Artificial grass and dogs: what to look for

Artificial grass and dogs go together well, which is why so many of our pet customers are people who gave up on a real lawn that had turned to mud. Most grass is fine with dogs. Where it goes wrong, it is almost always drainage or installation rather than the grass. This guide covers what to check on the grass itself, how to build the base so it never smells, and a cleaning routine that takes minutes a week.

The short answer

Choose a pile between 30mm and 38mm, dense rather than soft, on a backing with drainage holes. Build it over a proper free-draining sub-base, not straight onto soil or a solid surface. Bag solids, rinse the spot, hose favourite corners weekly in warm weather, and brush the pile up every few weeks. Do that and the lawn stays fresh for its ten-year warranty.

Drainage is the whole thing

Urine has to go somewhere. On a properly built lawn it drains straight through the perforated backing and into the sub-base, and it never becomes a problem. On a lawn laid over compacted clay with no sub-base, or onto a solid surface with nowhere to go, it sits. That is what people mean when they say artificial grass smells. It is the installation, not the product.

The base that works for dogs is the same base that works for everyone, built a little more carefully:

• Dig out 50 to 75mm. On heavy clay, or anywhere that already puddles, go to 75mm.
• Weed membrane over the soil, overlapped by 100mm.
• 40 to 50mm of MOT Type 1, compacted with a plate. This is the free-draining layer that carries liquid away from the surface.
• 20 to 25mm of sharp sand, levelled and compacted. Every dip you leave here becomes a puddle under the grass.
• Grass on top, pinned at the edges.

The full sequence, with the concrete and slab version, is in our installation guide. If you are laying onto slabs or decking, use a shockpad underlay with drainage channels rather than laying the grass flat on the hard surface, and make sure the slabs themselves fall towards a drain.

Pile height: shorter is easier

A shorter, denser pile is easier to clean and recovers better from heavy use. Around 30mm to 38mm is the sweet spot for a garden a dog actually uses: long enough to look like a lawn, short enough that solids sit on top and lift off cleanly. Very long pile looks luxurious and is more work with a dog, because there is more fibre for mess to sit in and more for a wet coat to flatten.

Pile height	With dogs	Our ranges
18mm	Easiest to clean, least lawn-like. Good for runs, kennels and side returns.	Rocco
30mm	The practical choice. Cleans quickly, stays upright, still reads as a lawn.	Talya, Jers, Lux
35mm to 38mm	Best balance of looks and upkeep for a family garden with a dog.	Bul, Dan, Val, Ens
40mm to 45mm	Lovely to sit on, more brushing with a dog. Fine for a calm older dog, harder work with a digger.	Rum, Cali, Orf

Every range on the artificial grass for dogs collection has a free-draining backing. The full list of what each range offers is on the product pages.

Density beats softness

A dense lawn stands up to claws, digging attempts and the same route being run twenty times a day. Look for a tight stitch rate rather than the softest fibre. Curly thatch fibres at the base of the pile help too: they hold the straight fibres upright, so the lawn recovers on its own after a dog has been lying on it.

Our pet-friendly ranges are the ones we would put down for our own dogs: dense pile, free-draining backing, and no sharp fibres. Bul, Talya and Rocco are the hard-wearing budget options; Dan and Val add a little more softness at 38mm.

Is it safe?

Yes. The yarn is UV-stabilised polyethylene and polypropylene, and it is non-toxic. There is nothing for a dog to eat, no pesticides, no fertiliser, and no seeds or bulbs to dig up and swallow, which is more than can be said for most real lawns and borders.

Hot weather is the one caveat. Artificial grass gets warmer than real grass in direct sun. On the hottest days, a quick hose down cools it in seconds, and shade matters for a dog that lies out. A lighter, multi-tone grass runs slightly cooler than a very dark one, but the difference is small next to the value of a shaded corner.

Digging

A determined digger cannot get through a properly pinned lawn, but the edges are the weak point. Fix the perimeter with galvanised U-pegs every 200 to 300mm, or adhesive onto a hard edge, and run the grass right up to a solid border rather than leaving a soft edge next to a bed. If your dog has a favourite spot, a strip of edging or a row of slabs there removes the temptation.

Keeping it fresh: the routine

• Daily: bag solids as normal, then rinse the spot with a watering can or hose.
• Weekly in warm weather: hose down the corners the dog favours. Urine that has drained through is gone; it is the residue on the fibres that can smell in heat.
• Every few weeks: brush the pile up with a stiff broom where the dog runs. Flattened pile holds more.
• If odour builds up: use a specialist artificial grass cleaner or an enzyme-based pet cleaner. Never bleach, which discolours the fibres and can perish the backing.
• Once a year: a proper brush against the pile and a check that the edge fixings are holding.

The full cleaning guide, including what never to use, is in how to clean artificial grass.

Sand infill: yes or no?

Kiln-dried sand brushed into the pile helps it stand upright and adds weight. With dogs it is a trade-off: it improves the look and stability, but it also holds a little more moisture, so on a lawn with heavy dog use we would keep the infill light and rely on a good sub-base for drainage instead.

Common mistakes

• Laying straight onto soil with no sub-base, then blaming the grass for the smell six months later.
• Choosing a 45mm pile because it felt nicest in the shop, then spending every weekend brushing it.
• Leaving an unpinned edge next to a flower bed for a dog that likes to dig.
• Jet-washing at full pressure, which blasts out the infill and can lift the fibres.

Let the dog choose

Not sure which range suits? Order five free samples, put them on the ground, and let the dog walk on them first. They are the best judge you have. If you would like a recommendation for a particular breed or garden, call us on 0161 399 1792.