All-Natural Flea and Tick Repellent

As the trees begin to bloom and the grass begins to grow, we know that flea and tick season is upon us once again here in the Pocono Mountains, and for our fur friends here at that sanctuary, that could mean trouble.

Now, I don't know about you, but I am a minimalist when it comes to applying or giving our senior German Shepherds anything to ingest that may have an adverse effect, and that includes flea and tick preventatives. The fact is, any chew, topical solution, collar, or powder used to treat fleas and ticks is a pesticide, and that's bad news for your dog—especially those who are older or with a compromised immune system. Think about it. The dog chews the chew or gets the topical solution put on his back, and chemicals, such as Isoxazoline, enter the dog's blood system and become concentrated in his tissues. Then the flea or tick bites the dog, ingests the chemical, and dies. Call me crazy, but I sure as heck don't want any Woody's Place dog to have a chemical like that in his body that can cause a host of problems, like neurological issues, chemical burns on the skin, or worse. On the contrary, I don't want them to be carriers of fleas and tick and all the problems that come with that either. So here is my solution.

This Is my all-natural, homemade flea and tick repellent that we use on the Woody's Place Senior German Sanctuary resident dogs.

Over the course of the last decade-plus, I can count on my one hand how many times we've had to use a pesticide to treat for fleas and ticks, which I dread doing, but we had no other choice. I did say minimalist, but I am also a realist and recognize that sometimes fleas and ticks can be such a problem that you have to pull out "the big guns" to get the situation under control. Here is the recipe for my all-natural flea and tick repellent. Be sure to watch the video to see how to apply it to your dog.

* 8 oz of Apple cider vinegar

*4 oz warm water

* 1/2 tsp salt

*1/2 tsp baking soda

* approximately 10 drops Peppermint essential oil (can also use citronella, cedarwood rosemary, and neem)

Mix all the ingredients in a spray bottle.

Before venturing out for a hike or to play in a field, be sure to spray your dog lightly, focusing on the feet, legs, and back, and gently rub into for. Be sure to avoid spraying the face forgetting in the eyes.

A little of this homemade flea and tick repellent goes a long way, so use sparingly.

*Disclaimer

This is meant to be used as a repellent. To the best of my knowledge, it will not kill fleas or ticks. Please use with your best judgment.