Dogs pick up fleas easily.

Dogs pick up fleas easily.

If you’ve got a dog, you’ve undoubtedly had a flea problem at one time or another. More than likely, you’ve had or will have problems with fleas several times during the lifetime of your dog.

These tiny insects can drive both you and your dog crazy. Their bites will make you both itchy and if the infestation gets out of control it can make life almost intolerable for your beloved furry friend.

Not only are fleas hard to deal with, but if you live in an area where they tend to come back from time to time it can get expensive trying to find a treatment for your dog that gets rid of them and keeps them away. You probably also don’t feel very good about the idea of constantly exposing your dog to chemical pesticides as you try to deal with the problem.

To help you in your fight against fleas, here we’ve compiled 6 natural flea treatments you can use to get your problem under control while you rest easy knowing that you’re not putting your dog at risk with possibly toxic chemicals.

  1. Homemade Natural Flea Bath

Ingredients –

  • ½ cup of fresh lemon juice (preferably squeezed, not bottled)
  • 1 ½ to 2 cups of water
  • ¼ to ½ cup of mild pet shampoo

Mix all the ingredients together and store in a suitable bottle. Simply bathe your dog with this special shampoo once a week to keep the fleas away.

If you have a larger dog and need to make a bigger mix, you’ll want to use the same amount of lemon juice and shampoo and then double that amount in water. So for example, if you use 1 cup of lemon juice and 1 cup of shampoo, use 2 to 2 ½ cups of water.

  1. Flea Repellent Sachet

This handy little package can be used around the house, especially in areas where your pet likes to sleep.  Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Two squares of breathable fabric, about 6 inches each
  • About one handful of cedar chips
  • Two teaspoons of dried lavender buds
  • One lemon peel

First, you want to sew the two pieces of fabric together on three sides, leaving one side open to place the mixture inside. Mix your ingredients together and fill the sachet, making sure to leave enough room to tie off or sew closed the top of the bag.

Place the sachet under your pet’s bedding or in any area where they spend a lot of time to help repel fleas

  1. Natural Flea Spray Treatment

Ingredients –

  • 1 cup of white distilled vinegar or apple cider vinegar
  • 1 quart of fresh water
  • 2 or 3 drops of lavender or cedar oil
  • A clean spray bottle

Mix the ingredients together well and fill your spray bottle. Spray a mist over your dog, being careful not to get it in their eyes or ears. To get the areas around the face, apply a small amount of the mixture to a cloth and rub it around

Natural Care 32 oz Flea and Tick Home Spray

Natural Care 32 oz Flea and Tick Home Spray

the ears and chin. You can also spray bedding and sleeping areas.

  1. Lemon Comb Flea Treatment

Lemons contain a natural chemical called limonene which will kill and repel fleas.

To use this flea treatment for your dog simply boil a pot of water and place pieces from one freshly sliced lemon in the water. Turn off the heat after you add the lemons and cover the pot. Allow the mixture to sit until cool. It’s fine to leave it overnight if possible.

Once cool, dip your pet’s comb or brush in the mixture and brush or comb their coat. If you have a short-haired breed, you can also apply this treatment using a sponge or wet cloth.

  1. Flea Repellent Drink Supplement

This treatment is super simple to implement. Just add about one teaspoon of white distilled vinegar or apple cider vinegar to your dog’s drinking water.

The vinegar will not only help deter fleas from biting your dog, it will help to improve their coat too.

  1. Homemade Flea Collar

To make your own flea repellant collar you’ll need:

  • 3 to 5 drops of cedar or lavendar oil
  • 1 to 3 tablespoons of water
  • Your dog’s collar or a bandana

Simply dilute the oil you’d like to use in two to three tablespoons of water and apply it in several spots to the collar or bandana. Rub the sides of the collar together to spread the mixture out a little bit and then put it on your dog. You’ll need to reapply the mixture about once a week to keep up effectiveness.

 

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