Thanks for the data point on sugar not working for you. Many people are satisfied with it, but there have to be exceptions.

Have you fertilized this year? Specifically have you used any organic fertilizer? It could be that your soil biology is so far out of whack that the sugar had nothing to feed. Those of us on permanent organic programs don't seem to have dog spot problems (and we used to).

I would not feed the dogs anything special.

Yes have fertilized this year and the soil and lawn is in excellent condition - I am maintaining an organic program…I did put sugar down before we had 3 days of rain and I am now wondering if it does work since the patches look much smaller…hmmm perhaps I was impatient - how long does it usually take to see response from the sugar?….if there are no other remedies I will continue with the sugar and try to water after I catch the dogs going

Depending on your situation, you might try tackling the problem with a landscape solution. If the dogs are trainable, you might try devoting an inconspicuous area to wood chips or another medium (such as a softer mulch material) and teaching the dogs to do their business there.

If the area is a permanent 'kennel' space, usually dogs instinctively devote a small area just for that purpose, breaking that habit only to mark territory when another animal comes around.

A reasonable area off to the side of the yard covered in wood chips (often available for free from municipalities or commercial tree trimmers) might solve your problem. Find a fake fire hydrant, or plant a tree and let them at it.

I am in a similar situation to Pippin, same state, grass, and have urine patches.

However, these patches just started getting worse the last several weeks. I mulch mow, used synthetic fert. at the beginning of the season. Irrigation system installed. I used milo. about 2 1/2 weeks ago. Coincidental that the urine patches have gotten worse in that last several weeks? Or does the hot weather lead to more stress on the lawn?

Hotter weather definitely stresses the lawn a lot more, and evaporates the water in the soil faster. That water was diluting the urine as it hit and diffused outward. Hotter weather also increases the probability of burn from the nitrogen excess.

Watering the urine spots as the dog does it can help--if you can do so. The sugar method works, as does moving to pure organic feeding.

However, even I'll get the occasional singe when the weather is hot and very dry.

Regarding the sprinkling of the sugar - is that something that can be done when the brown spots appear and still be effective? If I am outside and see where the dog has gone I spray with water but cannot always be that vigilant. Will the sugar still be effective after the damage has shown itself??

Yes, do it after you see the brown spots. Some grasses will magically restore and some might not. Fescue and rye might not but all the others should.

Thanks All, an unintended consequence to adding sugar- attracting ants.

I will try the sugar trick as I am getting tired of detaching and seeding the burnt grass.

This was my first application of milo on the lawn so hopefully a pure organic feeding will improve the overall health of the lawn.

The Milo will help, but it'll take more of an organic base to stop the dog burns. Usually you need enough carbon in the soil (and soil life living on said carbon) to fix and immobilize the nitrogen from the dog pee. And there's a lot of nitrogen in pee.

Thanks very much for the info. I have KBG so will try the sugar.

I second the potty spot. I have a area with pea pebble they have been trained to go since pups. I'd say 90% of the time they pee there. Sometimes in rain I just don't care lol

If you can train them to go in a ground cover that works very well. Peeing in pea gravel will stink unless you have compost or something in there.

Our potty area is the very back of the yard and it only smells after no rain and very hot weather in the summer.

Following up from last season. Last year I applied Milo about 4 times, the last was sometime in October. A synthetic went down in late October/Nov before the ground froze. Grass is starting to look great and growing at a fast pace.

However, I noticed many dead spots from dog urine patches. This winter was very mild in Massachusetts. I guess I have to spot seed the areas again.

I was hoping one year of organic base would prevent

Morpheus informed you earlier that, "The Milo will help, but it'll take more of an organic base to stop the dog burns. Usually you need enough carbon in the soil (and soil life living on said carbon) to fix and immobilize the nitrogen from the dog pee. And there's a lot of nitrogen in pee."

It takes time, frequent feedings of organics (grains such as corn, soybean, alfalfa, etc.), and constant mulch mowing (both grass and leaves) in order to establish a higher organic base. Four applications of milorganite is definitely not enough.

Give the dog less water. Get rid of the dog.

Sorry. That's really all I've got.

It looks like you got a lot of good suggestions though. I hope you have some success with at least a couple of them. Good luck!