Artificial Turf & Your Dog

February 21, 2020

Artificial turf is becoming all the rage for homeowners. The rise of drought-friendly landscaping has increased the demand for artificial turf because artificial turf requires less upkeep and maintenance, and doesn’t need any water meaning it can comfortably enjoy all year long. One of the most common questions surrounding artificial turf is whether it is safe for pets.

Yes, artificial turf is safe for your pets. In fact, artificial turf is not just safe for your pets but typically is more durable and resistant to the wear and tear caused by dogs and cats than natural grass lawns.

Why Artificial Turf

• Digging

  One of the major problems dog owners experience, when it comes to their lawns, is their dog burrowing and creating holes in their beautiful yard. Digging not only causes patches and bald spots in your lawn but can also bring unwanted dirt and mud into your home when your dog comes back inside after he finishes excavating your yard. However, with artificial turf you will not experience this problem because the nylon / poly-propane fibers that are used for the mesh backing and the blades of grass are very durable, meaning even if you have the most industrious dog he will not damage the turf.

  

• Dog Poop

  A major misconception that people have about artificial turf is that it will be difficult to clean and maintain their artificial grass when their dog goes number 2 on their artificial lawn. But on the contrary, your pet’s droppings are much easier to clean on artificial turf than on natural grass. To clean your dog's poop all you have to do is scoop it up as you would do with natural grass and then rinse off the spot with the hose. And if you notice that there is a lingering smell after you cleaned up the poop you can always wipe down the spot with a water and vinegar mixture.

  

• Dog Pee

  As all dog owners know the biggest issue your lawn has to deal with when it comes to your dog is their urine. Dog urine contains high amounts of nitrogen which causes dead spots because the urine burns the grass all the way to its roots. However, with artificial grass you will not experience that problem because the permeable backing allows the pee and fluids to flow through. If your dog prefers to urinate in a specific spot, you can spot clean the area with a simple vinegar water solution every week to disinfect the area. If your dog doesn’t have a preferred spot or you do not know where he goes you can simply hose down the yard every week.

  

• Bugs

  One of the major pros of having an artificial lawn is that there will be no more fleas or other bugs in your yard. Artificial turf forces the bugs to migrate to a different yard because the artificial turf eliminates their food so bugs cannot survive if they stay in your yard. Hence, you will not need to spray your yard with toxic pesticides.

  Artificial turf is a great investment for your home and for your pet.But make sure you do your research and you install the turf properly. If you need help understanding which options would be best for your yard, pet and yourself fill out our contact form for more information and free.