Can Dogs Pull Up Artificial Grass?
Based on popular knowledge, dogs are adventurous and curious animals, often scratching and digging up natural lawns. This is a serious issue of concern for pet owners, especially dog owners, because no one wants to lose their precious turf (natural or artificial) to overactive pets. A lot of pet owners to consider artificial turf to make pet care and maintenance easier. Since synthetic grass is such a big investment, it’s only right to worry about it getting damaged. When these homeowners install artificial grass, they get concerned when their dogs attempt to rip up their turf.
Most pet owners who are looking to install artificial lawns want to find the answer to this very question; “can dogs pull up the artificial grass? This simple question is very valid and is a must to be answered to give pet owners peace of mind. This article contains important details that will provide you with the answer you're looking for.
Can My Dog Pull Up My Artificial Grass?
Whether they are intent on burying their treasures, digging up lost ones, or reaching the burrow of a rabbit, dogs can be determined diggers. On artificial grass, dogs only need a few minutes of scratching to determine whether the turf won’t budge or not. If they discover that it won't budge, they divert their energies into pulling up the turf edge or potentially pulling it up all together. The good news about artificial grass is that when fixed correctly by a turf expert, it won’t budge to the frenzied pulling and scratching of your dog.
Owners fear that loose edges on their artificial grass will make the dog curious and intrigued to explore. When professional lawn experts use the right tools and strategies to secure the turf properly and hide all seams, the dog cannot pull the artificial grass out of place. Good quality artificial grass is very durable. This means your dog shouldn’t be able to get it out at the weave.
What If Your Dog Attacks It At The Edges?
As long as your artificial grass is properly installed with no visible joints, this shouldn’t be an issue. According to reliable online sources within the industry, pets don’t try to dig and pull at artificial grass because it has a different feel compared to natural turf.
Dogs love the soft, springy feel of artificial grass. They enjoy playing and rolling on the turf, regardless of the weather. This means they shouldn't naturally rip out your artificial lawn. However, if you are still skeptical about your dog pulling up the synthetic turf you’ve installed, there are several other options consider. They include;
Safeguarding Your Grass
Although it is very unlikely that your dog will pull up your artificial turf at the edges, there are a few options to safeguard it and eliminate that worry.
Some artificial grass installers use round, galvanized pins round the perimeter of the artificial grass to hold the grass in the place. These pins are placed deep in the grass and attached to the sub-base. Some other installers also nail the artificial grass in place to a timber border. However this can be costly and effectively hazardous to your dog as if the pins or nails are ripped up this can lead to a nail or pin facing upright and potentially becoming impaled into the dog, pet or worst case scenario into a child or human!
The safest way to fix down the grass which eliminates both of these risks and problems every pet owner and parent faces is by using the Vertedge system which is laid around the edge of the garden and the artificial grass is glued down onto. This gives the grass 100% adhesion to the boarder rather then the 10% a pin or nail would give, is far stronger at holding down the grass and has NO risk of any nails being ripped up out of the grass as there are no nails through the top holding it down!
Summary
Dogs will always be playful and adventurous creatures and will a lot of the time try to dig in areas and pull up what they can. If your artificial lawn is properly installed using a tried and tested system such as the Vertedge artificial grass edging and fixing the risk of the grass getting it ripped out of the ground and any injuries to your pet are hugely reduced. We hope this has helped to reassure you that your dogs shouldn’t be able to pull up your artificial grass as long as the best practices on the market have been used on installation.
