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A Natural Approach to Flea Control

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by David Beart

Flea control is a major concern for many dog owners (and their dogs). In some parts of the U.S. temperatures never get cold enough to completely kill off these pests. Even in areas where fleas are rare it’s possible to find an occasional infestation. Many people turn to “spot on” treatments and sprays to get rid of fleas. They may even use dips and other pesticides. However, some owners are concerned about the potential side effects these chemicals may have on their dogs and family members. Here are some suggestions for a more natural approach to flea control.

A natural approach to flea control means that you will need to groom your dog daily, especially during summer months when fleas are most active. Fleas are often easier to see if your dog has short hair or a light-colored coat, but you will need to brush and comb your dog thoroughly to look for any signs of the pests. These signs can range from a visible flea to the detritus left behind where the pest has fed. This debris is a crusty red-black material that is coarse and somewhat gritty, like dried blood. Be sure to check close to your dog’s skin, especially around his ears, head and tail where fleas are likely to congregate.

If you suspect that your dog has a flea or two you should start using a flea comb to comb him. A flea comb is much finer than a regular dog comb and it will pick up any of the pests on your dog’s body. You should then quickly (very quickly!) deposit the flea in a bowl of soapy water to kill it.

If you do find fleas on your dog then you will need to give your dog a good flea bath. Look for flea shampoos that have citrus ingredients to help keep the pests away. Eucalyptus products are also effective.

There are some supplements you can give your dog that have been shown to be effective in keeping fleas away. Some people like to give their dog a small dose of garlic daily. The garlic odor from your dog’s skin is a flea repellant, although humans can’t smell it. Some people combine garlic with brewer’s yeast in their dog’s food. You may also wish to consider adding apple cider vinegar to your dog’s diet. Organic apple cider vinegar has many health benefits and it is claimed that it helps build the immune system. Anything that keeps your dog’s immune system stronger will make him a less attractive target to fleas.

You should be aware that fleas spend about 85 percent of their time OFF your dog. So, if you find one flea on your dog you should assume that he has many little friends nearby in your home. You will need to treat your home.

You don’t have to use flea bombs or chemical pesticides to treat your home. There are some good natural alternatives to help keep your home free of these pests. Whether you have carpets or hardwood floors you will need to vacuum daily if you suspect that you have any fleas. For carpets you can sprinkle borax powder over your floor. Use 1 to 2 cups for an average-sized room. Leave the borax down for 24-48 hours (or longer). Then you can vacuum it up. Any fleas should be dead. You can repeat as needed. You can use 20-Mule Team Borax detergent for this job.

You will also need to wash your dog’s bedding often during flea season. This is one of the places where the pests will most likely be found, hopping straight from your dog to his bed. Use hot water.

Don’t forget to treat your yard. A very cost-effective way to treat your yard for fleas is to buy a bucket of diatomaceous earth (garden/pool type) from your garden center. Sprinkle it all over your yard. The diatomaceous earth has sharp edges which will shred bugs and insects and dry out their exoskeletons.

You can keep fleas away by planting marigolds, chrysanthemums and other plants with naturally-occurring pyrethrins in your yard. Use cedar chips as mulch since fleas stay away from cedar.

You can also use herbal flea collars on your dog. These do work though they will not stop a strong flea infestation. Be careful using an herbal collar if you are pregnant since they usually contain penny royal and other herbs which can cause miscarriages.

Finally, you can spray your dog with a nice citrus spray. Fleas hate a citrus scent. Use lemon or orange peel, place it in a pint of water, add a few drops of citronella oil and a sprig of rosemary. Allow the mixture to sit overnight. You can use this mix as a good flea spray for your dog.

There are many different ways to control fleas besides using chemicals and pesticides. However, there may be times when your dog is suffering, especially if he has a flea bite allergy. In the case of these allergies, the bite from even one flea can send your dog into a frenzy of itching, gnawing and self-mutilation. Your dog may scratch and bite himself and end up chewing off his coat trying to stop the itching. If your dog has a flea bite allergy or you can’t get rid of fleas by natural means, you may need to consider temporarily using one of the flea products currently on the market.

