Are you desperately searching for a solution to stop your dog from destroying your grass?
If your dog is constantly digging up your natural lawn, resulting in muddy patches and urine stains, it can be a nightmare. Especially in wet weather, when they end up dragging mud all over the rest of the garden and even into the house!
There’s also the chance of things getting worse over time, leading to even more costly damage and extra stress for everyone involved.
However, don’t worry; as a professional landscaper whose helped many homeowners deal with this problem, I may have a solution for you.
Why artificial grass is the best solution to protect your garden
In my opinion, artificial grass is the number one best solution for anyone having trouble with their dogs destroying their garden, because it combats all the issues above and still allows you to have a nice, green lawn. Because it drains any rainfall and dries quickly, it doesn’t get muddy, it won’t stain with urine, and your dog won’t try to dig it up.
In fact, you can check out my blog post entitled ‘Why Artificial Grass is Completely Pet-Friendly’ to learn more. My customers have even found their dogs seem to love the soft, springy feel of it!
Other solutions may be to lay slabs, patio or decking, but this tends to be less appealing for pets and less aesthetically pleasing for you.
Or, you could perhaps corner off an area in your garden for your pets to play and urinate on, which would keep your real grass looking good in the rest of your garden – but they could still end up dragging mud through your home.
One of our customers had a lovely garden, but also a lovely, reasonably large dog. As a result, all the playing and rolling around on the grass caused it to be muddy and patchy all over, and it simply wasn’t growing back. They missed the look of their lovely garden, so artificial grass was the best solution for them. Now, they have a luscious green lawn their dog loves to play on.
A durable, stain-free solution for your pets
Good quality artificial grass is designed to withstand very heavy footfall. It’s strength-tested to exceed British standards, which ensures the blades of grass cannot be pulled out of the weave. Because of this, your dog shouldn’t be able to eat or destroy it. And because it’s made out of plastic, they’re also less inclined to try and dig it up!
The fibres in artificial grass are very different to natural lawns, and can’t be damaged by animal faeces or urine. This means it won’t stain, and any urine should drain through the perforated holes in the backing of the grass and into the aggregate sub-base, leaving no damage or puddling.
You will need to clear up any faeces right away, and quickly hose down the area with water (and sometimes a bit of soap where necessary), but it won’t smell. You’ll also find the rain will help to wash away your dog’s urine.
Advice from an experienced installer
Although most good quality artificial grass should be completely dog-friendly, not all artificial grass will be manufactured the same way, or installed to the same high standards. That’s why the best advice I can give you is to ensure you use a reputable company with a good guarantee. It should cover UV stability (no fading) and tensile strength (to ensure it can withstand heavy footfall), plus workmanship.
You should also ask your chosen installer about the installation process they’ll be using, and whether or not they’re include a fully porous sub-base to ensure your grass will drain properly. As for the grass itself, check the stitch rate (higher = better) and the gauge (distance between rows). They should be close together to ensure the blades of grass won’t come away from the weave.
It’s also prudent to look at previous examples of your chosen installer’s work (either online or in-person). Reading customer reviews and testimonials from customers who have dogs can also be reassuring.
Conclusion
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading, and now you know why artificial grass can be the best solution to stop your dog from destroying your grass. It won’t stain or leave muddy patches, and your dog won’t try to eat it. We’ve found it can withstand even the most unruly of dogs!
Just be sure to choose a reputable installer who can properly guarantee your grass. Ask them about their installation process, and ensure it will include a fully-porous sub-base.
Do you have any questions about installing artificial grass that your dog can safely use? Just pop me a question in the comments – I’m happy to help!
