Fleas are so annoying and ticks are so unsettling. When you start to see your dog itching, biting, gnawing at its skin, and looking up at you as if to say, “Do something!” it can leave you as the owner feeling helpless. So, this flea and tick season, why not prevent the problem before it gets out of hand and you have to bomb the house, dip your dog, and subscribe to Frontline effectively making your dog a walking chemical factory and your house a bio-hazard.

Here are a few of the simple, natural, economical, and dog-friendly ways you can get rid of those little itchers, biters and bloodsuckers once and for all:

Garlic: This is one of the best ways to get rid of fleas on dogs. Not only does your dog love garlic, but simply feeding your pet garlic about three times a week will send off an odor from your dog’s skin that fleas absolutely hate. Not only that, but garlic, being the miracle food it is for both humans and animals, it will boost your dog’s immune system and heart. If you’re worried about bad breath, just give your dog some teeth-cleaning, nice-breath treats — there are plenty on the market.

Vinegar: By using either white, red or apple cider vinegar and mixing one part vinegar with one part water, you can make a soothing spray to apply where your dog is itching the most. Because fleas can cause your dog to develop “hot spots” — places on your dog’s skin where it will constantly chew and scratch causing bleeding and hair loss — it’s important to sooth the skin while at the same time getting rid of fleas and ticks. You can even mix one teaspoon of vinegar to your pet’s water bowl to repel fleas and ticks from the inside out. Just make sure you don’t get any in your pooch’s eyes, it’ll sting.

Lemon Juice: Lemon juice is a fantastically simple way of getting rid of fleas and ticks on dogs. Basically all you need to do is mix one part lemon juice to one part water and presto! You have a spray that will repel fleas and ticks. However, just like the vinegar make sure you don’t get it into the dog’s eyes. Also, keep clear of hot spots if they have already developed.

Getting rid of fleas on dogs naturally is very easy to do. There are a variety of tried and true methods and those were just a few of them. Another thing to remember is that, if your dog has longer, thicker hair you should regularly brush it, especially during flea and tick season. If your dog has knots then you need to cut them out. Knots can be breeding grounds for fleas and great places for ticks to hide.

If your flea or tick problem has gone out of control and your dog is in pain, then you need to flea bomb your house, vacuum regularly and should consider flea dipping your dog. But, if the problem is fairly mild, then natural solutions will work just fine.

Fleas and ticks can cause your dog to itch and bite at itself, causing skin problems, infections and a bad coat. In order to help your dog recover more quickly it’s also important to provide your dog with a good, all-in-one supplement that promotes healthy skin and coat and immune system. Proud Dog Complete Wellness is an all-in-one health supplement ideal for all breeds of dog — adult or puppy.

I use Proud Dog Complete Wellness and can personally testify to how well it works. My dog Sam, a border collie/Aussie Shepherd mix, has a lot of problem with fleas during the Summer — especially down here in Georgia. Last year he started chewing on his skin and had a lot of “hot spots” his coat began looking worse and there were patches where there was no hair. I started utilizing flea treatmements like the ones I wrote about here, but his coat never recovered. When I began using Proud Dog Complete Wellness, it only took a month for his coat’s ratty appearence to begin growing fuller, thicker and shinier. So, I definitely recommend this supplement for tons of dog health concerns.