Do talk to your veterinarian about which product may be right for your dog and his circumstances. Some products act very quickly to get rid of fleas starting in just a few minutes. Some products get into the skin or hair shafts and will last for several weeks, giving your dog some long-lasting relief. Some products work in combination with heartworm medication, and so on. If your dog does need a commercial flea control product, please talk to your vet instead of simply grabbing something off the shelf at the pet store.

Natural flea control can work for many dogs. Try some of the suggestions here and see what works for your dog. If you are vigilant and stay alert for these pests you can usually keep them at bay in many places.


David Beart is the owner of PetYak, a site that covers pet-related topics from cat and dog health to raising tropical fish and caring for birds.

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About Author

Devoted pet owner and now, devoted pet editor, Judi worked in traditional offices, keeping the books and the day-to-day operations organized. Taking her dog to work every day for over a decade never seemed odd. Neither did having an office cat. She knows what it's like to train a new puppy and she's experienced the heartache of losing beloved companions. Retired, she currently lives with her spoiled dog and four chickens (who are, interestingly enough, also spoiled).

10 Comments

  1. I think I’m finally done battling fleas on my cat. I tried everything natural and the only thing I could get to work was a little 1 oz bottle of Wally’s Itch Flea Tick oil. I bought it at GNC then bought a few more (cheaper) off their website at http://www.wallysnatural.com. I highly recommend their Itch Flea Tick oil as it was the only thing I could get to work.

  2. Wow!! I have read a lot of articles on the subject of flea control,but all were very generic. I had no idea that apple cider vinegar was even healthy for a dog. Or that certain plants kept fleas away. Thanks for this one.

  3. I have reservations about putting chemicals on my dog, especially with two small children around the house. I have tried the garlic, and it seemed to work well; you are right, I couldn’t smell it through the skin but it gave my dog HORRIBLE gas 🙁 I will have to try the apple cider vinegar, thanks for the advice.

  4. I have used diatomaceous earth to get rid of fleas on carpets, bedding, and even on the dog collars. Normally I will dust the diatomaceous earth in the carpet and bedding of the room and leave it to sit there for a day before I vacuum it. For dog collars I have a paper bag full of diatomaceous earth and just put the dog collars in the bag and shake it till the collars are completely powered then put the powdered collar on my dogs and repeat once or twice a week. I find it works! Hope this helps!

    • There is one thing I forgot to mention that is very important!!!

      Make sure the diatomaceous earth you use on the cat and dog collars is food grade! You can use the stuff from your local plant nursery on the carpets and stuff but anything that the animal might ingest should be food grade! I have to order the food grade DE online…. best to everyone and awesome site!

  5. Excellent advice. I hope to see more people moving towards natural remedies instead of relying on the chemicals that we have used for so many years. Not to mention on ourselves. Natural remedies and natural diets will keep our pets healthy for a long life.
    .-= Shaun Range´s last blog ..Raw Natural Diets =-.

  6. Wow I am glad I found this, I am going to try the vinegar. I was looking for a solution when I came across your blog..

    Great information that i am going to try.

    Thanks, Jane

  7. I totally agree. You really need to groom your dog daily to control the fleas especially during flea season. Aside from grooming your dog, you should keep your yard clean too.

  8. I consider that grooming your pet is a vital part of being a pet owner. Grooming your canine helps you accomplish many things. It gives you time to spend time with your dog and also clean and cut there coats to make them look better and shinier. So instead of applying fleabusters, just groom your pet and keep your environment clean.

  9. My German Shepherd Sport is allergic to the fleas saliva. He is a high drive dog but with this problem I couldn’t take him out of the house. The spot drops did not work since the flea had to bite him first then die but he would break out. I looked high and low and tried a natural product that didn’t work at all. Then I found cedar oil. It flat out worked as advertised. Now I can take my dog on a 3 mile walk every day and take him anywhere I want. I just spritz some on him and go. Worked so well we sell it at dgcedaroil.com. If you have the same problem or wish to get your dog or cat off of poisons take a look. Have it for inside and outside of your home and will repel fleas and ticks. Hope this can help, Rich

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This post contains affiliate links, which means we earn a commission for sales referred from links on our site. We're also Amazon Associates, so we may earn from those qualifying purchases, too. Learn more!