Best Natural, Non-Toxic Flea and Tick Prevention for Your Dog
options, options - so many options
Living out in the West Kootenays of British Columbia, the pugs & I spend a considerable amount of time meandering around the forest on walks and hikes in the area.
We love sharing our adventures out in nature with all of you, and every spring, one of the most common questions we get asked is, “What do you guys use for flea and tick medication?” …and to be totally honest, we don’t use anything…but only because we’ve never had to.
Since ticks are not a problem where we live, I’ve never used any sort of flea or tick medication - natural or otherwise - in all of the 15+ years I’ve owned, loved, cared for, walked, sat, rescued, and re-homed pugs.
However, I have chatted with plenty of others who live in different areas of the world where the prevalence of ticks is an ongoing problem & concern.
As an advocate for natural and non-toxic pet care, I’ve put together a list of natural flea and tick preventatives that I have either found and researched myself, or that have been suggested to us by Grumble Farm’s friends & followers.
None of the following brands, companies, are products are sponsored or affliliate-related,, and are listed in no particular order. If you have any additional recommendations, feel free to drop a comment below so that I can look into them and potentially add them to the list!
If you’ve already administered flea and tick medication containing fipronil, isoxazoline, or any other insecticide (either due to a well-informed decision to intervene or simply not knowing the risks beforehand) - Rodney and Dr. Karen Shaw Becker have put together a free resource for helping to assist in clearing and detoxifying your pet’s organs of any chemical residues from these medications. They also offer a handful of other epic free guides and resources - you can access them here.
Armed with the right information and resources to advocate for the preventative health & wellness of your pugs, dogs, and of course yourself, you can confidently get the heck out there this spring and summer without having to worry about a thing.
Happy hiking!
Disclaimer: it’s important to note that I am definitely not a veterinarian, Ultimately, the brands, companies, and products listed below are not intended to replace the need to see & work with your own veterinarian. The products below are intended to be used proactively and preventatively, or integratively with your veterinarian’s suggestions. If you are repeatedly finding ticks on your dog or find yourself in an emergency, please remember to contact your vet!
BEST NATURAL FLEA AND TICK PRODUCTS FOR YOUR DOG
FLEA COMBS
There are so many cheap flea combs that you can pick up at any pet supply store or online that cost literally, like, five bucks. The purple one above is by Hartz Groomers, but there are literally dozens (Frisco, Safari, Four Paws, Evolution, ConAir Pro, Andis, JW Pet - there’s even an electric one by a company called Eyenimal).
Flea combs have extra-fine teeth that grab adult fleas, flea eggs and other debris easily with every stroke - and while their primary purpose is for, well… fleas, they are excellent for finding ticks as well.
Since there is about a 12 to 24-hour window between when a tick bites before transmitting any problematic diseases, a through comb-through post-walkies is a great routine to get into the habit of doing with your dog. If you do happen to find any ticks that have already attached onto/into the skin, you can then use a tick removal tool to quickly & safely remove it (head and all).
YAYA ORGANICS
ABout yaya organiCS
Yaya Organics is a 100% women-owned company based out of rural New Hampshire that offers a premium all-natural and non-toxic bug repellent line that is truly effective, enjoyable to use, made with authentic ingredients, and is environmentally-friendly.
After mother-daughter duo Alex and Rebecca become frustrated and overwhelmed with the worsening tick problem in their own backyards, they became determined to find an effective all-natural solution that would protect them and their family. Concerned about the health and safety of Rebecca’s 1 year old son, they were recommended to use DEET or permethrin (according to experts and the CDC).
Dissapointed that there was nothing natural and proven effective on the market that specifically targeted ticks, Alex and Rebecca set out to make the ultimate all-natural tick repellent. After obsessively researching various essential oils and plant-based oils that repel ticks, they started developing and testing formulas until they came up with the formulation that was to become Tick Ban: an extra potent formula boasting a high % of bio-actives, a refreshing herbal scent, and an ingredients panel that they could trust including cedarwood, peppermint, geranium, rosemary, and more.
