Fleas can be a huge problem not only for your dogs but for yourself, as well. You will need time and a plan to get rid of the buggers before more join the party. There are a few ways that you can get rid of these hopping insects that cause itchiness and other unwelcome issues into your lives. We have narrowed it down to six tips that you should know to get rid of fleas on your dogs. In doing so, you decrease the chances of them spreading further into your home. 

Tip 1- Check Your Pets

While fleas may be tiny in structure they can bring a large level of annoyance to you and your dog’s lives. Therefore, it is important to check your pets when they display behavior that is unusual to the way they normally are. The common give away for fleas is if your four-legged buddy is scratching a lot. You should check their fur right down to their skin as well as the areas around their ears. 

Tip 2- Know the Flea Life Circle

Fleas grow up and each stage can require a different treatment method to destroy them. The circle of life for fleas is:

  • Egg
  • Egg hatching into a larva (baby)
  • Pupa (cocoons that they make to hatch into the final stage)
  • Adult (where they can hop to other pets or members of the household to lay eggs, cause irritation and begin the circle again)

Eggs can spread fairly quickly since your dog probably tends to move, shake, lie down and scratch a lot. This can make the eggs get into your house where they end up in your carpets, beds, or couches and hatch into larvae. 

Tip 3- Prevention

The best way to stop something from spreading is to prevent it from happening. There are many methods you could use from flea collars, pills, and certain liquids such as flea killing shampoo. However, speak to your vet for the best and safest method to use on your pet. Plus, if there are already fleas on dogs in your household, then these methods can still work but you would need to add another level to the treatment. This is to take a more aggressive approach usually investing in a prescription based treatment that your vet can prescribe. 

Tip 4- Read the Instructions

Certain treatments require certain rules to be followed and these can be found in the instructions. Make sure that you carefully read what to do and how much to use so that you can get the job done without hurting anyone or any pet. 

Tip 5- Clean Your House

Fleas like to hop around in your home so make sure that you not only clean your pets but where you and they live. You can do this by: 

  • Vacuuming often
  • Cleaning out the bag away from the house
  • Wash bedding
  • Apply treatment to your house 
  • Apply a treatment to your garden
  • Call an exterminator if it is a big problem 

This can be a 3 to 4 months long process but keep at it and check in with your pets and house every month to check if more fleas haven’t joined your household. 

Tip 6- Vet

Before you start any method to get rid of these hopping, itch-inducing bugs make sure to check with your vet about your ideas or to get better ones from them. They are the experts and have more experience in dealing with different stages of fleas as well as different types of dogs who have fleas. When in doubt, play it safe and ask.