After spending all day Saturday tending to the yard, the last thing you want is your dog to walk outside Sunday morning and immediately kill the grass with its pee. “Lawn burn” or yellow, dead grass is caused by high levels of nitrogen in your dog’s urine. Though we typically think of pee as acidic, it’s actually a 5.5-7 on the pH scale and can be higher if a significant level of nitrogen is present.

Excessive nitrogen levels can be caused by eating a diet that’s too rich in proteins or not drinking enough water. Your dog’s food can help combat the problem if you give them a high-quality diet that contains a larger amount of moisture and lesser amount of protein that they have been eating. We’ve reviewed top dog foods that address these issues and offer your pet a well-balanced diet.

Quick Comparison of Our Favorites in 2024

The 6 Best Dog Foods to Prevent Lawn Burn

1. The Farmer’s Dog Fresh Dog Food Subscription – Best Overall

Fresh is always best for your pet and for the grass. Prepared meals are better suited for treating lawn burn because they still contain the moisture naturally found in the food, as opposed to dry kibbles which have stripped of their moisture due to the roasting process. We like The Farmer’s Dog because they offer four simple recipes that ship right to your door. The Turkey Recipe is our choice for overall best dog food to prevent lawn burn because it has a lower protein content than the other options and 76% moisture content. Plus, turkey is a great meat alternative to chicken or beef, two proteins that frequently spark allergic reactions in canines despite their popularity. Although The Farmer’s Dog isn’t available in stores, you can easily set up a subscription service online that’s tailored to your pet’s needs.

The only downside is it’s a little expensive, and all of their recipes—including Turkey—are grain-free. After the 2018 FDA study on grain-free diets, we wish that this recipe cut the chickpeas and included some heart-healthy grains like oats.

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2. Purina ONE Tender Cuts in Gravy – Budget Buy

If fresh food just isn’t in the budget, we get you! Purina ONE Tender Cuts in Gravy Lamb & Brown Rice Recipe is our best choice for the money because it still delivers a high-moisture, low-protein food without the cost of a prepared meals subscription service.

This recipe features lamb and chicken broth as the first ingredient and includes a healthy supply of chicken, lamb, and pork meat. While we’re not crazy about the wheat gluten and soy flour additives, we appreciate the vitamin blend and think it’s not too bad for a low budget option. We also like how this recipe includes brown rice, which is a good source of fiber and whole grains.

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3. The Honest Kitchen One Pot Stew Wet Dog Food

As our third choice, this stew uses high-quality ingredients that unfortunately also come at a high cost. It might be beneficial to dilute your dog’s kibble with the stew as a meal topper if you want some of the perks without the price.

Turkey is the first ingredient, which we love, followed by turkey bone broth and quinoa, which is a healthy grain. Since it’s a stew, this food has a high moisture content of 82%, which should give your grass some relief. Dogs love carrots and broccoli, which are the other main ingredients.

Maybe one of the best qualities about this food is that it carries the advantages of a fresh-frozen meal subscription service, but it’s easier to control your dog’s portions and how much you buy. The Honest Kitchen is available at some pet stores and on Chewy.

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4. Purina ONE Classic Ground Healthy – Best for Puppies

This recipe is similar to the Purina ONE Lamb & Long Grained Rice for adults, but for puppies. Unlike the adult version, this food contains ocean fish in addition to lamb, chicken, and pork. The 78% moisture content should help your grass, and there isn’t an excessive amount of protein, despite having so many different meats.

We like Purina ONE Smartblend Classic as a puppy food because it’s an all-natural food that’s formulated for growing dogs. It’s more expensive than dry kibble but won’t hurt your wallet as badly as fresh-frozen subscription plans. This isn’t a great choice though if you suspect your puppy may have a food allergy because of all the different proteins, including chicken which is a common culprit.

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5. Ollie Lamb Dish with Cranberries

Ollie is another fresh food service that we love, but we especially like the Lamb Dish with Cranberries recipe because lamb isn’t known to be a common food allergen. A dog who’s allergic to an ingredient in their food can give your beautiful yard other issues besides strong pee! Lamb Dish has a high moisture content of 70%, which is great for diluting their pee, and a protein content of 11% which is a healthy but not excessive amount.

We like how this recipe uses cranberries and kale, which are superfoods. We also like how it includes rice for fiber. We’re not too fond of the chickpeas due to the 2018 study by the FDA, but at least this isn’t a grain-free recipe. Like all fresh-frozen dinners, Ollie can get a little more expensive than your average fare.

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6. Just Food for Dogs Chicken & White Rice Recipe

We highly recommend the Chicken & White Rice meal because it’s an excellent, human-grade food that’s formulated for all life stages. The 72% moisture content is so beneficial for dogs with strong urine because it helps dilute the pee, and 8% protein isn’t an excessive amount that would lead to a high nitrogen content.

Unlike most fresh-frozen meal subscriptions, Just Food for Dogs is available on Chewy to buy once or eligible for auto-ship. This makes meal planning for your pup much easier because you can just add their food to their standard order instead of going to the store or setting up a separate subscription plan.

Unfortunately, like most fresh dog food, Just Food for Dogs is a little expensive. The Chicken & White Rice recipe also isn’t a good match for your dog if you suspect they might have food allergies because chicken is a common culprit.

Buyer’s Guide: Which Dog Food Is Best to Avoid Lawn Burn

Your dog and your lawn can have a symbiotic or toxic relationship depending on how you treat them both. Chemical insecticides and pesticides in your yard can be harmful to dogs, but a dog with a high urine pH can kill the grass. Although there are supplements and home remedies out there that claim they lower the pH of your dog’s urine, we don’t recommend them because they might cause kidney harm.

We recommend cutting to the chase, dealing with the problem as naturally as possible. For your yard, choose non-toxic pesticides and insecticides that won’t harm your dog. You can also dilute your dog’s urine with water from a hose or sprinkler if you’re concerned. For your dog, we rounded up a list of foods to review that shouldn’t cause excessive nitrogen build-up in your dog’s body, especially if you make sure they drink plenty of water. Some elements we looked for in foods to prevent lawn burn include:

High moisture content

Digesting dry kibble takes more water out of your dog’s body through its poop, leaving your dog’s urine more concentrated as a result. Fresh food supplies your dog with extra hydration beyond what they’re receiving from the water bowl.

Moderate protein content

Protein is one of the most vital nutrients for your dog. You shouldn’t feed them a low-protein diet unless medically necessary, but at the same time a high protein diet may cause a build-up of nitrogen. You should aim for a moderate amount of protein in their food to maintain a good balance.

Not as likely to cause GI issues

We noted which foods here are more allergen-friendly than others because pee isn’t the only thing that can wreck your yard! Dogs who have trouble processing their food may develop chronic diarrhea, which is not only messy, but dehydrates them further and can lead to further health problems. If your dog becomes dehydrated, their pee will be more concentrated than if they retained a healthy amount of water through the digestive process.

In Conclusion

The Farmer’s Dog Turkey Recipe recipe was our overall best choice because it’s a simple, fresh recipe that contains a lot of moisture and all-natural, human-grade ingredients. Purina ONE Tender Cuts in Gravy Lamb & Brown Rice is our best value choice because it’s a high-quality wet food that isn’t as expensive as the fresh-frozen meals.

If you’ve got a little more room in your budget, The Honest Kitchen One Pot Stew Tender Turkey is our third choice because of its excellent ingredients and high moisture content. Purina One Smartblend Classic Puppy Lamb & Brown Rice is our top choice for growing pups one-year-old or younger who need some help staying hydrated.

Ollie’s Lamb & Cranberries is a healthy fresh-frozen food that doesn’t contain common allergens like chicken or beef. Hopefully, your yard will see some improvement once your dog is settled on a high-moisture, well balanced diet.

See also:

• Cesar Dog Food Review
• Loyall Life Dog Food Review

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Featured Image Credit: Diego Sene, Shutterstock