Weed Killer Guide may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page.
Did you know that not all grasses are created equally (and safely) for dogs? We did some research about grass seeds most suitable for dogs.
When choosing the right grass seeds, you want grass that is less prone to urine damage and can thrive under heavy foot traffic.
To dog-proof and optimize your lawn, you are looking for grass that has a rapid growth rate, deep root development and is climate-suited to your home.
Related Article: Best Grass Seed For Shade In [year] – Our Reviews And Comparisons
Here are the best grasses suitable for homes with dogs:
Best Grass Seed For Dogs Comparison Table
| Product | Features | Latest Price |
|---|---|---|
1. Jacklin Seed – Kentucky Bluegrass  |
|
CHECK PRICE |
2. Hancock’s Perennial Ryegrass  |
|
CHECK PRICE |
3. groSMART Tall Fescue Blend  |
|
CHECK PRICE |
4. Hancock’s Common Bermuda Grass Seed  |
|
CHECK PRICE |
5. Dibbs Farm Pure Zoysia Grass Seeds  |
|
CHECK PRICE |
1. Jacklin Seed – Kentucky Bluegrass
Product Highlights
A cool-season grass suitable for lawns throughout the Northern region of the United States from coast to coast.
Features
Kentucky Bluegrass is a beauty with its excellent color and pleasant texture. The blades are thin with rounded tips like the bow of a boat, making them soft to the touch.
This grass grows quickly and is hardy. It recovers quickly under heavy foot traffic.
The Good
The density of this grass can handle a great deal of activity. A choice grass for athletic fields. Your lawn won’t get torn up so easily by your dog.
The Bad
The shallow root system means it needs a lot of water. Although it’s likely to go dormant faster than many other types of grass, on the plus side, it will make a speedy recovery when conditions improve.
- Its density gives it a high tolerance to high foot traffic
- A hardy grass that thrives in the winter
- Although this grass requires a relatively high level of maintenance to look its best, the results can be worth it.
- Some varieties are susceptible to heat and drought.
- Some varieties vulnerable to stress damage.
- Low tolerance to shade.
Click Here to Check Price2. Hancock’s Perennial Ryegrass
Product Highlights
With a robust root system, perennial ryegrass is a cool-season grass that will flourish.
Features
Ryegrass is an “allelopathic” grass. It can influence the germination, growth, survival, and reproduction of other grasses and organisms by releasing chemicals into the soil.
For example, ryegrass can suppress the germination of crabgrass seeds, but it won’t remove crabgrass permanently.
The Good
Another top choice for athletic fields. When combined with bluegrass the foot traffic is well tolerated by ryegrass and bluegrass will spread and quickly heal any damaged areas.
When Bermuda grass goes dormant you can rely on overseeded perennial ryegrass to provide green color throughout winter.
The Bad
With the exception of a few varieties that produce a high-quality lawn, this grass typically does not offer a dense turf. It is limited to thriving where winters and summers are not too extreme. This is a high maintenance grass.
- High tolerance for foot traffic
- Tolerates low mowing
- Thrives in a narrow range of temperatures.
- Low tolerance to cold
- Low tolerance to heat in the south.
3. groSMART Tall Fescue Blend
Product Highlights
A low maintenance cool-season grass. Fescues are hardy grasses with excellent moisture-absorbing properties that can grow in shaded areas.
Features
Its 6+ feet deep roots means an extensive access to underground moisture. Fescues thrive in cool yet dry areas as well as manage in frosty climates.
The Good
Fescues thrive in climates that are less hot and have regular rainfall. Fescue grass does not grow quickly, which reduces the frequency of mowing your lawn.
When mowing, it is best to leave the grass between 7cm and 10cm high. Mowing any lower can expose the sod, which will dry it out and leave bare patches.
Existing blades grow slowly. New blades germinate quickly, within less than two weeks after sowing. Fescues thrive in poor soil as well as in an average lawn.
The Bad
Its weak spot is pests and disease susceptibility, if left too long in wet conditions. While the grass does looks appealing, the blades have a coarse feeling.
- High drought tolerance
- High foot traffic tolerance
- Germinates rapidly
- Susceptible to pests and disease under wet conditions
- Texture feels coarse
4. Hancock’s Common Bermuda Grass Seed
Product Highlights
Despite the name, this grass originates from India. This grass can take care of itself in warm weather with little to no shade.
Features
A resilient easy to grow grass and is self-repairing.
The Good
It rarely needs supplemental irrigation. The perfect choice for high-traffic areas
The Bad
This grass is an aggressive grower to the level of a weed. It needs a lot of maintenance to keep it in control from overrunning your garden beds and yard.
Bermuda grass does not do well in cold weather. It needs plenty of sunlight.
- Heat and drought tolerant
- Resilient to high traffic and doesn’t wear easily.
- Easy to grow in the right climate and light conditions
- Intolerant to cold
- Intolerant to shade
- Aggressively grows into unwanted areas such as garden beds or adjoining properties.
5. Dibbs Farm Pure Zoysia Grass Seeds
Product Highlights
Zoysia grass is a warm-season grass, popular in hot regions of the United States. A fairly low maintenance self-sufficient grass that flourishes in a variety of climates.
Features
Zoysia is a carpet-like dark-green lawn that can tolerate most combinations of sun, water and temperatures. It is resistant to weeds, insects and diseases.
Easy on the eyes and skin due to its soft, fine texture. It is naturally low-growing.
The Good
Zoysia doesn’t require much fertilization. It requires a fraction of the work compared to other grass varieties.
This water-efficient grass only needs about a half-inch of weekly rain to thrive. It grows slowly; so frequent mowing is unnecessary.
The Bad
Zoysia does not stay green all year round. It loses its desired green color around mid-Fall. You may find your lawn is brown well into Spring.
Zoysia seeds are often not easily available for growing. You will need plugs or sod to fill in bare spots, which makes it expensive.
Despite it being drought tolerant and hardy once established, you will not see a fully established lawn for two to three years.
- The thick mat makes it high tolerant to high foot traffic
- Chokes out weeds
- Moderate tolerance to shade
- Salt tolerant makes it suited for coastal properties.
- Hard to Establish
- Difficult to mow with a rotary mower due to its tough stems and leaves
- The dormancy period is longer than other grasses
FINAL VERDICT
You can apply the same logic about purebreds and mutts to find the best grass for dogs. Mixed breed dogs are known to have a stronger immunity system compared to its purebred counterparts.
By using a blend of mixed grass seeds, we optimize their strengths and compensate for weaknesses. Here is what we found.
Jacklin Seed’s blend mix Ideal Shade contains 40% Creeping Red Fescue, 20% Chewing Fescue (both provide germination and durability in shaded areas), 30% Kentucky Bluegrass (durable blades of grass that fill in and thicken your lawn), 10% Perennial Ryegrass (quick germination).
This mix adapts to shade and full sun conditions. It performs well under varying fertility conditions.
Ideal Shade retains good disease resistance and recuperative potential from turf injury. It has excellent drought tolerance, good powdery mildew resistance and is a pleasing dark green color.