Artificial grass for dogs: The Ultimate Pet turf Buyer’s Guide
Artificial turf is one of the easiest and most cost-efficient ways to keep your lawn green and clean all year round, with minimal maintenance and yard work. As a dog owner though, you might think that fake grass and pets don’t mix. This is not the case, however. In fact, in most cases, an artificial turf lawn is the ideal yard for you and your dog, with less of the chores and potential problems you can have to deal with when you have a regular grass lawn.
Is Artificial Grass Pet Friendly?
If you are a dog owner, one of the first questions on your mind when considering artificial turf is how the switch to fake grass will affect your canine companion. The short answer is that although synthetic grass is not suitable for every dog, for most canines artificial turf can be just as safe, hygienic, and comfortable as real grass, depending on your dog and the type of synthetic grass you install.
Real Grass vs Fake Grass For Dogs
Fake grass has a lot of benefits over real grass for dog owners, but for some dogs, real grass has its advantages too.
Benefits of Fake Grass for Dogs
- Easy to Clean
It is easy to clean solid waste off the fake grass, and with the right infill and artificial grass membrane, urine will soak through without leaving an odor. Not all types of artificial grass work this way though, so make sure to ask your artificial grass installer about the right options for dog owners.
- No Pesticides
You don’t need to worry about pesticides affecting your dog’s health with fake grass, as it prevents weed growth without the use of pesticides.
- Fewer Garden Pests
Real grass encourages many insects and small critters to visit your yard, potentially infesting your dog’s fur and being brought into your home, such as fleas. With a fake grass yard, these creatures have little reason to stick around in your yard.
Benefits of Real Grass for Dogs
- Safe to Eat
Some dogs like to chew and eat vegetation such as grass, and they could mistake fake grass for the real thing, and attempt to eat it. Fake grass is much more tough and durable so it may not be successful, but it can still present danger in these cases.
- Some Dogs Like to Dig
While some dog owners try to prevent their dogs from digging up the lawn, this is something that some dogs like to do, and you might be happy to let your pooch dig and bury their treasures in your yard. Fake grass will not allow your dog to do this and might become damaged if they try. If your dog is a digger, consider retaining a dirt area in your yard so they can still dig without damaging the artificial turf.
Why Should you Install Artificial Grass for Dogs?
Las Vegas Artificial grass is very low maintenance compared to real grass, as well as much more durable. If you have several dogs or just one highly energetic pup, they can easily wear out bare patches into a real grass lawn through everyday play. Artificial grass holds up to this kind of treatment much better. It is also much more hygienic when your pet does its business, as waste can easily be removed and washed away, and you don’t need to worry about contaminating the soil or vegetation over time.
Why your Dog will Love Artificial Grass
Fake grass can make life more convenient for you as a dog owner, but your dog has plenty of reasons to love it too.
For starters, artificial turf won’t leave your dog covered in dirt and grass when they play outside, which means you won’t need to bathe them after they’ve been rolling around in the yard.
It also makes toilet time less stressful for your dog as well as you, especially if you don’t let your dog go on the lawn for fear of it ruining the turf. Since artificial turf is so much easier to keep clean, you can let them go anywhere without it damaging your synthetic grass.
How it will Make the Pet Owner’s Job Easier?
As a pet owner, artificial turf can greatly reduce the amount of work you need to put into keeping your yard a clean and inviting environment for your pets, family, and guests, and it’s not just that it makes cleaning up after your pet easier.
To maintain a synthetic grass lawn, all you really need to do most of the time is give it a quick spray with the hose once a week, and sweep it about once a month. You don’t need to worry about your dog wearing out the turf, and it completely eliminates many of the more annoying yard chores like aerating the soil and weeding the lawn.
How Much Does Fake Grass for Dogs Cost?
Most artificial turf products that are suitable for dogs cost around $1 to $2 per square foot of synthetic grass.
What To Look For When Buying Artificial Turf For Dogs
If you are installing artificial turf in your yard and you have a dog that will be using the lawn to relieve itself, make sure to avoid synthetic grass products with a latex backing. These can retain urine to create a lingering bad odor in the area your dog uses. The backing should also be permeable so that liquids can drain out into the sub-base material under the grass, which should be a porous material like granite or limestone chippings that allow liquids to drain.
Shorter pile heights of around 1.5 inches or less tend to be a little more durable when it comes to withstanding the wear and tear of your dog running around and digging their claws into the grass as they play. Shorter pile heights also make it harder and less tempting for your dog to bite at and attempt to chew the blades of grass.
What’s the Best Artificial Grass for Dogs?
Our Gold 77 range is a great artificial grass option for dog owners, as it features our shortest pile height beside the Putt Pro putting greens. Besides making the grass safer for your dog and also more durable, this also makes cleaning up after your pet easier, as shorter blades of grass mean things don’t get matted or embedded as easily.
All Festival Turf synthetic grass products are available with various non-latex backings, and we can use a range of infill materials according to the situation, including materials that are chosen specifically to enable better drainage and prevent pet odors.
Getting an artificial turf lawn as a dog owner can make a lot of sense, as it significantly reduces your yard work while keeping your lawn looking great, it can be more hygienic and easier to clean, and stands up well for the activities of even the most energetic of dogs. Owning a dog does add a few extra considerations to the buying process, however. If you need any help or advice in deciding on the best artificial turf option for both you and your pet, don’t hesitate to contact us and we’ll be happy to answer any questions you might have.
