One thing you might try is to layer some charcoal in the soil to absorb odor and a bit of sand to improve drainage. Then put an inch of some regular old unscented cat litter over the top. Scoop weekly.

good idea..I never thought of the kitty litter...duh!!! Thank you!!!!!

I've been suffering with that problem for years!!!
I only have one dog that kills the grass.......and boy can she kill some grass!!! I've tried the diet change....for years......nothing works! so I have trained her to go in an area I can't see!.......It took a year...but now she only
potties there!
I used to wait and spray the area down with water right away.......sometimes it worked.......but after years of that............I just had to give her an area......and call it hers!

Haziemoon

What is the yeast for Keesha???

I have given it to my dogs in the past to make their blood taste bad to fleas, it worked fairly well but now we've moved there don't seem to be many fleas here. I found I could get it at the health food store as flakes and sprinkle on their food - cheaper than tablets and they LOVE the taste! Many moons ago I took it while pregnant to round out my diet - arrgg! Nasty! But it does give you energy.

I wish my dogs would go in one place! They refuse to eliminate in a soiled area and especially love to go on the paths.
GH-

it is supose to help the brown spots in the lawn be less...but not get rid of them. It somehow changes the acidity a bit in thier urine. Or so I have been told, My sister says she noticed a improvemnt..tho not a fix.

I wish I could teach her to go somewhere I couldn't see it..but she is just to old to walk very far...her days are quite numbers. I am afraid the big decision of having her put to sleep in more near than I want to think about. Walking is a struggle for her, tho she is as happy as can be most of the time so it makes the decision difficult. I always say, I wouldn't put my grandma to sleep just because she can't walk like she use to...but...it won't be long where it is just not going to be a choice any longer. I hate to say. It is so difficult to do. Over the years, we have had to do it several times to various pets and it never is good.

If you go to your local pet store, they should have a solution that works for you. They have a few options ranging from, a pill that neutralizes something in their urine to something you spray on the lawn that basically neutralizes the same thing, only once it is on the lawn. Another place you might seek counsel is from the grass/lawn forum. They are real green lawn nuts over there and I am sure that someone over there will have the perfect solution for you.

We had the same problem with our dog, but he is at the opposite end of the age spectrum- he is a puppy. We got him last fall when he was only 8 weeks old, this winter when he was still being potty trained we would have to take him out several times each night... when it was cold and dark and snow was on the ground I didn't want to walk him back to the woods to go potty, so I would walk him off the porch and right off the walk and let him go there.. well that became a bad habbit so he started going there all the time. When the snow melted and things started to green up- that grass was all dead. Luckily he is older now and requires privacy to attend to his "needs" so he willingly goes to the woods for potty breaks. But where he frequented all winter- the grass has grown back- and with vigor! It grows aprox 3 times as fast and much greener than the rest of the grass in the yard! lol! dogs! My husband swore we would never have one, but now we do and he laughingly puts up with all the "challenges" the puppy brings.

best of luck!
bluejean in ohio

I have attached a link that is probably one of the best and most thorough discussions of this problem. Essentially, the problem boils down to fertilizer burn - dog urine contains concentrations of nitrogen that are excessive for turf grasses. Diluting the area with water as soon as possible after the dog urinates will help considerably (and with the smell, also). Encouraging more dilute urine is also suggested - dosing the dog's food with tomato juice is one method, as the juice has a high sodium content, stimulating the dog to drink more water and producing more dilute urine. However high sodium or salt levels can be harmful to older dogs, so consult with your vet first. There are also tablets available that will neutralize some of the nitrogen in the urine - essentially chlorophyll - that are harmless and pretty effective.

Here is a link that might be useful: Dogs and lawns

thank you! I apppreciate your taking time to address my posts.

spread pulverized lime over your lawn or you can pour concentrated tomato juice on those brown spots if you have just a few. we find that a 5lb. bag of pulverized lime in the spreader does the trick each summer and it makes your grass super green!

Thanks all for the info. The inlaws visited for a week and brought their dog who used the front yard to eliminate, grrrr, leaving me with a few too many brown spots.
My 3 dogs only use the backyard;) My only complaint with mine they only eliminate on the good side of the yard and not on the junky side. Where's that can of tomato juice. Thanks Laurie

Since your dog is old and tired, I think the kitty litter (or something similar) idea may be the way to go. Give up on grass for now. Maybe put some potted plants in the area so it's not too too obvious...and hope she still uses it.

I just want to say that we've been using a glucosamine product for our dog that has really helped him with his achy stiff joints. Try PetSmart or some other pet store.

I get a product from Drs. Foster & Smith called JointCare for my 13 yo beagle. It's their own brand and is especially formulated for older dogs suffering from arthritis, etc. They have 3 different levels of it, depending on the dog's needs. Anyway, she used to be real stiff getting up and down stairs and the like. Now, she has no problems and I am amazed at the change. You can get it online or request a catalog.