One of the best ways to counter the effects of nitrogen burn is to dilute your dog's urine – but you have to dilute the urine before it dries on the grass. If you can pour water on the urine immediately after the dog relieves himself then this can be enough to prevent the urine from burning the grass.
Many owners, however, can't follow their dogs around with a container of water every time the dog needs to relieve himself, so keeping the lawn adequately watered may be an easier solution for some pet owners.
If you live in an area that naturally has a significant precipitation in the fall, winter and spring, you may only have to deal with urine burn in the hotter, drier summer months. The problem of urine burn hits a peak during the hot, dry months when it is virtually impossible to prevent a dog's urine from drying in the grass.
To help combat urine burn in the summer – or year-round in areas that stay warm and dry – one possible answer to the issue might be in the type of grass that is growing underfoot. There are grasses that are more resilient to dog urine.
For example, a study done in 1981 by A.W. Allard, D.V.M., of the effects of dog urine on four different grasses in Colorado showed fescue and perennial ryegrass to be the most resistant to dog urine, and Kentucky bluegrass and Bermuda grass to be the most sensitive.
However, the reverse seems to be true in a different area, notably the Southern region, where fescue tends to really show urine burn in hot weather and Bermuda grass seems to be more durable to dog urine.
Of course, if you live in Nebraska, for example, what works and what doesn't could be completely different. Unfortunately, there isn't a universal “dog urine grass test” that you can choose from. You must figure it out by testing different grasses on your lawn, depending on your area.
If you would like to skip the trouble of personal trial and error of testing different grass then the best option is to talk with someone in your area that knows. A good place to start is your agriculture extension office.
Another option is someone from a reputable nursery who is truly knowledgeable about what grasses tolerate dog urine in your location, not to mention what plants can withstand urine burn.
Local nurseries that have worked with dog-owning homeowners should be savvy as to more urine-friendly plants that will work in the backyard. Good choices in many areas of the country include Chinese holly and barberry bushes.
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