The cause: Grass needs a very delicate pH balance to flourish so a change in acidity can lead to unsightly lawn burn. Dogs offer exactly that—due to their high-protein diet, dog pee contains nitrogen and is slightly acidic. When they relieve themselves on the same spot on the lawn over and over again (dogs are definitely creatures of habit), the lawn in that area will turn brown and die.

The solution: Turns out there’s an ingenious, easy, natural solution that actually works and is good for your dog. A company called Dog Rocks makes a product that filters your dog’s water and stops the lawn burn. Made from naturally occurring paramagnetic igneous rock that has been mined in Australia for over ten years, the rocks, when placed in your dog’s water bowl, filter impurities such as tin, nitrogen, and urea from the water. This means your dogs will take in fewer nitrates, thus passing less onto your lawn when they urinate. Dog Rocks are chemical-free and don’t change the pH of your dog’s urine. Simply replace the rocks every two months to help eliminate lawn burn and keep your yard spring ready! Neat, right?

Three other tips that can help include:

1. Water your lawn! Obviously watering the grass is always helpful but by watering after and where your dog “goes” you can help eliminate the burn. Target the areas your dog goes the most and pay them special attention. You can even ‘spot-clean’ that area with a watering can right after they urinate to help dilute the pee and nitrogen concentration.

2. Water your dog! A hydrated dog has a lower concentration of nitrogen in her urine, decreasing the risk of lawn burn.

3. There are dietary supplements out there specifically formulated to target your dog’s urinary tract health. Try Cranimals Urinary Tract supplement; it uses cranberry extract to naturally lower urine pH and prevent recurrent UTIs. Bonus: it can help your lawn, too!