Yes. Dogs can pee on artificial grass. The lawn can handle urine if two things are true: the turf backing is perforated so liquid can pass through, and the base under it drains instead of holding a puddle. Artificial grass does not neutralize urine by itself. A dog yard that never gets rinsed will smell, synthetic or not.
YARDORA pet turf uses a perforated drainage backing so water and urine can move through the lawn into a draining base. That is the design. It is not a promise that a busy dog run will stay odor-free without cleaning.
Why some artificial grass smells and some does not
Urine smell is usually trapped liquid. The common causes:
- The turf was laid over dirt or a waterproof sheet, so urine never leaves the backing.
- Solid waste sits on the fibers and gets ground in.
- The pile is very long, so rinse water and enzyme cleaner never reach the backing.
- There is no slope, and the low corner becomes the bathroom.
A short-to-medium pile with a draining base is easier to keep clean than a tall show lawn. For most dog spots, Everyday 20 (0.8 inch) is the practical pick. Natural 30 can work in a mixed backyard where you also want a lawn look, as long as you rinse it. Very tall pile is a weaker choice for a dedicated potty area because solids and moisture sit deeper in the fibers.
How to set up a dog area that can take pee
Treat the base as part of the product.
- Remove old lawn and organic soil. Do not lay pet turf on bare dirt.
- Compact a free-draining aggregate base, about 2–4 inches, sloped away from the house.
- Do not put a waterproof membrane under the turf. A weed fabric is fine only if water can still pass through it.
- If you use infill, use a pet-suitable, draining infill and do not overfill.
- Keep the area your dog actually uses small enough to rinse. A 4.5 x 16 ft starter roll ($69) covers a patio potty spot without committing the whole yard.
The full sequence is in the installation guide. Call 811 before you dig.
Cleaning routine that keeps the smell down
Pick up solid waste right away. Do not hose solids into the backing.
Rinse the bathroom spot with water often enough that urine does not dry in the fibers. In a one-dog yard that may be a few times a week. In a multi-dog run, rinse the used area daily. A periodic flush with a turf-safe enzyme cleaner reaches what water alone leaves behind. Brush the pile back up after it dries so it does not stay matted.
Skip bleach, harsh solvents, and any cleaner that tells you not to use it on synthetic fibers. Do not pressure-wash so hard that you rip the backing or blow infill out.
What artificial grass does not do for dogs
It will not stop digging at the edges if the perimeter is loose. Fasten the edges and give the dog a defined border. It will not replace a walk for a high-energy dog. It also will not stay cool in full desert sun — any dense surface heats up. Shade, a rinse, or a smaller exposed area matters more than the brand name on the roll.
Mud is the problem it does solve. A draining pet turf removes the worn dirt patch by the door, and it does not need mowing. That is the trade: a short cleaning habit instead of a mud lawn.
If you are choosing between products, start with Everyday 20 for the dog area and use Natural 30 only where the look of a lawn matters as much as rinsing. Both are listed on the pet turf collection.