Fleas are dangerous and irritating pests. They bite your dog and can spread sicknesses and health risks like worms. Anti-flea treatments like flea powders, flea collars and chemicals smell, though, and aren't always safe for households that have young children. If you're looking for a natural remedy for fleas, there are several choices. Try cedar oil, vinegar and even garlic. The theory behind using garlic is that it makes your dog "taste bad" to fleas. Although this has not been confirmed, many people swear by the use of garlic for flea control. Garlic does NOT make your dog smell to humans.
Things You'll Need
- Garlic cloves
- Dog treats
Instructions
Garlic is a very simple method for driving away fleas. Remove a clove of garlic from its casing. The clove is the slightly moist "pearl" inside the dry outer husk.
The amount you feed depends on the weight of your dog. Feed dogs that weigh less than 50 lbs one clove. Dogs that weigh over 50 lbs can have two cloves. You can feed your dog garlic every day, every couple of days, or just three times a week. You should feed garlic often enough to maintain the level of garlic in your dog's system, to maintain the protection from fleas.
Most dogs will eat whatever you give them with no problem, and the same should hold true for cloves of garlic. If your dog is picky about what it eats, stuff the garlic into a treat to disguise it.
Some other all-natural remedies can complement this use of garlic. Spray vinegar solution on your dog's coat to eliminate itching, or put vinegar in its water. Use lemon juice on your dog's coat instead of flea chemicals or powder. Put four drops of cedar oil on your dog's collar or bandana to make a natural (fragrant) flea collar.