Dog Rocks review – do they really work?
When I moved into my new house I wanted Soda to have a nice grassy backyard so I had instant turf laid. After weeks of watering the lawn and having it fenced off so the roots could establish, I took down the fences so Soda could play on the lush grass and within a week or so I noticed dead patches where she had peed! And not long after I got my second pup Poppy I noticed even more dead patches! My poor lawn!
Why does dog urine kill grass?
Dog urine contains a high concentration of nitrogen which burns the grass it directly hits leaving behind unsightly yellow patches, and if your dog pees in the same spot it can kill the grass.
How to prevent dog urine from killing your grass
You could try a number of different things. You could try watering the grass where your dog peed straight away to flush the nitrogen from the soil. You could try deterring your dog from weeing on the lawn by spraying it with a citrus spray or placing a pee pole somewhere else in the backyard, or you could try Dog Rocks which is what I did.
What are Dog Rocks?
Dog Rocks are natural rocks quarried in Australia. When placed in your dog’s drinking water they remove impurities like tin, ammonia and nitrates. These impurities are usually passed through urine which causes the yellow patches on your lawn.
How do you use them?
Remove Dog Rocks from packaging and rinse them under water
Place them in your dog’s water bowl then fill the bowl with water
Leave the rocks in the water for 8 hours. Top or refill the water bowl in the evening when your dog goes to bed. This gives the rocks a chance to work (8 hours) before the water is consumed
Replace your Dog Rocks after 2 months of use
You’ll see a vast improvement in your lawn in 5 weeks.
Soda and Poppy put Dog Rocks to the test
I put a few rocks in the girls inside and outside water bowls. I tried putting them in the bowls when the girls weren’t looking hoping they wouldn’t realise, but when it came for Soda to take her first drink she noticed them. At first she just pawed them, but she soon realised what they were and took them out of the bowl one at a time to chew them on the deck. I put them back in the bowl a few times, however she kept taking them out and running away from me – she knew she was being naughty. Poppy on the other hand didn’t mind the rocks being in the water bowl and quite happily drank without getting distracted, but unfortunately with Soda constantly taking them out, the rocks didn’t have a chance to work their magic.
What I didn’t realise, and now wish I had checked out the FAQ’s on Dog Rock’s website, is that if your dogs keep removing the rocks from their water bowl you can keep the rocks in a container of water and fill your dog’s bowl from that. It’s supposed to work, but not as well as if they would if they were kept in the bowl your dog drinks from.
What I like about Dog Rocks
Dog Rocks are completely natural. They’re quarried in Australia and packed in Victoria. The packaging is recyclable.
Dog Rocks are safe for other animals (and humans) that may drink from you dog’s water bowl.
You can recycle your Dog Rocks after you’ve used them for 2 months. You can place the old rocks in a bucket of water and use the water to water your plants. The rocks are great for plant growth. Or you can you use them for landscaping your garden.
Soda and I give Dog Rocks 1 paws up
Unfortunately Soda kept removing the rocks from the water bowl to chew them, which meant they didn’t have a chance to work. However, I gave the Dog Rocks to a friend of mine who also has two dogs and she said she did notice an improvement in her lawn. I recommend you give them a go and if your dog is a rock chewer, you could try putting them in a container of water and using that water to fill up the water bowl. I think I’ll give that a go next summer once my lawn grows back after this soggy winter.
Product details
Product: Dog rocks
Brand: Dog rocks
Reviewer: Soda, Poppy and I
Alternative products which might stop dog urine killing your grass
If Dog Rocks aren’t for you, you might like to try some of these options:
Pee post. Place a pee post in a non-grassy area in your backyard and it will emit dog attraction pheromones to encourage them to urinate near it.
Portable pet toilet. Once you teach your dog to use this lawn toilet, it will contain their waste in one designated area.
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