don't know how ACV would affect the lawn if you were to spray it directly on. I know that it affects the pH of the urine so that you are less likely to have the burn spots. I personally mix ACV with my dogs' Honest Kitchen dinner.

I think I may need to do this too!
Hubby wants to rip out the grass just because it has some brown spots! Basically, he wants to spend more money to rip up the grass than to spend a little money to lay mulch to promote grass growth....UGH!

Can I have some of your dog's pee?

If Nikolai still goes for his THK with ACV, I think Ginger will too!

So what do you do when the damn small dog across the street comes over and uses your front yard as a potty spot? front yard is unfenced and no fences are aloud...

Thanks for the info, Val! With my own yard now, I might have to try that!

It's great for the backyard but I wouldn't let them go in the front yard to urinate. Having multiple round patches of bigger, thicker and greener grass in the front yard just looks weird.

Well I don't want blood on my lawn either! It must do it during the day as I never see the damn thing doing it!

I took a picture of part of my backyard. This is the section where the dogs pee the most. Wherever the grass is darker and thicker, that's where the dogs have urinated! (That's Glory laying there in the midst of it all.)

I started giving 1/2 tablespoon of ACV in Ginger's water a couple of days ago. We hubby will be taking stats on the lawn this season to see if the grass grows greener.

I'll post back here in a couple of months to let ya'all know how this is working for us...

i've started doing this as well. hope to see less brown spots in my back yard! how long does the effectiveness usually take to kick in? i give it about 3-4 times a week. 1 tbsp per those days

I don't know how long to give it before noticing results since my dogs have been on ACV before we moved to our new house and noticed the effects it was having on our grass.

Funny thing, I got an email yesterday from a pet supply company about treats and liquid additives to prevent lawn burn spots. I guess if the ACV doesn't give you the desired results then you could maybe try the products on the market sold for that purpose. I can't say if any of them work as I've never tried them and I don't know anyone who has.

I'm interested in knowing what results you ladies get with the ACV.