TICK BAN All-Natural Tick Repellent
INGREDIENTS: Active Ingredients: Soybean oil, Castor oil, Cedarwood oil, Peppermint oil, Rosemary oil, Rose Geranium oil Lemongrass oil, Thyme oil
Inert Ingredients: Water
DOG WHISPERER ALL-NATURAL FLEA AND TICK REPELLENT
Highlights:
Powered by YAYA's TICK BAN formula
Proven Effective
Maximum Strength
Made with premium essential oils including Cedar, Peppermint, Geranium, Lemongrass and more!
All-Natural, Plant-Based
Free from DEET, Permethrin, Clove and Eugenol.
Safe for Dogs + Their People!
Fresh, Uplifting Scent
YAYA Organics also offers a Tick and Flea Dog Shampoo as well as a Tick and Flea Home Treatment.
Browse all YAYA Organics full line of natural insect repellents for pets & their people here,
Tickless USA
Tickless Classic Pet Chemical-Free Tick and Flea Repeller (ALL SIZES)
Tickless Mini Dog Chemical-Free Tick and Flea Repeller (FOR DOGS UNDER 20 LBS)
ABOUT TICKLESS USA
Founded in 2010 with an HQ in Tampa, Florida, Tickless USA aims to provide a non-toxic solution against parasites. With a focus on evidence-based solutions that are harmless for any user and also to nature, Tickless products feature the newest in ultrasonic technology and provide an effective and safe solution against parasites such as ticks, fleas and mites.
ABOUT THE ULTRASONIC TICK AND FLEA REPELLER DEVICE
The Tickless device emits a series of ultrasonic pulses that are imperceptible to humans, pets or wildlife, but interfere with the ability of ticks and fleas to orient themselves. The ultrasonic wave is an acoustic (sound) energy in the form of waves having a frequency range above that of human hearing range (the sounds humans can perceive have a frequency ranging from 20–20,000 hertz (Hz).) While pets can hear ultrasound frequencies, 40 kHz is already over their hearing range.
According to their website, Tickless technology underwent rigorous testing and was proven effective by a clinical study at the Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Laboratory, University of Camerino, Italy, the results of which showed that in dogs that were not infested prior to the start of the study, Tickless prevented any infestation against ticks and Fleas. Tickless USA claims that their ultrasonic devicsed are 94% efficient against ticks without using any dangerous chemicals.
Tickless USA offers their Classic Pet Chemical-Free Tick and Flea Repeller for dogs and pets over 20 lbs, as well as their Mini Dog Chemical-Free Tick and Flea Repeller for dogs under 20 lbs. Simply place the tag on your pet’s collar and remove the tab to activate the device.
Browse Tickless USA’s full range of flea, tick, and mite repellers here.
EARTH M.D. OUTDOOR SHIELD (FORMERLY FLEA & TICK PREVENTION)
outdoor shield SUPPLEMENTAL POWDER (50g/100g bag)
ABOUT EARTH M.D.
Earth M.D. is a Canadian-owned company based out of Ontario. The company was founded by Bobby Marr and Julia Ries with the desire to provide pet owners with safe and effective alternative remedies with no harmful side effects by using colloidal metals and plants.
Having worked in both the retail and manufacturing sides of the pet food industry over the years, Bobby integrates the things he has learned about how products are made, inside information about various brands, and information gathered from personal experiences meeting with representatives of various pet food companies.
Julia holds a degree in Biology from Guelph University, which she originally planned on using to become a veterinarian. Those plans changed however upon learning that she would have to compromise her morals to do so. She instead decided to look for alternative ways to help animals, which eventually led her to pursue studies in animal nutrition and natural medicines.
ABOUT OUTDOOR SHIELD
Outdoor Shield is a fine powder that is to be mixed into your dog’s food. The main ingredients, quassia bark and neem leaf, contain compounds (quassin and azadirachtin, respectively) that are toxic to insects, but not mammals. When our pets consume it, these compounds go into their bloodstream and spread throughout their body (the same way that fipronil and isoxazoline from conventional flea and tick medications would). When a bug bites them, these compounds make it so the insects cannot eat or reproduce, and then they die. These compounds stay in the blood for a couple of months once saturated, so treatment only needs to be done for a week every other month.
This formula also contains garlic which deters insects from your pet, so the bugs are not attracted to them in the first place, creating added protection. While some people tend to naturally be concenered about the use of garlic for our pets, it’s important to note that garlic toxicity in pets requires a small dog to repeatedly ingest more then 5g/day (A 100g bag of Earth M.D.’s Outdoor Shield only contains 5g of garlic, meaning that your dog would have to give an entire bag a day in order to potentially see adverse effects).
