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Terms of Use wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Learn why people trust wikiHow
Categories
Home and Garden
Yard and Outdoors
Lawn Care
Growing Lawn
How to Grow Grass in High Traffic Dog Areas Explore this Article IN THIS ARTICLE 1 Pick a hearty, deep-rooting grass species. 2 Rake any bare patches. 3 Mix grass seed and potting soil together. 4 Tamp the seed into the bare patches. 5 Water the area and keep it moist. 6 Protect grass seed with straw or hay. 7 Establish a bathroom area in your yard. 8 Fence off parts of your yard. 9 Pick up poo and wash away urine spots. + Show 6 more... - Show less... Other Sections Related Articles Expert Interview References Co-authored by Benjamin Hansen and Hannah Madden
Last Updated: January 23, 2026 Fact Checked
X
This article was co-authored by Benjamin Hansen and by wikiHow staff writer, Hannah Madden. Benjamin Hansen is a Landscape Contractor and the Owner of Artscape Gardens, a boutique landscaping company in Los Angeles, California. With over 12 years of experience, Benjamin specializes in transforming properties into aesthetic, functional, and drought-tolerant oases. Benjamin uses color scheme, dimension, and water conscious spaces to inspire the design and installation of soft scape, hardscape, patios, pathways, irrigation, drainage, fencing, concrete, lighting, and electrical work. Artscape Gardens covers all areas of the C-27 landscape contractor classification. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 33,832 times.
Think dogs and beautiful lawns can’t mix? Think again! While high-traffic areas do require a bit more love, with the right grass seed and upkeep, you can regrow bare patches and keep your lawn looking luscious all year round. In this article, we’ll walk you through picking out grass seed and regrowing your lawn to start fresh. We’ll also give you some advice on how to keep your dogs off of high-traffic areas and how to maintain a great-looking lawn.
Things You Should Know
Choose a deep-rooting grass species, like tall fescue or Kentucky bluegrass, to give your lawn a fighting chance.
Rake bare patches and sprinkle grass seed mixed with potting soil into the dirt. Cover the area with straw or hay for extra protection.
Water the grass daily to encourage new roots.
Keep dogs off your newly planted lawn by building a fence or training them to go elsewhere.
Steps
1
Pick a hearty, deep-rooting grass species.
Deep-rooting grass has a higher chance of survival. When you’re buying grass seed, stay away from anything with short, shallow roots, like fine fescue, since it will likely get torn up by your dog. Instead, go for hearty grasses like:[1]XResearch source
Tall fescue
Kentucky bluegrass
Bermuda grass
Advertisement 2
Rake any bare patches.
Use a rake to stir up the soil and make grass more likely to stick. Grab a hard rake and gently go over the bare areas that don’t have grass growing. Till the top 1 in (2.5 cm) of the soil so the seeds can put down roots.[2]XResearch source
If you have any dead or dying grass in your yard, use the rake to rake up the dead grass and remove it. Then, you can rake the soil underneath to get it ready for reseeding.
3
Mix grass seed and potting soil together.
Potting soil helps the grass seed stick to the ground better. To prepare your grass seed, mix a handful of seed with a handful of potting soil. If you’re covering a large area, mix a 1:1 ratio of potting soil and grass seed before spreading it.[3]XResearch source
Potting soil also adds valuable nutrients to the ground to help grass seed grow.
Advertisement 4
Tamp the seed into the bare patches.
Pat the seed into the soil so it sticks. Sprinkle the ground with your grass seed mixture, then gently tamp the seed down into the soil. Use your hands or your feet to pat it down until the area is mostly flat.[4]XResearch source
Grass seed is very hearty, so it will have no problem growing roots and establishing itself as long as it makes contact with bare soil.
5
Water the area and keep it moist.
Water the grass seed every day to help it grow. Grass takes a lot of water, especially during warmer months. As the grass grows, water it every day, and make sure the dirt around it never dries out.[5]XResearch source
Consider using an automatic sprinkler system so you don’t have to worry about remembering to water. Plus, motion-activated sprinklers may help keep dogs off your lawn.
Advertisement 6
Protect grass seed with straw or hay.
Cover the grass seed so it has time to put down roots. After you’ve planted the seeds, cover them with a thin layer of straw or hay to lock in moisture and keep the seed from being washed away. Straw and hay provide some protection, but they probably won’t hold up against multiple dogs walking through the area every day.[6]XResearch source
Straw and hay also helps avoid wet soil and mud during the rainy season.
If you do have multiple dogs walking through the area every day, use other methods mentioned below to keep them away from the area.
7
Establish a bathroom area in your yard.
Take your dogs to 1 specific area away from new grass. When your dogs have to go potty outside, lead them to a section of your yard where you aren’t growing new grass.[7]XResearch source If you have the space to do so, you could even build a dog run to keep them in 1 fenced off location.[8]X Expert Source Benjamin HansenLicensed Landscape ContractorExpert Interview
If your dogs are used to roaming free in the yard, take them out on a leash the first few times and lead them to their new potty area.
