If your dog has fleas, I’m so sorry because it sucks! When my dogs got fleas, I was at a loss. They had a pretty bad case before I figured out an effective solution without any chemicals. If you’re looking for a natural option that works, I’ve got one for you.

Believe me, I’ve done it myself, and I have two dogs. Plus, at the time, I had wall-to-wall carpeting throughout my entire home (I know – don’t ask!) and it still worked. You need to know this upfront: It’s going to take work and commitment on your part, but it will rid your dog of fleas naturally. You can watch a video here instead if you don’t want to read the article; you’ll even see my dogs scratching themselves in the background. 😊

If your dog has fleas, you not only need to consider them but also your home. Fleas release eggs which fall off your dog and into the environment. If you don’t address your home as well, they will continue to cycle through on your dog. Here’s an article on the life cycle of fleas if you want to know more.

To begin, you will need the following:

• Vacuum
• Non-irritating natural dog shampoo
• Diatomaceous earth (learn more about what this is here)
• Blankets/towels
• Access to a washing machine & dryer

Step 1: Vacuum (you’re vacuuming up the larvae that the fleas leave behind), launder, and wipe down a room that you can block off. Make sure your dog does not enter this room until the next steps are complete.

Step 2: Give your dog a bath and lather every part of your dog really well. Start with the neck because fleas tend to climb up when there is water as they drown and the lather will ensure that they drown (I know, sounds morbid). Don’t rinse your dog for about 5 minutes. Give them treats, massage them, do whatever works to keep them preoccupied, then rinse them really well and ensure the water has drained. Dry off your dog with a fresh towel.

Step 3: Put the towel you dried your dog with, in the laundry (or a closed-up bag) and put your dog in that previously cleaned room and block them off from the remainder of the house.

Step 4: Vacuum, launder, and clean the rest of the house, including sheets, blankets, plush toys… especially the areas that your dog hangs out in most often. Once that has been completed, close off rooms that your dog doesn’t have to be in until this flea problem is resolved. You want to avoid having to do this in the entire house over again. Throw out the vacuum bag within the vacuum and cover any material furniture like the couch that are not easily put in the laundry with sheets, towels, blankets. It will be easier to launder these rather than vacuuming over again.

Once you’ve completed the above steps your dog can come out of the blocked-off area and run free again (minus the areas you’ve decided to block off).

Step 5: Spread diatomaceous earth in the areas that are most used by your dog and leave it for now. You can vacuum this up in a couple of days.

Repeat the process every week for 4 weeks (every 3 days for 2 weeks then once a week if the fleas are really bad). I realize this is a lot of work, but it works and keeps everyone safe and healthy by avoiding heavy chemical solutions.

Some final tips:

Fleas and larvae will die in freezing temperatures. Remove your dog’s collar after walks and put anything that was on your dog into the freezer until the next walk and then repeat. You can also put toys and anything else that fits into the freezer when not in use to help kill fleas easily. If you live in a cold climate, you can also leave items such as toys, blankets, etc… outside overnight.

You can use diatomaceous earth directly on your dog as well. It won’t hurt them; it will just kill the fleas. Caution: do not put on the face and avoid breathing in.

Here’s a recipe for a natural bug deterrent:

• 1 litre of water
• 3-4 cloves of crushed garlic
• 1 oz of lime or lemon
• 10 drops of lavender or mint oil
• Spray bottle

Directions:

• Mix all ingredients together in spray bottle. Store in fridge up to 2 weeks.
• Can be sprayed directly on dog (avoid eyes and genitals)
• Can be used on clothing or neck bandana as a flea collar.

Oh, and don’t forget to vacuum your car as well if your dog travels with you.