If you’ve been wondering how to get rid of dog fleas naturally, there are several different methods you can try. These methods range from making mixtures using lemon juice and cayenne seeds as a spray, to herbs, herbal shampoos, to apple cider vinegar in your dog’s drinking water.

Method #1 — Lemon-Cayenne Spray

This spray is made from easy-to-find ingredients and is very easy to make. To make it gather these ingredients:

3 tablespoons of lemon juice concentrate
1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper seeds
1 teaspoon of oil
1 cup of water

Add the ingredients to a spray bottle. Shake bottle for one minute and sit in the sun until you notice the seeds softening around the edges. This could take several hours. When you see the seeds have softened, shake the mixture very vigorously for another minute or two.

Next, bathe your dog and towel him dry. While your dog is still slightly damp, spray the mixture onto your dog. Brush your dog until he is completely dry and you no longer see any fleas in the brush or comb.

Spray the mixture on him again and let the it dry. This lemon-cayenne mixture should kill the fleas.

Method #2 — Herbs

Several herbs and spices that you can feed your dog will also repel fleas. The most recommended remedies are garlic, sulphur, and Black Walnut Hulls. You can get any of these at your local health food store. They come in capsules. If your dog isn’t a finicky eater, you can open the capsule and mix it in with your dog’s food. If your dog is particular about what he eats, you will have to get him to swallow the pills by embedding them in a piece of meat or cheese.

Method #3 — Herbal Shampoos

Herbal shampoos also work well to kill and repel fleas. Find a shampoo that contains any combination of the following:

pine cedar
bergamot
rosemary
lavender
eucalyptus
citronella
juniper
geranium

The trick to killing fleas when bathing your dog is knowing that fleas will run away from the water. So, if you wet your dog’s body down, the fleas are going to run to the dogs head where it is still dry. You should be very careful about putting shampoos etc. on your dog’s head.

To prevent this whole situation, put a thick ring of shampoo around the dog’s neck before you begin wetting his body down. This way, the fleas won’t have anywhere to run. Now, you can begin bathing the rest of your dog’s body.

Method #4 — Apple Cider Vinegar

A very easy method to repelling fleas is to add apple cider vinegar to your dog’s drinking water. Begin with just a couple of drops so your dog can get used to the taste. Work up to a tablespoon of vinegar in the water every day.

Do not spray your dog with apple cider vinegar. It makes the flea bites burn badly and hurts the dog.
How to get rid of fleas can be trial and error, but it is important that you keep trying. Fleas are not only a nuisance to your dog that can end up causing a dog skin problem, they can become a nuisance to you and your entire family by infesting your home.

How to get rid dog fleas naturally can be tricky. A method that works for one person’s dog may not work for your dog and you may need to try a combination of the methods suggested.

Frontline For Pets is the first choice for vets in North America.

Frontline Plus For Dogs kills up to a hundred percent of the fleas on your cat or dog within 24 hours and up to 100% of ticks within 48 hours.

Frontline For Dogs works effectively for one month, twice as long as its next competitor which is why it occupies the #1 spot.

As it is waterproof, many owners with active dogs choose Frontline Flea And Tick.

Dog flea medications use chemical formulations to kill the parasites which is harsh.

Frontline Plus Flea is so gentle it can be used on kittens and puppies of 8 weeks old as well as on nursing mothers.

Frontline For Dogs works the best for your pet, and it works with one application onto the coat, often a dot of the liquid on the back of the neck.

Through a method called translocation, the flea medication is dispersed over the entire coat.

It is usually advisable to try to keep your pet dry for at least 24 hours to allow this process to happen.

Once the medication is translocated on your dog or cat, it remains on the coat for 4 weeks, during which time it should be unnecessary to re-apply.

Frontline Tick comes in three types; a spray used for rapid of severe flea and tick infestations, Top Spot which has all the features of the spray for routine control and Frontline Tick with an extra ingredient which actually breaks the flea’s breeding cycle.

Frontline For Dogs is the most recent product in the Frontline Flea family.

Because cat or dog fleas breed after being present on the host for 24-36 hours, and Frontline Plus Flea kills fleas within 18 hours, further infestation is prevented.

You may see more fleas on your cat or dog during the 18 hours as the product causes hyper-agitation in the parasites and brings them to the surface of the fur before their demise.

Frontline Flea And Tick is the most popular medication for cats & dogs, and in trials it was discovered that Frontline Flea Tick killed a higher percentage of fleas over the 28 day period.

Advantage flea control for pets is made by Bayer is a very similar product to Frontline Cat, but merely slightly less effective.

Many dog or cat owners are very happy though with Advantage, so if you are using this brand, you don’t have anything to be concerned about.

There really isn’t much between them in the debate over which is better - Frontline Dog or Advantage flea control for cats & dogs.

Vets trust Frontline Cat, but of course there are many other kinds of flea spray for dogs and other pet flea medications on the market, including organic flea treatments.

