Best Lawn for Your Dog

Kenda® Kikuyu Turf

Kenda® Kikuyu is probably one of the most popular turfs for dog owners as it has the best wear and tear, remains green year-round and is also fast growing. It is also found in yards where large, active and sometimes naughty dogs may live.

Unlike common Kikuyu, the Kenda® lawn variety has proven to have a stronger and more vigorous root-growing system, resulting in a quicker establishment period and it being better suited to “tough dog” wear tolerance.

From planting to cutting – good quality Kenda® turf is produced in just five to eight months – with an amazing quick regrowth period.

Kenda® Kikuyu lawn is also great for sunny home lawns that require the ultimate in wear recovery. Its quick repair capabilities make it ideal for energetic dogs, kids playing in the backyard and lots of backyard sports and parties.

To maintain protective growth cover, during warmer months mow Kenda Kikuyu every 7 – 10 days to a height of 50mm and every 3 to 6 weeks in cooler months.

Where it grows: Kenda Kikuyu grows well in southern Queensland, New South Wales, ACT, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia. Your local farmer and suppliers can easily be found with our online supplier locator tool.

Expect to pay: Between $9 and $16 per square metre. To get more Kenda Kikuyu pricing info, visit our Kenda Kikuyu info page and get 3 quotes from your local farmers and suppliers today.

OZTUFF® Turf

OZTUFF®Couch is an excellent hard-wearing grass for families with very active dogs.

This home-bred Couch stays green and recovers rapidly following damage from wear and tear.

OZTUFF’s deep-rooted system gives it robust characteristics and its soft green grass cover protects the underlying growth from dog activity.

Water OZTUFF Couch when you notice the lawn browning off. Infrequent deep watering of your OZTUFF Couch is recommended early in the morning.

To maintain protective growth cover, during warmer months mow OZTUFF Couch every 7 – 21 days to a height of 25mm and in cooler conditions every 3 to 6 weeks to a height of 30mm.

Where it grows:  OZTUFF Couch is well-suited in Queensland, New South Wales, ACT and Victoria. Your local farmers and suppliers can easily be found with our online supplier locator tool.

Expect to pay: Between $8 and $14 per square metre. To get more OZTUFF pricing info, visit our OZTUFF information page and get 3 quotes from your local farmers and suppliers today.

Zoysia grasses are more suitable for medium wear and tear from dogs as they have slower regrowth compared to other varieties, ideal options are Empire®Zoysia, Nara Native®Zoysia and Augusta® Zoysia Lawn.

Nara™ Native Zoysia

Nara Native grass can tolerate medium hard-wearing conditions because it has slower re-growth compared to Kikuyu, Couch and Buffalo varieties.

If you have dogs playing on your Nara Native Zoysia mow to a height of 50cm in the sun or 70cm in shade.

When you notice your Nara Native wilting, deep infrequent water early in the morning is recommended.

Where it grows: Nara Native Zoysia grows well in Queensland, New South Wales, ACT, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory. Your local Nara farmers and suppliers can easily be found with our online supplier locator tool.

Expect to pay: Between $12 and $22 per square metre. To get more Nara Zoysia pricing info, visit our Nara Zoysia info page and get 3 quotes from your local farmers and suppliers today.

Empire™ Zoysia

Empire Zoysia is another good choice for areas with medium traffic activity. Empire Zoysia is water-efficient and maintains a good winter colour.

To keep your Empire Zoysia in good shape with dogs playing on it all the time, mow to a height of 50cm in the sun or 70cm in shade.

During dry conditions, you only need to water your Empire Zoysia when you notice leaf wilting. Water infrequently and deeply early in the morning.

Where it grows: Empire Zoysia grows well in Queensland, New South Wales, ACT, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory. Your local Empire farmers and suppliers can easily be found with our online supplier locator tool.

Expect to pay: Between $13 and $22 per square metre. To get more Empire Zoysia pricing info, visit our Empire Zoysia info page and get 3 quotes from your local Empire farmers and suppliers today.

Augusta® Zoysia Lawn

Augusta Zoysia Lawn has become one of the most adaptable soil-performing lawns on the market and is recognised for its high shade tolerance and rigorous root systems making it an ideal choice for active households with large pets.

