Artificial Grass · 6 min read
Is artificial grass good for dogs?
Dogs are the single most common reason Hertfordshire homeowners call us about artificial grass. Here is what actually matters.
Why dog owners switch
A natural lawn and a dog that uses the garden several times a day are rarely compatible in a garden of average size. Worn tracks form along the fence line, urine burns the grass, and from October to April the whole thing turns to mud that comes back into the house.
Artificial grass removes the mud entirely and gives a surface that recovers from constant use.
What makes a lawn genuinely pet friendly
- A fully permeable backing so liquid passes straight through rather than pooling
- An open, free-draining sub-base rather than a tightly blinded sand layer
- Adequate drainage beneath, with a soakaway where the garden holds water
- A denser, slightly shorter pile that recovers well under repeated use
- Edging fixed securely so a determined dog cannot lift a corner
Odour and cleaning
Odour comes from residue sitting on the surface or in a poorly draining base, not from the grass itself. Remove solids as you would on a natural lawn and rinse the area through periodically, particularly in hot, dry weather.
Where a dog favours one spot, an enzyme cleaner used occasionally deals with anything that lingers. A properly drained lawn rarely needs more than that.
Digging and durability
Dogs that dig usually stop once there is nothing to dig into — the membrane and compacted base give little reward. The vulnerable points are the edges, which is why we fix perimeters rather than relying on pegs alone.