Frontline Flea Tick has been proven to be the most effective way to get rid of fleas on cats & dogs.

Side effects are negligible (although certain individuals may be allergic) and the medication does not have an expiration date.

Frontline Plus Flea is the best on the market in terms of ridding your pet of fleas.

Advantage Flea And Tick is one of the best choices to get rid of dog flea difficulties.

With a 98-100% efficacy against fleas, but totally safe (it comes with EPA and FDA backing), Advantage Cat Flea Control is a great choice to use against flea problems with your pets.

Advantage For Cats is a brand name you can trust, created by pharmaceutical giant Bayer, and one it is wise to invest in.

All you need to do to to spot it onto the nape of the neck once a month - Advantage Flea is that easy to use.

Make sure that the fluid reaches the skin, and one tube is equal to one dose. Simple.

Let Advantage Flea Medicine do its work, and you only have to think about it four weeks later when reapplication time is due.

Because it is resistant to water & rain, a bit of swimming and accidental contact with water will not affect Advantage For Cats.

Oral medications can be difficult to administer and some animals really don’t like collars around their necks, not to discount the possibility of strangulation, so Advantage Flea is the perfect solution.

Its effective! The moment you put Advantage Flea Treatment on your cat, it gets working and within minutes fleas stop biting. 98%-100% of fleas are dispatched within 12 hours.

Imidacloprid is the active agent in Advantage Flea Killer, making your dog or cat’s flea problems history.

That’s good news for both you and the cat or dog in your life.

Perfect for dogs or cats between 1-9 lbs, aged 8 weeks or older, you will quickly see that most cats or dogs fall into this bracket, making it a great treatment for the vast majority.

Advantage Flea is especially good for canines & felines with a history of skin allergies, as it is less likely to cause dermatitis.

Advantage Flea And Tick Control is not effective against ticks however, so if you have a cat or dog with a tick problem your should look for alternative treatment.

Vets sell the exact same version of Advantage Flea Medication from their offices, so you know you are buying what they would recommend.

If you take a chance on a cheap knock off, you may find your cat’s or dog’s flea issue does not go away.

Your dog or cat could become very ill if a flea infestation is allowed to develop as they are disease carriers.

Your cat or dog may provide a breeding ground for fleas which could actually infest your house too.

Advantage Flea And Tick Control is the straight forward & easy method of dealing with this concern.

For a decisive end to flea issues on your pets and in your house, just buy Advantage Flea And Tick.

As part of your dog’s regular grooming session, it is important that you frequently examine his coat and skin for dog flea bites. Dog fleas can cause severe irritation by sucking on your dog’s blood. If your dog should develop an allergy to dog flea bites, it could cause him to scratch uncontrollably, and develop sore, weeping skin. Fleas are also known to spread tapeworms to dogs that happen to accidentally eat them.

Fleas need an ample source of blood in order to lay their eggs, and your dog is a perfect source. They can easily jump onto your dog anywhere outside your home. And once they are done satisfying their blood thirst from your beloved pooch, they will usually stay in one area of your home, such as your carpet or bed, until they lay their eggs.

Fleas are not at all shy about having their presence detected. Chances are your dog has at least a few dog flea bites on him if he is scratching, biting, or shaking more than usual. If you happen to notice that he looks a little irritated, you should check him for fleas. To do this, start by pushing back the fur around his neck, along his back, and on his rear end and belly. Be sure to keep a look out for black and white particles similar to sand. These are flea eggs and waste material, a sure sign of a flea’s presence. You can also use a fine-toothed comb to search for fleas. Run the comb over his coat and see if you can catch any of these annoying culprits. There are many options available for controlling dog flea bites on your dog. Your vet is the best person to discuss these options with you.

Visit PuppyTowne.net for more info on Dog Flea Bites.

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cat_Tobin

Any idea how critical killing dog fleas really is? Wile there is a good chance you at least have an idea of the importance, there is also a good chance that you really don’t have a clue. There are many people who put in a great deal of work treating dog fleas. They do because they have a clue about what those little buggers can do.

To the naked eye, fleas are but very tiny specks. But don’t underestimate their destructive power. On top of that, these little bloodsuckers are tough; They are built like a tiny tank. They are definitely not easy to squish.

On average a flea may measure only a sixteenth (1/16) to one eighth (1/8) of an inch. You have heard the saying “dynamite comes in small packages”? Well, the flea has many attributes that are unique to it. These can more than make up for its size. The weight and structure of the body allow the flea to jump 200 times its body length. This ability allows the flea to easily invade new hosts as they come along. That new host can be Spot, the family dog, the noisy cat across the street, or even you.