Augusta’s deep-rooted system also means it is an efficient water user, exceptionally suitable for drought prone regions and an ideal choice for areas with low rainfall or council water restrictions.

So, your Augusta Zoysia Lawn maintains wearability mow to a height of 50mm in the sun and 70mm in shade. During dry conditions, you only need to water your Augusta lawn when you notice leaves wilting.

Water Augusta Zoysia infrequently and deeply early in the morning.

Where it grows: Currently your Augusta® Zoysia Lawn can be delivered to Brisbane, Gold Coast, south east Queensland and Sydney. Your local Augusta® Zoysia farmer or suppliers can easily be found with our online supplier locator tool.

Expect to pay: Between $23 and $27 per square metre. To get more Augusta® Zoysia Lawn pricing info, visit our Augusta® Zoysia Lawn info page and get 3 quotes from your local Augusta farmers and suppliers today.

While choosing a lawn grass type that can stand up to dogs goes a long way, it doesn’t negate proper maintenance or regular fertilising and care.

Regardless of what grass type you choose, dogs will damage your lawn. Whether by trampling, digging or frequent urination, accepting damage is a fact of life when you own dogs.

You can mitigate the damage by limiting your dog’s urinary habits to one spot, seasonally applying lime to the ground to neutralize the acidity of dog urine, and water-down bathroom areas to dilute the nitrogen and other minerals that can damage your lawn.

Visit the Quick Lawn Selection Guide to see which lawn best suits you and your pets.

How to Stop Dog Urine from Killing my Grass

Dog urine is your lawn’s enemy, creating unsightly yellow burnt patches in an otherwise lush green carpet. Caused by a variety of nitrogen compounds in the urine, recurring urination, especially in the same location, can cause permanent damage to your lawn. 

While urine is the usual suspect if you have a dog, burnt patches in your lawn can be caused by lawn diseases, so it is prudent to check to confirm.

One to check the sort of damage is to grab some grass shoots from the damaged area and lift them. If they are firmly attached by the roots, the damage is probably due to dog urine, however, if they come away, and are loose, there may be another culprit at play. In this case, you should assume that your lawn damage is being caused by disease, and you should seek advice on how best to treat the problem.

Hydrate your Grass

Keep both your grass, and your dog, hydrated, and hopefully, you’ll see an improvement in the health of your lawn.

If you catch your dog in the act, aim to saturate the area with water immediately. This will serve to dilute the urine and reduce the amount of damage caused to your lawn.

Making sure that your dog is also well hydrated can also go a long way to reducing the concentration of their urine, and minimising the burning effects on your lawn.

Decrease Nitrogen in your Dog’s Urine

Your dog’s urine is a reflection of its diet, so consider your dog’s feeding habits, and whether it is contributing to the problem. High protein diets and highly processed foods could be adding to the problem, so take the time to review their dog bowl, and substitute with foods that are more lawn-friendly. 

Try adding dog rocks to your dog’s drinking water – these are natural rocks that draw out the nitrates from the water, which means they aren’t passed in your dog’s urine. 

Train your Dog to Urinate Elsewhere

Breaking your dog’s bad habits can be a challenge, but it’s not impossible. With positive reinforcement, and some patience, you can retrain your dog to pee in places other than your prized lawn.  

Pee posts are designed to attract dogs, drawing them away from your lawn for their regular bladder relief. 

You could also use a citronella spray to deter them from urinating where you don’t want them to. Just spray the affected area with a scented spray, and hope that your dog gets the message.

To safeguard the health of your family pet, look for products that are non-toxic to dogs, while also maintaining the health and vigour of your lawn. 

LawnPride Hydramaxx G 4kg

LawnPride Kelp ER 5L Concentrate

Lawns should be enjoyed with friends and family, including our pets, and there’s a range of excellent pet-friendly lawn varieties. Unfortunately, pets also come with responsibilities, and urine patches on your hard-earned lawn are a real threat.

Short of getting rid of your furry friend, urine patches are to be expected. You can better manage the negative effects of urine on your lawns by encouraging your dog to relieve himself elsewhere and addressing any dietary factors that may be contributing to their toxic urine. 

To maintain a healthy, vibrant lawn, browse our range of leading maintenance products at myhomeTURF’s online store.