Q: My husband insists that urine from female (not male!) dogs will burn spots in our lawn. Do I need to call the white-coat squad or could he possibly be right?
A: I’m not qualified to judge your husband’s mental state but it is true that the urine from female dogs is more likely to burn than that from male dogs. The reason is one that any Mom who has toilet-trained both male and female children understands. Female dogs (and toddlers) usually direct their urine to one spot. Males, on the other hand, are “sprinklers”.
Concentrated dog urine burns grass due to its salt content. Female dogs squat and concentrate their flow in a small area. If a male dog did likewise, the same damage would occur. If you provide an appropriate relief area and train your dogs to use it, the lawn will be spot-free.