Natural Flea Prevention Ideas For Dogs

Flea and tick season is nipping at the heals of summer-time.

Make a daily visual check of your pet. Look on his tummy, under his arms, behind the ears, near his mouth and anus. If you see little specks of black, you may be seeing flea waste, or a flea itself. The fleas can be black or red if they have fed recently. Use a flea comb to go through your dog's fur in areas where you can't  see his skin. If you flea comb looks "peppered" your pet probably has fleas.Try these natural options for flea and tick prevention.

Make your own spray

This method will not kill existing fleas or eggs but spraying it on your pet early in the year may help prevent fleas altogether. Fleas spend a lot of their time off their host, so this may help ensure they don't come back. Fleas are repelled by both lavender oil and citrus oil, both of which are natural and harmless to your dog. Lavender can be harmful for cats, however, so avoid using it on them. Lavender has a calming effect on dogs, so you may notice your dog is more relaxed.

Ingredients:

• 6 lemons
• 50 drops of lavender essential oil
• 3 cups of water

Directions:

1. Slice lemons into thin round slices with the skin intact. Add to a pot and fill with water. Bring water to a boil. Remove it from heat and let sit over night.
2. Strain the liquid into a spray bottle and add lavender oil.
3. Spray the mixture on your dog whenever he goes outside or after a bath. You can also spray or soak his collar in the mixture to make a flea collar of your own. The mixture can be sprayed on rugs, carpeting and furniture or even in your yard to prevent fleas from settling in from surrounding areas

Other topical remedies

Garlic

Garlic can be toxic to dogs in large doses but small doses are safe. A small pinch in your dog's food can help fight fleas. The familiar smell of garlic is actually emanated through the skin, and fleas want nothing to do with it. (Don't worry, you won't even notice it.) It also helps support the liver and kidneys in your pet
.