The relationship between a dog and its keeper is priceless. People adore their dogs, and build special places for them in their homes and hearts, most even treat them as family, or children. But this love and affection is not one-sided. Dogs, as we all know, are famous for their loyalty and care. Your four-legged friend never leaves you alone in bad times: standing by you in thick and thin.
If you plan to treat your canine pal with something big, then artificial turf for dogs sounds like a great plan.
Before finalizing that thought, we suggest you read this article to know all the pros and cons of artificial grass for dogs.
Pros of Artificial Turf for Dogs
Artificial grass is an excellent replacement for natural grass. It has many advantages when compared to natural grass. Over time, the quality and texture of the synthetic grass has become better than ever, and for this reason alone, many people are shifting from natural lawns to artificial ones.
So, let’s have a look at the benefits of artificial grass for dogs.
Conserve Water
According to research, around 9 billion gallons of water is used for landscape irrigation in the USA. Where many areas have water shortages wasting this much of a valuable resource on grass is useless. With artificial grass, you conserve water without destroying the appearance of the grass. Reducing water usage also reduces your monthly bill, which helps in saving a significant amount of time.
Non-Toxic and Non-Allergenic
As there are no pesticides and fertilizers used to grow artificial grass for dogs, it is quite a safe option for your animal pals and for humans too. Moreover, it is made of nylon fibers or other synthetic fibers which are non-toxic.
Since fake grass does not grow, and does not easily allow plants or weeds to grow through it, there are no pollens released into it which can cause allergies in humans and animals.
All-weather Grass
Artificial grass looks clean and neat in all weather conditions. Changes in the weather have no impact on the appearance or quality of fake grass. It looks beautiful all year round. While natural grass gets muddy and dirty during rains, synthetic turfs stays great looking all the time. You and your dog can enjoy the weather without a fear of getting dirty or tracking footprints into the house or on furniture.
Durability
Artificial grass is made from highly durable material due to which it is recommended for pet owners. It can withstand the digging of the dogs and is stain resistant. Its color does not fade, and it lasts for years without significant damage. It is a perfect place for your pet to run and play. Hence, this one-time investment is quite profitable.
Low Maintenance
You do not have to spend all your time and energy maintaining your synthetic lawn; it is enough to just sweep it through with a stiff broom or long-handled brush once a week. When you choose artificial turf for dogs, you are free from wasting time and money in watering the turf, removing weeds from it, and fertilizing it. If your dog pees on it, you do not have to clean the turf as it will pass through the 100% permeable surface of the turf into the ground and drains away. Just hose it down. Synthetic lawns also save you the cost of hiring a professional to maintain your natural grass lawn.
Environmentally Friendly
The artificial turfs don’t release carbon dioxide nor do they use gas-powered lawnmowers for maintenance. Additionally, not using fertilizers and pesticides makes them very environmentally friendly.
You must be thinking that turf production includes the emission of different harmful gases into the atmosphere, but that does not total to the number of gases released in maintaining the natural lawn which equipment that uses fossil fuels. And almost everyone who has a lawn mower that runs on petrol or diesel, knows what we mean.
Cons of Artificial Turf for Dogs
As we have already promised in this article to help you decide by providing detailed information regarding the pros and cons of artificial turf for dogs, here are some disadvantages for you to look at.
Heats Up In Summers
Artificial grass for dogs is not heat resistant. During hot summer days, it is exposed to heat for most of the hours of the day. Direct sunlight can increase its temperature up many degrees, making it seemingly unsuitable for outdoor activities if you live in extremely hot areas.
The good news is, you can fight this problem. By adding infill you actually increase the artificial turf’s resistance to heat, as infill keeps the turf at average temperature by evaporation process. Another solution is to install grass with heat-resistant material, but know this variety of turf is more expensive than the normal one.
Artificial Grass Melts
The melting point of synthetic turf ranges between 175 to 200 Fahrenheit.
Although artificial grass is non-flammable, it will melt if you keep something hot like bbq grills directly on it. Also though direct sunlight cannot melt fake grass, but the reflection from energy-efficient widows can be the leading cause of melting turf. Even with such high melting point, it can resist heat only to a specific limit that energy-saving windows cross by reflecting heat. What you can do is place a protective film or screen outside your window to eliminate the exposure of heat waves from the glass.
Affects Biodiversity
Natural gardens are a shelter for wildlife, plants, and flowers. By replacing them with artificial turf, you are affecting the habitat of hundreds of species. You can eliminate this problem by planting trees in other places near your house and around the perimeter of your synthetic lawn. It will secure the home of wildlife while still providing you a healthy place for your dogs and family members to enjoy on.
Odor Build Up
Unlike natural grass lawns, artificial lawns are low maintenance, but they still do require some efforts to stay clean and have a longer lifespan. With time synthetic grass may develop an odor due to rough usage by dogs and other family members. This can be easily prevented by cleaning up immediately after spills and accidents. Being a little more careful in cleaning the turf lets you keep it for longer.
Final Words
While there are some disadvantages of artificial grass for dogs, none are unsurmountable. You cannot ignore the multiple benefits the grass provides. With a well-researched approach, you can combat the cons and enjoy your synthetic lawn with your family. Make the right decision on installing artificial turf for dogs, we suggest you experience it for yourself.
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