Artificial Grass Solutions for Commercial Pet Care Facilities

In short, YES!  Ideal Turf’s pet-friendly turf products are equipped with a fully permeable backing to facilitate efficient drainage of water and dog urine. A fully permeable (a.k.a. “Flow Through”) backing allows liquids to pass through any point in the turf’s backing. Pet care facilities will also benefit from using a layer of drainage tiles in their installation to enhance drainage capabilities even more.

Yes, synthetic turf is safe for dogs, and most turf products are designed with pet safety in mind. Artificial grass is made from non-toxic materials that won’t harm dogs if accidentally ingested. Additionally, synthetic turf is durable enough to withstand the constant paw traffic of dogs running around and playing. Overall, the safety, durability, and convenience of pet-friendly artificial turf make it an increasingly popular choice for pet-friendly applications.

Absolutely, Yes! Dogs love to run and play on synthetic grass. They won’t be bothered by pesky bugs, fleas, or ticks. The lack of soil means the dogs in your care will remain clean and mud-free. Unlike natural grass, dogs aren’t able to dig through synthetic turf, so you’ll have nothing but clean, carefree, and happy pups on your hands.

No. Natural grass develops brown dog urine spots from the buildup of nitrogen in the soil from repeated use. You’ll no longer have to worry about those unsightly dead patches with pet-friendly synthetic grass.

Cleaning Dog Urine:

To clean dog urine, take advantage of the efficient drainage system, and simply rinse away dog urine with a hose. It’s actually better for dogs to urinate on artificial grass than real grass. The urine doesn’t affect the material in any way and it won’t leave a puddle that could breed all sorts of bacteria or mold.

As for the urine itself, simply let synthetic turf’s drainage backing take care of it. We do recommend keeping your sprinklers intact and regularly rinsing down the spots most frequented by dogs to keep odor under control.

For more in-depth guidance on maintaining artificial pet turf, check out our guides:

• Dog Run Cleaning & Maintenance: A Complete Guide
• Pet Turf Odor Removal Guide: How to Remove Dog Urine Smell from Artificial Grass

Cleaning Dog Poop:

Cleaning dog poop off of pet turf is no different than with natural grass. Allow the dog poop to dry a little and solidify enough that you don’t smear it into the turf fibers when picking it up. A doggy bag or pooper scooper will work to remove solid waste from pet turf. Unfortunately, as any dog owner knows, not all dog poop is solid.

If your dog is suffering from a bout of diarrhea, cleanup will be a bit more involved. With natural grass, you can usually pick up this type of dog poop by simply pulling up the blades of grass underneath the poop. With pet turf, your best bet will be to remove as much of the waste as you can with a doggy bag or some paper towels. Once the bulk of the waste has been removed, use a garden hose to rinse the turf fibers of any residual dog poop.

Yes, all synthetic turf can become hot. It doesn’t have water running through it like natural grass. That said, it doesn’t absorb and radiate heat like pavement, rock or brick surfaces. Most manufacturers make efforts to minimize the surface temperature as much as possible, such as applying heat-reflecting coatings or reducing the density of the backing material.

From our observations over the past few years, we have noticed a few factors that can impact the temperature of artificial grass surfaces.

• Darker turf tends to become warmer.
• Denser turf absorbs more heat.
• Flatter blades transfer heat more quickly.
• Uniform turf is less effectively cooled by wind.
• Increased infill application can lead to higher temperatures.
• Flatter, matted turf tends to be denser and warmer.

On extra warm days, simply hose off your turf to cool it down. We recommend using T°Cool® Infill with your turf installation because it cools the artificial grass by 30° – 50°F through evaporative cooling. It is also antimicrobial and will help to prevent the buildup of bacteria and odors.

With over a decade of experience perfecting our installation techniques, our artificial grass is built to last between 15-25 years. But, keep in mind that there are several factors that determine the longevity of your synthetic turf. Foot traffic, yarn type, and pile height are fundamental considerations that can have a significant effect. Don’t worry though, we’re here to help you choose the right artificial turf for dogs that best suits your needs.

There is no one-size-fits-all answer — it all depends on the specifics of your project. Generally, you can expect to pay between $10 and $20 per square foot for pet-friendly artificial grass (including design, materials, and labor).

But let’s break it down further. On average, installing artificial turf for your dog costs about $14 per square foot. To determine the total cost of installing turf at your pet facility, several factors need to be considered!

Outlined below are some factors that influence the pricing of your project:

• Project size
• Turf Product
• Materials (Sub-Base, Infill)
• Labor & Prep Work
• Site Accessibility
• Installation Extras (Drainage Tiles, Bender Board, Shock Pad, Etc.)

A quality installation should be tailored to your specific needs, so make sure to get an appropriate quote from a reputable and trustworthy turf company!

Additional Resources:

• Pet Turf Cost: How Much Does Artificial Grass Cost to Install?
• Pet Turf Cost Calculator