Pets and Turf: Is Artificial Grass Suitable for Pets?

We often get questions about whether artificial grass is suitable for pets.

Many dog owners we speak to have reservations about laying artificial grass for their garden, fearful that their pets won’t like it.

But the truth is, we’ve lost count of the number of homeowners who’ve told us how happy their pet is with artificial grass. Perhaps they appreciate the soft dry surface of our landscape lawns, so much nicer than harsh concrete runs, muddy and dusty soil, or – worse still – gravel.

Artificial lawns will not become unpleasantly hot for pets to lie on, although they will, of course, need shade in the heat of the day.

Won’t my pet destroy the synthetic turf?

It depends on the grass: all artificial lawns are not equal!

At TigerTurf, our synthetic lawn turfs are manufactured from the same top-quality components as our renowned sports turfs, which are utterly hammered by the world’s best sports players day after day.

If the world’s top athletes can’t destroy it, then your pets won’t either.

What happens when my pet does its business on the turf?

Animal urine is high in nitrogen, which burns natural grass, killing the blades and causing unsightly brown patches on your natural green lawn.

Synthetic grass is not discoloured by the nitrogen. No matter what your pets leave behind, your artificial lawn will look beautiful as ever.

What’s more, the cleaning routine for artificial grass is swift and easy: just hose it down. Regularly hosing the area is a sensible hygiene practice anyway to avoid any lingering smell of urine.

In some cases, your pet may choose to use one area of your lawn as its toilet all of the time creating an area of high concentration urine creating a noticeable smell. In this instance, TigerTurf has a product that we sell that breaks down the urea eliminating the smells.

Clean up the number twos, just as you would anyway, then hose the surface down to wash away any residue.

If correctly installed, and you have taken expert advice with regard to the appropriate synthetic grass, the surface will drain freely in rain, and water will wash away through the base when you are hosing the surface to refresh the artificial lawn.

Does artificial grass contain any chemicals or toxins that could harm my pet?

Again, this depends on the grass and the manufacturer. Some synthetic turfs contain elements that may harm your pets, but ours don’t!

All TigerTurf products are lead-free. We use the highest quality yarns, from our parent company TenCate, which contain no toxic properties. Because we know where our yarns are manufactured, we can guarantee the safety of the yarns that go into our products. This may not necessarily be the case with all synthetic turf surfaces so it is best to check the yarns’ origins.

Furthermore, synthetic turf has no need for expensive and harmful chemicals, fertilizers, or pesticides. It does not need mowing, and no grass clipping to be carried indoors by children and pets.

There are no chemicals required in the care of manufactured lawns, and overall maintenance is much simpler and less time-consuming than caring for natural grass.

Will artificial grass help reduce parasites such as ticks and fleas in my pet’s fur?

Fleas and ticks struggle to become established on the surface of synthetic grass.

While artificial pet grass won’t completely eliminate pests, it does greatly reduce them. They simply can not live inside the blades of synthetic turf – and of course, there is no soil for them to nest in.

Parasites such as fleas and ticks can live in natural lawns, making it very difficult to control the cycle of egg, larva, pupa, adult flea or tick. But these blood-sucking parasites are not attracted to synthetic grass, solving a major problem for you, and for your pets and children.

A synthetic lawn is a healthy, dry surface for dogs and cats.

Other benefits of synthetic grass for pets:

• It can reduce seasonal allergies for pets that are triggered by grasses.
• No more digging holes and buried bones in the backyard lawn.
• No more muddy paw prints through the house or having to wipe your dog’s paws every time they come inside.
• With no clover to attract bees, the risk of bee stings for animals and children is reduced.
• No prickles! Prickles can be a problem for animals because they stick into sensitive doggy pads and can be difficult to find and remove.
• No grass seeds to become lodged between teeth and pads, which can lead to expensive vet bills.
• You can also wash your dog right on your lawn or in your dog run without getting muddy.
• You may find that your dog’s coat also stays cleaner when s/he is not rolling around in natural grass with exposed soil.

Artificial lawns are much the same as natural lawns. Your pets will enjoy artificial turf just as much as real grass – but without all the dirt, mess, and ruined lawns.

Relax and enjoy your trouble-free TigerTurf lawn

So, with a book in hand, a glass beside your deck chair, you can be part of family time outdoors in your own version of paradise.

You can choose from a number of different surfaces:

The rich, natural green of TigerTurf Envy makes a smooth, formal lawn – restful and cool, especially in hot climates. The 35mm height pile is recommended when your lawn is to be shared with pets. You’ll find the shorter pile a little easier to keep clean.

TigerTurf Summer Envy has a warm bronze glow that creates a relaxed ambience your pets will love. You will particularly appreciate the easy-care, easy living style of synthetic lawn too.

We strongly recommend our TigerTurf Summer Envy 35 XWR landscape lawn for family fun. Similar to Summer Envy, with our most durable yarn fibre woven into the lawn surface, this surface would be a good choice if you are lucky enough to have more than one dog, or if yours is a larger dog.

TigerTurf’s installation always includes effective drainage of the surface, so you’ll find it easy to hose clean, after removing droppings.

Is your dog destroying your lawn? Put an end to endless lawn maintenance today with TigerTurf synthetic lawn. Your pet will love you for it.

Talk to us about our synthetic grass options for pet owners.