Once it has snuck into enemy territory, the flea can easily move through the forest of hairs on its host with no problem. It can continually avoid detection until it finds the perfect spot to feast. (Sounds like one of those cheap science fiction movies.) In the slight chance it might be found, (more difficult than you might imagine), it doesn’t go easily. As stated earlier, the flea’s body is hard and resilient like a tiny tank. It is hard enough that regardless of it’s size, it is not easy to crush. You may have to crush it completely, otherwise risk another invasion from the exact same agent.

Knowing how tough these critters are isn’t enough. Add on top of that the fact that a single flea can lay up to 50 eggs a day. That is easily 250 a week. Can you imagine, it takes one of those eggs about two weeks to hatch? Now if each of those grows to adulthood and they lay their own eggs… So you can just imagine how hard treating dog fleas is when they number in the thousands. It all starts with just one adult flea. This one flea could end up laying hundreds or thousands of eggs in a lifetime. An entire army of fleas could be created within a couple generations.

Despite all this about the outrageous rate of reproduction of the flea, you might ask what is the big deal. Why should we be so focused on the flea anyway? Why is killing dog fleas so absolutely necessary? Consider this: a single flea can bite your dog or any host for that matter, up to 400 times a day. It can consume more than its weight in blood and can carry various diseases. If this is just from one flea, imagine what can happen from hundreds or even thousands of fleas on your pet.

Fleas are more than just an annoyance. Making your dog itch is only a small part of the problem. The real danger lies in the fact that when your dog itches, he scratches. If your dog scratches incessantly it could lead to major skin disorders, like permanent hair loss and an assortment of small wounds that can turn to infections which can be very dangerous to your dog.

Even Worse, fleas can compromise your dog’s very health. If Spot is allergic to them or if he swallows them guess what? (Tapeworms, anyone?). While fleabites might be minor, other serious health issues can appear. In some cases, even death is possible. Fleas are not just a minor problem. It should be no surprise that many people are dedicated to killing dog fleas.

Don’t think that killing dog fleas isn’t worth the effort. If you really care about Spot, you really need to be relentless at getting rid of fleas. Now that you know what’s up, you can be better prepared. Go to it!

If you would like more information, please visit my blog at http://Dog-and-Puppy-Training-and-Care.blogspot.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Harvard_Kinkead

Dog Fleas - Prevention & Cure

Dog fleas, like human fleas, are parasites and are generally detrimental to the health of our pets. Dog fleas can also affect us humans and can feed off us. Removing dogs from the house, therefore, is not a healthy solution if ever one is having a major dog flea problem in the house. This would only cause the fleas to feed off us humans instead.

Prevention

Prevention is always better than medication, so it is best to prevent occurrences of dog flea infestations. A number of relatively easy ways can be done to prevent further aggravation of a dog flea problem. One of these is through the use of repellents. Some insecticides contain pyrethrins and permethrins that are of substantial use in repelling dog fleas. These insecticides, however, must never be sprayed directly on dogs and cats.

Another method is the use of proper sanitation. Animal on board must be subject to a flea bath, to effectively eradicate traces of fleas before they permanently reside inside our homes. Vacuuming carpets and other potential sources of dog flea eggs and larvae should also be done. Also, regular pet maintenance is required.

Treatment

Sometimes, the problem has reached its worse and in these cases, medication is necessary. In such cases, two products that are highly effective are available on the market. One of these is Frontline. This is an especially good treatment because it can be used on young dogs – even as young as 8 weeks old. This product works well, even when the dog has already been bathed and can last for as long as a month. Your dogs would not be irritated with this medication, as it is generally gentle and harmless.

Another good medication is Advantage. This, on the other hand, can be used for both cats and dogs, and has the distinct ability to kill fleas within a 12-hour period of time.

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dr._Mark_Clayson

Caring for Your Dog: Fighting Fleas and Odor

If you are the proud owner of a dog, you understand the importance of protecting your dog – and our home and family – from fleas and unwanted odrors associated with your dog. In that regard, you may have spont a good deal of money on different products designed to fight fleas and keep pet related odors to a minimum.

In reality, there is a very simple and inexpensive solution to fighting fleas and minimizing odors associated with your best friend. Put fresh pine needles in your dog’s crate, doghouse, or bed to keep fleas away. Pine needles are a natural – and free – method of fighting fleas that would otherwise infest your lovable pet (and, in some instances, migrate through out your house causing you real discomfort and problems).

In addition to fighting fleas, the use of fresh pine needles also helps to minimize unpleasant odors on your pet. Anyone who owns a dog knows that finding ways to minimize odors is vital. With pine needles, you can go very far towards minimizing those unpleasant odors that so often are associated with your pet – no matter how often you bath your dog.

When using pine needles, all you need to simply do is lay a small, thin layer in your dog’s crate, doghouse, or bed. You do not need to overdo as by laying out too many pine needles, you will end up with a mess on your hands. In addition to laying out a thin layer of pine needles you need to keep in mind that you need to change the needles every few days to guarantee their optimal effectiveness.