Advertisement 8
Fence off parts of your yard.
Put up a fence to keep dogs off of new grass. Putting a barrier around your grass ensures that dogs (and humans) won’t disturb it. A temporary fence made of chicken wire will protect your lawn until the grass seed is established.[9]XResearch source
For a more permanent option, build a fence by digging post holes, installing the posts, and filling them in with concrete. Then, add either wood or chain link to connect the posts.
9
Pick up poo and wash away urine spots.
Remove waste from your lawn to avoid more damage. Your dogs are going to do their business on your lawn, but you can still maintain green, luscious grass! When they go number 2, pick up the poop right away and throw it out. When they pee, flood the area with water as soon as possible to wash away urine and stop the grass from turning yellow.[10]XResearch source
If urine spots are a big concern, consider using a pet spot repair treatment on your lawn. Repair treatments help neutralize the acidity of urine and provide nutrients so the grass can grow.
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Expert Interview
Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about lawn care, check out our in-depth interview with Benjamin Hansen.
Co-authored by: Benjamin Hansen Licensed Landscape Contractor This article was co-authored by Benjamin Hansen and by wikiHow staff writer, Hannah Madden. Benjamin Hansen is a Landscape Contractor and the Owner of Artscape Gardens, a boutique landscaping company in Los Angeles, California. With over 12 years of experience, Benjamin specializes in transforming properties into aesthetic, functional, and drought-tolerant oases. Benjamin uses color scheme, dimension, and water conscious spaces to inspire the design and installation of soft scape, hardscape, patios, pathways, irrigation, drainage, fencing, concrete, lighting, and electrical work. Artscape Gardens covers all areas of the C-27 landscape contractor classification. This article has been viewed 33,832 times. 9 votes - 89% Co-authors: 5Updated: January 23, 2026 Views: 33,832 Categories: Growing Lawn In other languages Spanish Portuguese Dutch
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Yes No Advertisement If you buy through links on our site, we may earn a commission.Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Co-authored by: Benjamin Hansen Licensed Landscape Contractor Co-authors: 5Updated: January 23, 2026 Views: 33,83289% of readers found this article helpful. 9 votes - 89% Click a star to add your vote
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Co-authored by: Benjamin Hansen Licensed Landscape Contractor This article was co-authored by Benjamin Hansen and by wikiHow staff writer, Hannah Madden. Benjamin Hansen is a Landscape Contractor and the Owner of Artscape Gardens, a boutique landscaping company in Los Angeles, California. With over 12 years of experience, Benjamin specializes in transforming properties into aesthetic, functional, and drought-tolerant oases. Benjamin uses color scheme, dimension, and water conscious spaces to inspire the design and installation of soft scape, hardscape, patios, pathways, irrigation, drainage, fencing, concrete, lighting, and electrical work. Artscape Gardens covers all areas of the C-27 landscape contractor classification. This article has been viewed 33,832 times. 9 votes - 89% Co-authors: 5 Updated: January 23, 2026 Views: 33,832 Categories: Growing Lawn In other languages Spanish Portuguese Dutch 
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Deep-rooting grass has a higher chance of survival. When you’re buying grass seed, stay away from anything with short, shallow roots, like fine fescue, since it will likely get torn up by your dog. Instead, go for hearty grasses like:[1] 
Use a rake to stir up the soil and make grass more likely to stick. Grab a hard rake and gently go over the bare areas that don’t have grass growing. Till the top 1 in (2.5 cm) of the soil so the seeds can put down roots.[2] 
Potting soil helps the grass seed stick to the ground better. To prepare your grass seed, mix a handful of seed with a handful of potting soil. If you’re covering a large area, mix a 1:1 ratio of potting soil and grass seed before spreading it.[3] 
Pat the seed into the soil so it sticks. Sprinkle the ground with your grass seed mixture, then gently tamp the seed down into the soil. Use your hands or your feet to pat it down until the area is mostly flat.[4] 
Water the grass seed every day to help it grow. Grass takes a lot of water, especially during warmer months. As the grass grows, water it every day, and make sure the dirt around it never dries out.[5] 
Cover the grass seed so it has time to put down roots. After you’ve planted the seeds, cover them with a thin layer of straw or hay to lock in moisture and keep the seed from being washed away. Straw and hay provide some protection, but they probably won’t hold up against multiple dogs walking through the area every day.[6] 
Take your dogs to 1 specific area away from new grass. When your dogs have to go potty outside, lead them to a section of your yard where you aren’t growing new grass.[7] If you have the space to do so, you could even build a dog run to keep them in 1 fenced off location.[8] 
Put up a fence to keep dogs off of new grass. Putting a barrier around your grass ensures that dogs (and humans) won’t disturb it. A temporary fence made of chicken wire will protect your lawn until the grass seed is established.[9] 
Remove waste from your lawn to avoid more damage. Your dogs are going to do their business on your lawn, but you can still maintain green, luscious grass! When they go number 2, pick up the poop right away and throw it out. When they pee, flood the area with water as soon as possible to wash away urine and stop the grass from turning yellow.[10]