Monday, August 10, 2009

Avoid Dog Fleas At The Dog Park

By Jane A Moore

My neighborhood has a great dog park. Every Saturday, my dog and I head to the local coffee shop and then directly to the dog park. My dog knows exactly where we are going and is on autopilot every Saturday morning. I love the dog park in the spring time. My dog relishes the new smells and exploring puddles. I let him get as dirty as he pleases and I just hose him down once we get home. We both understand that the hose is a necessary part of springtime at the dog park.

At the dog park, my dog gets to have loads of exercise and socialize with other dogs. I, on the other hand get to sit on a bench, enjoy my coffee, chat with my friends or leaf through a newspaper. We both like the dog park. However, the dog park does have one distinct drawback. My dog has been known to get a good dose of dog fleas after a morning of playing at the dog park.

I can't remember exactly when I made the decision to stop going to the dog park, but it was an unconscious decision over about a month I think, as I was just dreading having to go through the inevitable process of ridding fleas from my dog and my house. Well, after a few months, I began to rethink that decision. Yes, my dog got rid of the fleas, but we have both noticeably missed the dog park. I decided that maybe it was worth trying to re-establish the dog park routine.

I called my dog groomer for advice. How could we enjoy our weekend trips to the dog park and avoid getting fleas? The dog groomer was full of good ideas. She knew that I was a believer in non toxic and organic living so I needed an all natural flea prevention solution. Thankfully, those solutions are pretty common and easy to apply.

I started to feed my dog a wee bit of garlic with his wet food every morning. The groomer told me that in a matter of days the garlic will start to be emitted through my dogs skin and saliva. The smell is imperceptible to humans but acts as a significant flea deterrent. She was right. At least, I have not noticed any fleas after going to the dog park. As an added precaution, I dosed a bandanna in some citronella oil and tied it around my dog's neck. My dog doesn't seem to mind the smell and it helps to repel fleas.

Since finding a good solution to keep my dog from picking up fleas in public places, going out for our weekend outings has been much more pleasurable. Not having to worry about bringing fleas home, and especially finding an all natural flea solution has been the best discovery my dog and I have made this summer.

About the Author:

>
AddThis Social Bookmark Button

0 comments: