A dog is fairly easy to please. Make sure his food bowl is always full, the water dish is always overflowing and give him the freedom to run and play in the grass. Most animals could not care less if its an enclosed dog run or a wide open backyard, as long as they have the freedom to run and play like they want to. A dog simply wants to roll around and play in the grass. In most cases, a dog is so happy to be outside, he doesn’t even notice that the artificial blades of grass aren’t even sticking to his coat or tickling his nose.
Low Cut Pile
Ideally, the best artificial turf for a dog run or any other area where your dog will be spending time will have a pile height of between 1 and 1.25 inches. Low cut pile artificial turf are often denser and more plush than those with a higher face weight. Turf with a shorter pile, often times has more cushion and is more likely to bounce back after several hours of rough play. This eliminates the need to brush or gently rack the blades to get them to stand back up again.
Lower Face Weight
The face weight of artificial turf refers to its overall density and thickness. While the actual face weight of your artificial turf will not be of any concern to your pet, you may feel differently. With a low face weight, the blades are more coarse and stiff. They handle wear and tear much better than other types of turf, and best of all, it costs less. The one problem with a lower face weight artificial turf is that the density of the blades can cause animal debris to become embedded in the turf if it is stepped on. Always make sure to remove any pet waste as soon as it is deposited to prevent it from being ground deep into the pile. This will make it extremely hard to remove and can lead to a major odor problem if not properly cleaned up.
Easy Care and Little to No Maintenance
Other than picking up any pieces of debris that may accumulate due to wind and other natural occurrences, the only real maintenance you may want to perform is a simple rinsing with the garden hose on a regular basis. While the silver ions that leech from the synthetic materials will help to control pet odor, rinsing the turf with the garden hose will knock loose any dried on debris and wash it away. This will help to keep your artificial lawn looking and smelling its best.
Controls Infection
The silver ions that help to protect you from odor also act as an anti-bacterial. Children and pets can play together on the turf and germs will not become a major issue. As the silver ions are released from the turf, they begin to attack odor and infection causing bacteria at the source. This means the environment will remain safe from germs as long as you help to keep the area clean by eliminating excessive amounts of debris.
Keep in mind that the main benefits of artificial turf are primarily for humans. Yes, it is maintenance free and can raise the value of your home, but to your pet, artificial turf is just the fuzzy blades of something that they get to run and play on when they are outside. Your dog’s main concerns once they get outside are to use the bathroom and then find a place where they can roll around and scratch their back on the grass. While they may appreciate the fact that the turf doesn’t make them sneeze, they more than likely will never know the difference.
