Is Artificial Grass Safe for Pets?

If you’re the proud owner of a dog, you surely want to give him a healthy and safe place to roam and play. After all, a tired dog is a happy dog, and most dog breeds require quite a bit of hearty play to work up that fatigue.

Artificial grass might raise some concerns, however. If it’s “fake” grass then surely it can’t be healthy to have your pup roam around on plastic, can it? The reality is that specially-designed pet-friendly artificial grass offers numerous benefits for puppers and in many cases is an excellent alternative to real grass.

Below are a few things to keep in mind about pet-friendly artificial grass:

Durable, Dig-Proof Materials

Dog mums and dog dads alike can rest assured that pet-friendly artificial grass is designed to be tough and durable. It’s rugged enough to stand up to the habits that many dog breeds exhibit, such as gnawing, biting, or digging.

The turf’s backing and “grass blades” are made of tough materials that resist these behaviours, yet are similar enough to real grass so as to stimulate that natural behaviour from your dog (that’s a good thing). It might seem silly, but your dog doesn’t actually need to dig a hole – just feeling like he is doing it on fake grass still triggers that instinct.

Think of it this way, you don’t need to take your dog out hunting game – a stick and ball can stimulate that natural behaviour artificially, making him feel purposeful and giving him his much-needed exercise for the day.

Free of Bugs and Allergies

Artificial grass is not exactly a suitable breeding ground for bugs or allergens that might bother your little (or big) pup, so there’s no need to worry about bee stings or other nasty critters bothering him as he plays.

Moreover, artificial grass is hygienic because it doesn’t need pesticide treatment like you might do with real grass to kill weeds. These sorts of chemical treatments can leave behind residue that your dog can ingest. No need to worry with artificial grass.

Easy to Maintain

There is no need to mow an artificial lawn nor is there any need to feed it with nutrients or nitrogen since, obviously, there’s no real organic soil or grass growing at all. Essentially, artificial grass is maintenance-free, for all intents and purposes.

Specifically, some light maintenance may be required from time to time, such as patching up matted or damaged sections, although the maintenance is practically nothing compared to real grass.

Easy to Clean

Cleanliness is important for hygiene. You may not (hopefully) get on all fours and gnaw at grass blades, but fluffy puppers do have this inclination and enjoy indulging in it from time to time.

Sometimes, especially when potty training, your dog may eliminate outdoors and leave behind residue. Dogs often repeatedly eliminate in the same area, and their urine can, over time, be too much for real soil to efficiently wick away.

With artificial grass, cleaning up after your pup is much easier. Faecal matter can be sprayed down and clumps can be removed by hand. Disinfect the surface and allow the backing to filter out urine and harmful bacteria.