what's the real skinny on fertilizer and pets?

windowguy

i'm a loyal 4 Step process fertilizer man. We just recently got a new puppy who is just 6 pounds and 3 months old.

i let him in him out to pee and poop about 8 times a day/night in the backyard where he has full run of the yard and he pretty much goes in a different spot each time.

Does anybody have experience with laying down regular Scotts stuff with pets? i get conflicting answers. Some people say "do half the yard, and keep him off that part, and then do other half next week." A lawn doctor guy says put it down right before a rain and when the rain gives it a good soak there's no danger to the pet.

I can't believe with the thousands and thousands of lanscapers out there that every single one is using all natural pet friendly fertilizer only.

are the worries overdone? if he's out there for just 3 minutes in the fertilizer is it deadly? obviously i wouldnt let him play for hours in it right after i just treated the lawn.

downunder

Why not train him to go to one specific place each time? If he's going all over the yard, why bother having a nice yard?

But to answer your question, how much fertilizer are you putting out? Granular or liquid (hose end, etc)? How often? Not sure that I am clear on the 4 Step process. You don't fertilize four times per year? I can't see that a pound or two per thousand feet is enough to get on him. I agree that once it is irrigated in, there is no need for concern.

As a professional landscaper, I commonly put out several bags at a time (over a couple of days, as time permits) in ornamental beds. I usually do this by hand if the beds are too small for using a spreader. Frankly, I'm old school and I can sling it out by the handful about as accurately as most folks with a spreader. I've measured the area of the beds and weighed the fertilizer. The point is, I sometimes wear gloves, usually not. My exposure is much greater than your puppy's, and considering that I have somewhat sensitive skin, I have never had a problem.

Oh, you asked about your puppy. Well, we used to use bean beetle dust with arsenic for flea powder. Dust'em good, let them run and roll in the grass, and lick it off their paws. Never had one sick. Everybody knew that you didn't mess with my dad's kids or his dogs. Both were important to him and he would never do anything that would endanger them.

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