Lots of pet owners ask whether you can manage and prevent fleas & ticks naturally. The answer is yes! But there are things to know first when it comes to fleas and ticks.

As a canine nutritionist and herbalist, I'm constantly asked by dog parents about natural flea and tick prevention, especially as the warmer weather starts. Now that we all are becoming more and more aware of the potential dangers to our dogs that come with traditional chemical/pesticide-based flea and tick treatments, I highly recommend exploring natural flea and tick prevention for your pets.

We don't want to try to solve one problem by creating another one with potentially long-lasting ramifications!

There are a few things to remember when trying to prevent fleas and ticks:

• Know your enemy
• Be proactive and consistent with whichever treatments you choose
• Consider the environment you live in and how it might affect your dog's exposure to fleas and ticks
• Understand there is no silver bullet when it comes to flea and tick prevention

With that said, let's get into it.

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Step 1: Know your flea and tick enemy

The first step to any sort of prevention is understanding what you're dealing with.

Fleas are small, dark brown insects that live off the blood of their hosts aka your pet. They are excellent jumpers and can travel from one host to another very easily. A female flea can lay up to 50 eggs per day (gross), and those eggs can hatch in as little as two days.

Ticks are external parasites that feed on the blood of their hosts. They are usually dark brown or black and can range in size from a poppy seed to a raisin. Ticks can carry diseases they can transmit to their hosts, which is why it's so important to prevent them from attaching to your dog in the first place.

While both fleas and ticks are external parasites, they have different life cycles and therefore require different methods of prevention.

Step 2: Be proactive and consistent with flea and tick treatments

The second step to preventing fleas and ticks is to be proactive and consistent with your treatment plan. This means knowing what type of treatment you'll be using and doing it regularly, even when your dog doesn't have any fleas or ticks.

Here are my 7 favorite herbal and homeopathic remedies for flea and tick prevention and treatment that I have used for my dogs:

When it comes to fleas and ticks, prevention is most effective when we take a layered approach. Building a natural web of overlapping protections creates a more durable shield to keep your dog flea and tick-free and guard against health issues like lyme disease.

What does that even mean?

Focus on preventing adult fleas and their flea eggs from getting a foothold on your dog and in your home as well as keeping ticks from attaching to your pup. Never having flea larvae in your house or ticks on your dog is by far the easiest route to keeping your dog free from flea and tick infestations than trying to kill fleas and ticks already in your pet's fur.

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Let's get into my recommended flea and tick preventives:

1. Earth Animal Flea & Tick products... starting with Daily Herbal Internal Powder. This powder is added to food and the recommended dose may double during peak flea and tick season for added support. The powder works by changing the odor of dogs to repel pests (not noticeable to humans).
2. Earth Animal Herbal Flea and Tick Collars - cedarwood and peppermint-scented to turn off fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes.
3. Earth Animal Herbal Bug Spray - a blend of herbs and essential oils that smells fresh and minty to us and our dogs but is repulsive to fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes. Great for both your pet and you!
4. Pure + Good Flea + Tick shampoo and conditioner - clean, all-natural shampoo and conditioner. Made with lemongrass and citronella to be naturally unappealing to fleas, ticks, and other pesky insects.
5. Raw Baltic Amber Collars - the high natural acid content repels fleas and ticks and the static electricity produced as the stones rub against your dog's fur also repels fleas and ticks. The longer your dog wears the collar, the more effective it is. If your dogs are like mine and enjoy being "naked," then this might not be for you.

My recommended homeopathic remedies for flea and tick bites

But first, what is homeopathy?

Homeopathy is highly diluted active ingredients (usually plants and minerals) that treat a disease on the premise that the body can heal itself given the right support. It provides gentle support to stimulate internal healing as it strengthens the vital life force of the body.

A couple of my favorite tools are:

6. Ledum 30c or 200c - remedy for insect bites and puncture wounds that helps to reduce swelling and itching, and repair tissues. The recommended dose is to give 1-3 pellets 3x a day for 2 days following a tick bite, then dose 2x daily for a week, then dose twice weekly for a month. For maintenance, the recommendation is to give 1 pellet once a week during tick season.

7. Tick Bite Balance Nosode - a proprietary blend of Ledum and Rhus Tox. Many homeopathic blends on the market such as this are safe for humans and pets. May be given by itself, or in combination with antibiotics.

The best preventive base is a good immune system

** Please note: Always keep in mind what is best for you, your dog, your lifestyle, and the area where you live when it comes to flea & tick treatment and heartworm preventives. Yearly blood work with your vet is important to test for tick-borne disease and heartworm to ensure your pet is protected.

Try this

Pick a flea and tick treatment for your dog, buy the product(s) that fit best with your lifestyle and environment, and make a plan to remember to use the preventive products regularly.

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Step 3: There's no silver bullet so remember to keep your environment as unwelcoming to fleas and ticks as possible

There are simple things you can do in and around your home that are helpful in controlling fleas and ticks AND have the added benefit of getting rid of allergens while you're at it that could be causing allergies in your dog!

Do you have both a dog and cat household? All these home recommendations benefit your allergy-prone, flea dirt-vulnerable cat, too! (as well as allergy-prone humans)

How to prevent fleas and ticks in the yard around your home:

• Keep your lawn mowed short. Fleas and ticks love to hang out in shady, damp areas even if the cover is just a high blade of grass.
• Avoid planting tall grasses in your yard and keep up with raking leaves - anything that eliminates hospitable spots for fleas and ticks while they wait to land on your dog (or you).

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How to prevent flea infestations and ticks inside your house

Fleas, in particular, like to set up shop in your home and multiply like crazy, preferring soft fabric hiding spots like carpets, upholstered furniture, and linens. Score one for bare floors (which they dislike) if you're choosing between carpet and hardwood or tile.

A few household tips to keep fleas from moving in and multiplying:

• Vacuum frequently, especially in "soft" or hidden areas (carpets, behind cushions, etc) to get rid of any possible fleas and (ugh) their flea eggs. If you do suspect fleas, change and throw out vacuum bags very carefully, preferably outside. The fleas could jump out and onto you when you're emptying the bag! (sorry!)
• Wash pet bedding in hot and soapy water. I recommend using a natural product like Dr. Bronner's to avoid detergent chemicals/allergens coming in close contact with your dog.
• Since your bed linens are likely your pet's bedding too, follow the same washing regimen at least once a week!

What should you do if a tick is attached to your pet?

If you've found a tick attached to your dog, pour some diluted apple cider vinegar on the tick and it might detach itself or at least help loosen it to be pulled out. After removing the tick, I like to make a chamomile and/or calendula decoction and rinse the area multiple times a day for a few days for skin-healing and antibacterial properties. As always, consult with your vet about the possibility of any tick-related diseases.

Next up in the Fleas and Ticks Channel on Dogly

Now that you know how to naturally prevent fleas and ticks from making your home and pets their own, you can start to keep these pests at bay. The next step-by-step guide in the Fleas and Ticks Channel here on Dogly teaches you the 7 support pillars to help your dog stay well and safe from fleas, ticks, and heartworm.

Continue on to the next guide or hop over to the Fleas and Ticks Channel if you'd like to ask a question in the Community discussion or start any of the step-by-step guides. And if you ever need more personalized wellness help, please reach out!