Dog owners who are homeowners - how do you fertilize your lawn safely?

[ConfusedGarage]

Seeing the large majority here are dog lovers from the best looking dog thread, figured I'd see what other people do.

Obviously fertilizer in its traditional pellet form that most of us throw down in the spring and fall is toxic as hell and can kill a dog (or anything else for that matter) if they eat the pellets out in the yard before they dissolve, or even make them sick from licking their feet after walking around out there on it. How do you others usually do this while keeping the health of you dog/pet in mind?

I usually wait until I see it is going to rain, and try to do it right before. That way I only need to clean the paws when coming in each time for a day or two, but its still a huge hassle. Is there a better way or different fertilizer? I'm wondering if there is a liquid type I could spray to avoid this.

 

[ccbchevy]

I usually dont, when I do, I do the front and dont let the dogs near it until a good rain or at least a good week of time has passed or so, then I will do the back again keeping them off of it until a good rain or a week or so.

 

[SVT32VDOHC]

I don't cause he just digs half my lawn up, but the two times I did I just got some stuff that said safe for dogs and cats. I still didn't let him on it though. I just sprayed it around, took him to my parents and let him play around there all day. Came home that night, let him go on it the next day.

I used some spray on stuff, not the pellets.

 

[ConfusedGarage]

Ok, sounds about right with what I do, thanks. Just making sure there isn't a better way, or more importantly, some better liquid spray type of product that would make life easier. Wiping 4 paws 5 or 6 times a day gets old, but any dog owner knows it is better than risking them getting sick. I made the mistake of not fertilizing one season, HUGE mistake for me. The weeds came in full force and took forever to push out again.

 

[SVT32VDOHC]

Ok, sounds about right with what I do, thanks. Just making sure there isn't a better way, or more importantly, some better liquid spray type of product that would make life easier. Wiping 4 paws 5 or 6 times a day gets old, but any dog owner knows it is better than risking them getting sick. I made the mistake of not fertilizing one season, HUGE mistake for me. The weeds came in full force and took forever to push out again.

That spray stuff I got was from Ace or Aco...one of the two. Home Depot carried some pet safe spray too.

 

[ConfusedGarage]

That spray stuff I got was from Ace or Aco...one of the two. Home Depot carried some pet safe spray too.

Thanks, I'm gonna give that stuff a try. Sounds a lot better than what I've been doing, even if it is marginally less effective. Appreciate the info.

 

[SVT32VDOHC]

Thanks, I'm gonna give that stuff a try. Sounds a lot better than what I've been doing, even if it is marginally less effective. Appreciate the info.

No problem. I had a HUGE problem with Creeping Charley (large clusters of clover like leafs) and this stuff got rid of 90% of it the first time. A month later I hit the lawn again and it was gone. I just had to fill those areas in with seed later.

 

[mdhmi]

We buy pet-friendly lawncare products and even with those we'll fertilize the front yard and keep the dog out of the front for a couple days & then do the back..

 

[Joe]

I don't fert the back yard where the dogs spend their time outside. There are products that are pet safe as mentioned above.

 

[dave89iroc]

wait for FBODGRL, she knows all sorts of stuff like this, lol

 

[soap]

I only use fertilizer on the front yard. Back yard gets brown piss spots anyway, no sense in fertilizing.

--Joe

 

[Hugger Z]

I just use the pellets before the rain and don't leave them out until it is dissolved. Never had any issues with the dogs.

 

[joestang]

I only use fertilizer on the front yard. Back yard gets brown piss spots anyway, no sense in fertilizing.

--Joe

Same here, doesnt seem worth risking his health since the grass stays green by itself for the most part and is yellow in his regular piss spots.

There is a company called 'natural way' thats like Tru Green but I believe is supposed to be a little bit safer for pets/kids.

 

[LITTLEMAGS]

Dont fert the back yard. FRONT yard i do but i had a bad experience when my lab was only 6 months old. MY neighbor fertilizes and the service sprayed over into my yard. My pup chewed up some grass and almost died. Most horrible experience we ever went through. 1200.00 in ER care for my dog too. I will NEVER risk the health of my dog over green grass.

i end up cutting the grass super short in the back yard to keep the weeds down and have tried the natural stuff and to honest the natural stuff doesnt work great but better than nothing.

 

[70SS 632]

I let my dog fertilize it.

 

[ccbchevy]

wait for FBODGRL, she knows all sorts of stuff like this, lol

Thats funny, I normally dont respond to animal question because of that, I responded to one and we got into a heated argument because I did not agree with her, and I have probably the same amount of experience as she does since I previously trained and breed dogs.

 

[Knexo]

I just use the pellets before the rain and don't leave them out until it is dissolved. Never had any issues with the dogs.

I do the samething and have never had an issue. I just limit her time. I also will run my sprinklers to help disolve it faster in the back yard.

 

[Crazzy_Al]

I don't fertilize my backyard, simply because of my dogs.

 

[Buuhbye guy]

I have a realllly small dog who stands maybe 7" from the ground, anyways I did the same thing wait for a rain fall / fertilize the backyard, wait a week or so depending on the rain fall, when I felt it was okay let him go in the back and then I did the front yard.


*********IMPORTANT************
If you fertilize the front, buy those little fertilize flags that say you just did, I have alot of people who walk there dogs up and down my street, I love my dog just like you love yours so warn others so there dogs dont get sick.

 

[FBODGRL]

wait for FBODGRL, she knows all sorts of stuff like this, lol

:lol:

I was offline for a couple days.

My front yard I usually use a regualr type weed and feed. I have done both spray and pellets. I use the sprinkler if it isn't going to rain within a few hours after. My dog rarely...and I mean really rarely even steps foot on the front lawn.

My back yard I use all natural/organic products that are safe for him. For fertilizer this year I believe I used a brand called Espoma. I have to check at home to be sure. it is a natural/organic fertilizer. They have a couple different types. I used a weed and feed type. It never burns your lawn...which is a huge plus and you don't have to "water it in" although I usually do anyway. The stuff I bought I got at ACO, so it was easy to find and I didn't have to go "someplace special" to pick it up. For weeds I use a combination of white vinegar, salt and a little dish soap. You do not want to use this on weeds in your lawn unless you can be VERY acurate. It is powerful and kills everything. I love this stuff. To prevent clovers, crabgrass and that kind of stuff you can use corn gluten meal right at the beginning of the season. This year I did have a little battle with clovers, which is why I will be doing the corn gluten meal at the very beginning of the season! It will prevent that stuff from even being able to grow. I have not done straight corn gluten meal, but next spring I will be putting it on first thing. http://eartheasy.com/article_corn_gluten.htm

I read alot about using plain sugar to green your lawn. I didn't try it for a few reasons.

I hardly ever water my lawn and the back lawn even less. Everyone tells me it looks good and they can't believe I have a dog :dunno: