Dogs and Yards

Dogs are objectively adorable, and when you own a dog they can be your best friend. When humans forget or abandon you, your dog never will. Dogs are the best acquaintances. But...they can be messy, both inside the house and out. You might think that dogs eating things, trampling things, and spreading their waste over things are the only problems inside the house. But they're not; they are big problems outside as well. Read on to learn how to mitigate the effects of dog waste, eating, and trampling in your yard.

Eating: Dogs like to eat a lot of things. This includes shoes, newspapers, and things out on your lawn like small tools, grass, and animal waste. This can contribute to your dogs having health and behavior issues. Also, if your dog eats grass, it can introduce pests to your lawn as well as destroy perfectly healthy grass that could contribute to the overall glow of your yard. If your dog eats solid things like small tools that you might leave sitting out on the patio, it means that you will have lost that tool and it can significantly hurt the dog too. 

Fixing this problem comes down to one thing: oversight. Watching your dog, punishing them when they attempt to eat things they shouldn't, and generally keeping an eye on them so you can keep them out of trouble is the best way to stop dogs from eating things they shouldn't. You can't always watch your dog--there are more important things in the day--but when you can, keep your dog from doing things they shouldn't. They'll learn.

Trampling: Dogs are some of the most playful animals; they like to chase squirrels, roll around with their toys, and sprint in circles just for the fun of it. This is fun to watch and laugh about, but it can hurt your yard--specifically, your lawn. Trampling grass is no joke; it can kill grass by suffocating it or just make it sick by not giving it the room it needs to grow.

If you have a patio, an area with mulch or woodchips, or any other area that doesn't have damageable grass, let your dog play around in that area. You don't want to limit your dog or take away joy from their life in an attempt to keep your lawn perfect but find or designate an area that they can play in.

Waste: The most obvious problem when it comes to dogs in the yard is the waste that they leave behind. It gets in the way, causes problems when you're trying to walk around or mow, and it can stink as well. A Yard Beyond offers dog waste removal, a service you should certainly consider if you have lots of dogs that leave behind plenty of waste. You can also do this job yourself--dog waste removal tools are $10-$20 online or in a hardware store, and you can pick up the waste and bag it yourself. It is a remarkably easy job and can be done in less than thirty minutes, so combine it with another outdoor activity. 

There you have it. Three ways to fix the three biggest problems when it comes to dogs interacting with your lawn. AYB hopes that it helps you enjoy your dogs--and your lawn.

Published October 22, 2023.

Huber, Andreas. "Dog." Wikimedia Commons, 11 Nov. 2015, commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dog_%28128484081%29.jpeg. Accessed 22 Oct. 2023.