The downside of Earth M.D.’s Outdoor Shield powder is that it doesn’t taste very good (another name for quassia bark is bitterwood), so you might have to find a way mix it into their food well enough to go undetected, which may be a little more challenging if you don’t already feed raw or home-cooked. Additionally, while most of the product reviews are positive, some users report still finding ticks burrowed into their dog. While I myself love the idea of a natural ingestible supplement for use as a flea and tick repellent, I would probably use Earth M.D.’s Outdoor Shield in conjunction with other flea and tick products such as sprays, simply due to the additional health benefits of the ingredients, such as supporting digestive health and contributing to strong and healthy immune function.
Browse Earth M.D.’s full line of natural pet supplements here.
VetriSCIENCE Laboratories
Vetri Repel Spray - Natural Flea, Tick, Mosquito, and Fly Repellent
ABOUT VETRISCIENCE LABORATORIES
VetriScience Laboratories, located in Vermont, is among the first to introduce the use of integrative therapies into veterinary practice, as well as the first company to use glucosamine and the green-lipped mussel in a hip and joint supplement for animal use.
With products that are veterinarian developed, VetriScience regularly conducts research and scientific studies to ensure the quality of their products. Additionally, they were one of the first companies to demonstrate compliance to the National Animal Supplement Council’s Quality Seal Program, aimed at improving and standardizing the animal health and supplement industry. NAISC’s Quality Seal tells consumers that the products they are purchasing are from a reputable manufacturer, and that the company has successfully completed a facility audit for the implementation of specific quality control standards.
ABOUT VETRI REPEL SPRAY
VetrScience Laboratories’ Vetri Repel Spray is a simple flea and tick repellent formulated with two main natural essential oils that are know no to repel unwanted pests - lemongrass and cinnamon - diluted in a blend of sesame, castor, and vitamin E carrier oils.
Application is as simple as spraying generously on your pet’s fur, including legs and stomach, and working into the coat if necessary. Reapply every 2-3 days or as needed before the animal goes outside, as well as after the animal gets wet (safe for daily use). The spray can also be used on your pet’s bedding, as well as their grooming tools.
Find VetriScience’s Vetri Repel Spray here.
Equus Soap Co.
Equine/Canine Field SpraY
K9 OUTBACK SPRAY
ABOUT EQUUS SOAP CO.
Equus Soap Co., located in Langley, BC, Canada, was founded by horse trainer, feline and canine nutritionist, and classical homeopath (DCH), Sarah Griffiths. During her time spent working at the the Adored Beast Veterinary Hospital in Vancouver, BC, Canada, she gained priceless knowledge under Julie Anne Lee and 4 holistic veterinarians. She now has 20 plus years of education and field/clinical experience feeding and caring for wild and domestic animals of a variety of species, and consults with clients and companies across Canada to help them with species-appropriate approaches to animal nutrition providing whole food nutrition planning services and safe, non-toxic grooming options for animals.
A strong believer that less is more when it comes to our ever-increasingly toxic environment, Sarah believes that while we can’t control a lot of things, we can surely control what we feed our animals and what we put on their skin. She is currently completing a 500 hour Clinical Pet Nutritionist program from the Academy of Natural Sciences (CPN Certification) in addition to pursuing a 720 hour Equine Nutrition program from the National College of Traditional Medicine once graduated from her CPN course. Her mission is to empower as many animal guardians as possible to choose preventative healthcare options without fear or guilt, providing them with the tools they need to give their animals the best life possible.
Equus Soap Co. offers several alternative solutions for pet parents looking for safe, chemical-free care products for their animals, including a natural ear wash formula, melaleuca mandarin equine/canine shampoo and conditioner, and paw wax and healing salve, in addition to two natural options for flea and tick prevention including their Equine/Canine Field Spray as well as their K9 Outback Spray.
Equine/Canine Field Spray
Equus Soap Co.’s equine and canine field spray is an antibacterial, skin soothing, and extremely effective aromatherapy for flies, fleas, mosquitoes, and other undesirable critters. It is entirely chemical-free and is available in either a diluted, ready-to-use spray bottle OR as a concentrate option.
