Doggie Lawn is a subscription service that delivers real grass for dogs to potty on. I signed up for a subscription in anticipation of preparing an easy place to potty my dog during a snow storm, and not only was I glad that I ordered this, but my dog was too. Read on to find out if Doggie Lawn is a good idea for your dog too.
What is Doggie Lawn?
The Doggie Lawn is sheets of grass grown hydroponically in the Western United States. The patches of grass being grown hydroponically makes them a little neater for home use compared to traditional sheets of sod, which can be messy because of the thick layer of clay underneath the grass.
How Does Doggie Lawn Work?
Doggie Lawn is a natural potty system for dogs that may be used indoors or outdoors. It is used similarly to how pee pads are used, except it is real live grass, making it the most natural alternative to taking your dog outside to potty. When dogs urinate on the Doggie Lawn, the soil absorbs the urine. Solid waste must be picked up the old fashioned way.
Why Should I Use Doggie Lawn Instead of Pottying My Dog Outside?
There are times when taking your dog outside to potty is not a good idea, such as:
When it snows or rains, grass becomes muddy. By giving your dog their own little personal patch of grass sheltered from the elements, you have a clean place to potty your dog. This keeps your dog and your home cleaner. My first subscription was ordered because my dog hates going out in the snow, and I hate having to clean salt and mud off his paws. The Doggie Lawn saved us from messes and misery during this storm!
Dog owners who are pregnant, elderly, or who have mobility problems, are at risk of injury when they must take their dogs outside in icy or slippery conditions. By setting up a Doggie Lawn, they can avoid having to walk outside in unsafe conditions. I ordered a Doggie Lawn for my grandmother to use with her dog in anticipation of a snow storm, and it helped keep her safe.
Senior dogs who live in apartments or condominiums would greatly benefit from using a Doggie Lawn, as it helps them avoid multiple trips down stairs for potty breaks, which can be painful and difficult for arthritic dogs.
How Does Doggie Lawn Compare to Artificial Grass Potty Systems?
Really truly, the two cannot be compared; it is my position that the Doggie Lawn is the clear winner between the two.
Artificial grass is not designed to be disposable, which means it requires much more maintenance to stay minimally clean but still ends up holding onto odors. Personally, I have no desire to scrub my dog’s urine out of artificial grass everyday.
The Doggie Lawn does not require daily cleanings. The maintenance is minimal and I will describe it further below. It tends to just smell like grass even after it is put into use. It is also designed to be disposable, so you can just roll out the new patch when it’s useful life ends.
Doggie Lawn Pros
When I was researching the Doggie Lawn to make my first subscription order, I decided to subscribe because of the following pros:
Doggie Lawn grass is great at absorbing liquid because the grass has a thick base of roots and soil.
The Doggie Lawn subscription service delivers grass on schedule with your dog’s needs, ensuring that you always have a fresh patch of grass for your pup when you need one.
Each new patch of Doggie Lawn comes with a pair of disposable gloves to help you change out the used patch of grass without having to directly handle your dog’s urine.
As of the publishing of this article, Doggie Lawn donates to dog rescue from every purchase made. As an owner of a rescue dog, this made me like the company more.
For dogs who live in Eastern or Central states, there are locally grown options to choose from if shopping local is important to you. These locally grown options are also less expensive than their hydroponically grown counter parts.
Doggie Lawn offers a free training kit and free poop bags for each new subscriber’s first order as of the publishing of this article.
Doggie Lawn also offers free customer support to for training dogs to use their grass potty systems. Customers simply contact the company to schedule an appointment for assistance.
Doggie Lawn Cons
Overall the Doggie Lawn is a great idea, however, I found the following to be draw backs to the system:
The company recommends covering the Doggie Lawn or bringing it indoors in wet weather. I did not like the idea of having to move the dirty grass inside my home from my deck, so I chose to cover it with a trash bag during the snow storm I ordered it in anticipation of. I weighed each corner down with a rock to prevent the trash bag from blowing off. When the snow stopped, I swept off the deck, then lifted the trash bag off the grass. This worked well.
The locally grown options available to dogs in Central and Eastern states are traditional sod, they are not hydroponically grown. As a result, they may be a little messier to use indoors. That said, they are a little less expensive and could be used outdoors such as on a deck to easily off set potential messes.
Doggie Lawn says that their patches last approximately one to four weeks, depending on the number and size of the dogs using the patch. While the system is a great idea for small dogs, for larger dogs, owners might be replacing their patches of grass weekly, which may be cost prohibitive if you are working with a tight budget.
If your dog likes to dig in grass, the Doggie Lawn might not be the best solution since it is real grass. If you are interested in trying it anyway, be prepared with their anti-dig kit made to be used with the Doggie Lawn.
Since Doggie Lawn is real grass, minimally sprayed with pesticides, it is not free of bugs. This means that using the Doggie Lawn cannot eliminate your dog’s exposure to ticks.
Is Doggie Lawn Environmentally Friendly?
Yes! Since the Doggie Lawn is real grass, it is natural and safe for your dog, while being completely disposable and environmentally friendly.
A used patch of Doggie Lawn could be added to a compost pile. The company also sells compost friendly poop bags, helping you reduce your dog’s carbon paw print.
Does the Doggie Lawn Require Maintenance?
The Doggie Lawn should be lightly watered with a watering can to keep the grass fresh. Be sure not to over water, since most dogs do not like getting their paws wet, a soaking wet patch of grass would not be appealing to them. The grass also would not absorb urine as effectively if it becomes saturated with water.
Other than refreshing the grass with a light watering, the only other maintenance is replacing the grass when necessary.
How Do I Train My Dog To Use Doggie Lawn?
To give you an idea of what training would look like, here is how I trained my dog to use his Doggie Lawn:
I unboxed the Doggie Lawn and set it up.
Whenever he had to potty, I leashed him up and grabbed a bag, preparing just like I would if we were going outside.
I led him to the Doggie Lawn and encouraged him to potty just like I would when I took him outside to potty. I waited approximately five to ten minutes with him each time to give him the opportunity to consider using the grass.
At first, he was a little confused because he knows he is not supposed to potty inside. After a few tries, he understood that the Doggie Lawn was the new potty place and began using it.
In anticipation of training your dog to use the Doggie Lawn, you may order an attractant spray from the company called NaturVet Potty Here Spray.
Conclusion
The Doggie Lawn is a great product. I chose to continue my subscription past the snow storm because my dog liked it so much and it was really convenient for me. My dog is now able to relieve himself on my deck at his leisure, which has made working from home much easier for me.
Keep in mind that most dogs are creatures of habit, so be sure to be patient with your dog as he or she learns to use the Doggie Lawn. With training and time, your dog can learn to use the Doggie Lawn too.
To order a Doggie Lawn for your dog, follow this link .