WWA Info Exchange

We have a pup thats nose is always on the ground, last year we had our yard sprayed, this year we were going to go back to the "bagged" fertilizer/crabgrass preventer. He also likes to graze on grass.
We also have a ton of bare spots that we have been trying to get grass to grow---this spring in Iowa it is tough. I know I can't put it down there.
Just wondering what you folks did/do about the pets and fertilizer pellets??? It rather scares me.

Thanks
Vicki

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Whoever said nothing is impossible, never tried slamming a revolving door....

Hey Vickie,

I would suggest calling your local poison control center. They will have information and advice regarding your particular products. You may be surprised to find that there is no danger to your pooch.

Tom

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"There is no path to peace, peace is the path."
Mohandas K. Ghandi

Vicki:

I've had a number of dogs over the years, and I treat my own yard with the bagged fertilizer's.

For a week or so after the application, I will wipe Sunny's paws off with a wet cloth when she comes into the house. After a week or so, I "think" the granules seem to not be so smelly and hopefully not so potent.

You're actually better off with Ollie because when he smells the ground, he has a longer nasal passage than Sunny has. Therefore, he has more "filters" than she does. Shih Tzu's are notorious for having respiratory problems due to the short snouts.

As far as the extensive dead spots, I've roto-tilled my dead spots to just about an inch, raked the ground, spread grass seed, raked it in, and it is coming up wonderfully.....except what I spread a week ago before the 7"+ of rain we got this week. I'll probably have to repeat that seed application.

Also, I decided I had a choice this spring. I could either get the grass growing with new seed, or I could attack the crabgrass. I chose the new grass. I'll save the crabgrass preventor for this fall or next spring. The chemicals in the crabgrass preventor would not allow new grasses to sprout, according to information I found this spring.

Just how I'm doing it this year.

Verna

You can take the easy way out as we did - get rid of all your grass

We had crabgrass horribly last year---and a siding company last fall, a guy with at tractor snow blower with the skids wore down, plus Ollie and his running feet--so our lawn is a mess.

I talked to the spraying company and they will put down liquid fert and crabgrass killer and try and work around the areas where I am TRYING to get grass to grow.

I chickened out on the pellets after reading the bag, he is a dog that needs to be out and running, and with the spray we just have to keep him off until it drys and then limit for 24 hours, with the pellets they recommend keeping the dog off until the pellets disappear.

However if it keeps raining we won't have to worry it will be too late to use anyway.

Vicki

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Whoever said nothing is impossible, never tried slamming a revolving door....

If you cut it short enough, even saplings look like grass from a distance.

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I bring to life, I bring to death:
The spirit does but mean the breath:
I know no more. (Tennyson, In Memoriam)

Gene, I'm not going to let Duane see that!!! I have all I can do to keep him from cutting it short---I insist on no shorter that 2.75 to 3 inches. Any shorter and it scalps it, and promotes weed growth.

Vicki

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Whoever said nothing is impossible, never tried slamming a revolving door....

Vicki, the liquid is an excellent choice.

When I had my retired racing Greyhound, I had to be extra careful with her because they are so sensitive and absorb things so much quicker than other dogs. I used only liquids on the yard then, and treated the back yard one day, the front yard the next day. That way I could control where she was going and it was so much better for her. And, I did put up with more weeds than I had before, just so she stayed helathy.

Right now, with all of this rain, I'm just digging out the dandelions and other weeds--I can almost pull them out of the soggy ground without digging

Verna