Ingredients: Water, witch hazel, unpasteurized apple cider vinegar, aloe vera extract, essential oils of lavender, lemongrass, rosemary plus vitamin E (antioxidant preservative)
K9 Outback Spray
In contrast, Equus Soap Co.’s K9 Outback Spray is an antibacterial, skin soothing, and extremely effective aromatherapy for fleas and ticks. It is chemical-free, and available in both a ready-to-use spray bottle as well as in concentrate form.
Ingredients: Water, witch hazel, unpasteurized apple cider vinegar, aloe vera extract, essential oils of lavender, rose geranium, bergamot and fir needle plus vitamin E (antioxidant preservative)
Find Equus Soap Co.’s full line of chemical-free horse, dog, and people-care products (soaps, salves, and balms) here.
(As an aside, also be sure to check out her other website, The Animal Synergist – a project that studies the ecology and origin of species so that we can learn how to accurately care for our animals without political or egotistical bias).
AmberTICK
FLEA AND TICK REPELLENT BALTIC AMBER COLLAR WITH ADJUSTABLE CHAIN FOR DOGS AND CATS
FLEA AND TICK REPELLENT BALTIC AMBER COLLAR WITH ADJUSTABLE LEATHER STRAP FOR DOGS AND CATS
ABOUT AMBERTICK
Ambertick has been in the amber jewelry business for more than twenty years. After becoming curious about the potential protective properties of amber and visiting various institutes and independent research labs, months of discussion with minerologists and friends from the amber business and mineralogists, and researching scientific articles on the physiological effects of Amber, they became fully convinced that Amber could be used to solve the problems caused by ticks and fleas to our pets and decided to test all of the theory into practice. They took very rough unpolished amber stones, drilled holes in them, and put them on the string before fastening it around the neck of their dog, Aras, which marked the beginning of their everlasting experiments and improvements. Despite the resistance they have felt in the early days, Ambertick feels that they have finally managed to convince even the harshest skeptics - the major driving force that has kept them moving forward is the high level of positive feedback they receive from Ambertick users.
ABOUT BALTIC AMBER FLEA AND TICK REPELLENT COLLARS
So - how do Amber collars work for flea and tick prevention? I wondered the same thing.
AS it turns out, Baltic Amber necklaces work as a tick and flea repellent in two ways:
1. Amber is a fossilized tree resin which contains aromatic chemicals called terpenes that effervesce when amber is heated or rubbed and produce a resinous aroma. When your pet wears the stones on his neck, the friction from their fur will absorb the resinous smell coming from the amber, and it is these resinous aromatic terpenes being released and absorbed in the animal’s fur that repels ticks and fleas. Although these parasites do not have a nose, they do have a Haller organ located on its front legs which helps the tick to perceive the smell of a potential victim (tree sap works the same in nature - when a tree bleeds, it bleeds a sticky sap to protect itself from insects and fungus).
2. A static electrical charge is generated when Amber is rubbed against your pet’s fur. Every tick that comes in contact with your pet recieves an electric shock and falls off. This static electricity effect was discovered by the ancient Greeks, which originally gave this particular resin it’s name (Amber in Greek means electron.)
In addition, Amber reacts to body warmth and releases anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and immuity-boosting substances such as succinic acid which is absorbed into the skin and bloodstream. Amber also has analgesic and pain relief properties in addition to providing a calming effect for the wearer.
Ambertick’s Tick and Flea Preventative Collars are:
Chemical Free
Highly effective to keep your pet free of ticks
Long lasting - the collars only need to be washed thoroughly every 3 months in order to remove any oil and grease
Made of Genuine Unpolished Baltic Amber stones produced in the heart of Baltic Amber industry - Lithuania, one of the Baltic States in Europe
What’s REALLY FREAKING COOL about these collars is that you can actually customize the design (rounded or chopped cylinders, raw, multi-colored, or rounded nuggets, or mixed pieces) and closure (black/brown/red/blue/green/yellow leather, trigger clips, OR side-release buckle). Each Amber piece on the collar is separated by knots in order to spin easier and charge up at maximum capacity, and Amertick offers a lifetime guarantee on all of their products.
Check out Ambertick’s Baltic Amber Tick and Flea Preventative Collars here.
ONLY NATURAL PET
EasyDefense Flea & Tick Tag for Dogs & Cats
ABOUT ONLY NATURAL PET
After founder Marty Grosjean adopted Crinkles, a lab mix with several health issues, he began to learn everything he could to utilize an all-natural, holistic diet and lifestyle for him, and Crinkles began to thrive as a result. Marty then founded Only Natural Pet to help other people provide head-to-tail healthy living for their pets, too. They are based in Boulder, Colorado, inspired daily by it’s open spaces, fresh air, and sunshine.
ABOUT ONLY NATURAL PET’s FLEA & TICK REPELLENT PRODUCTS
Only Natural Pet has an ENTIRE section on their website dedicated to natural flea control products. They have a home and yard spray, a flea & tick tag, a topical squeeze-on, chewable tablets, remedy powders, wipes, shampoos, and more that use natural ingredients and repellents such as:
Geraniol (derived from the geranium flower)
Cedarwood oil
Eugenol (derived from cloves & other plants - for some reason YAYA promotes being free from these ingredients, so I’m not sure what’s up with that)
Peppermint oil
Thyme oil (a natural antiseptic and antifungal)
Designed as a 3-step treatment plan to safely and effectively protect your pet from fleas and ticks without the use of toxic chemicals, Only Natural Pet has categorized their products into specific needs for 1) treating an existing infestation, 2) preventing an infestation (inside & out), and 3) protecting your home with an invisible barrier.
ABOUT ONLY NATURAL PET’S EASY DEFENSE FLEA & TICK TAG
Recommended to me in particular was their Easy Defense Flea & Tick Tag, which claims to use state of the art holistic flea & tick prevention that uses your pet's energy. According to the product listing, the tag contains silicon dioxide particles that are encoded with specific frequencies that are emitted over time. Once the tag is placed on your pet's collar, it will synchronize with your pet's own unique biological frequency. They also state how the tag is the result of over 15 years of targeted research in collaboration with renowned doctors and scientists, that it begins working in just three weeks, and that it also offers lasting protection for a full year.
Ok, I literally don’t know what most of that means, but apparently the frequencies emitted from silicone dioxide are considered “annoying” to pests. I also love energy healing, and the idea of “synchronizing frequencies” to help strengthen immune function – and thus a stronger natural defense against pests – is something I could probably get on board with (if anything, because… why the eff not?) For the record- I’m also insanely interested in their Barrier Bites containing brewers yeast & garlic!
You can check out Only Natural Pet’s EasyDefense Flea & Tick tag here, or browse their entire line of natural flea and tick treatment and prevention products here.
Reba’s Remedy
100% Natural Hiking Spray
ABOUT REBA’S REMEDY
Reba’s Remedy is based out of Halifax, Nova Scotia, and was recommended to me by a fellow dog-walking friend on Insta who spends a lot of time out on the trails with ridiculously cute packs of Boston Terriers & friends. As a small, newer business and brand, they were a little difficult to find information on as they don’t have a website and their Facebook page doesn’t have any information on it, but I do trust the person who recommended it to me whole-heartedly 🙂
ABOUT REBA’S REMEDY 100% NATURAL HIKING SPRAY
From what I could find by creeping their Insta, Reba’s Remedy 100% Natural Hiking Spray is made using 100% pure steam-distilled essential oils made from fresh Canadian herbs, ALL of which are pet-safe. The spray lasts approximately three days, and it is reccomended that you re-apply once the spray’s smell has dissapeared from your pet’s fur.
To use, simply mist over your pet’s back, sides, belly, bum, and legs and gently massage through and work it into their fur (do not spray directly into the face or ears). Reba’s Remedy Hiking Spray can also be misted onto our own clothes, skin, and hair.
Use Reba’s Remedy Spray with an Ambertick collar for extra protection!
You can order Reba’s Remedy Spray by DMing them through their IG page, @rebas_remedy.
MULTIPET INTERNATIONAL’S TICK AND FLEA PLUSH DOG TOYS
All of this research, learning, and sharing about Ticks and Fleas had sort of made me a little but of a dork about ticks and fleas, so when I came across these tick and flee plush dog toys by Multipet International, I had to include them in this blog post.
You can order them on Amazon by visiting Grumble Farm’s Amazon Storefront (products in our storefront are affiliate links, but everything else contained within this blog post is not sponsored or affiliated with Grumble Farm).