Edie MacKenzie

Edie MacKenzie is a published author, traveler, dog lover, and tortoise enthusiast. Passionate about what she does, her books provide peopel a firm grounding in the dog breed and their unique characteristics with a nice touch of humor.

Five Dog Fleas Natural Remedies

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If there is anything in the world that you can’t think of any positive attributes to describe, it will be pests. Pests are damaging. They can risk the health of humans and animals. Fleas are considered as pests. The favorite prey of fleas are dogs and cats. Then again, they can infest people as well. Fortunately, there are so many things that you can do to get rid of these parasites. You can choose to use commercial anti fleas products or home regimens. They are equally effective. Although commercial products may be slightly costly. Cited below are some of the most effective anti fleas regimens that you can try at home.

Liquid Soaps
Liquid soaps are chiefly used in the kitchen as it can remove hard to wash grease and soils. But did you know that liquid soaps are also very effective in killing fleas? Truly, liquid soaps like Dawn Lemon Scented Liquid Soap is a great flea repellent. To use as flea killer, mix the soap in a basin of warm water. Bathe your canine friend. Ensure that you wear clean gloves before you wash your pet to guard yourself from fleas.

Flea Free Diet
Prevention is very important. One way to prevent fleas infestation is to sprinkle garlic to your dog’s every meal. Adding Sulphur to their diet at least once a week can significantly help as well. Black Walnut Hulls are also good for pets since it help repel fleas, ticks and mosquitoes. You can buy Black Walnut Hulls in capsule form. They are on hand in various health food stores and even online.

Herbal Shampoos
There are herbs that are very strong in combating fleas. Rosemary, lavender, pine cedar, eucalypus and geranium are very prevalent herbs that are useful in getting rid of fleas. Find a commercial shampoo that contain these herbs in your local grocery or explore online.

Always wear clean gloves when washing your dog. Pour a smal amount of shampoo unto your hands and create a lather. This is important to note. As soon as the shampoo gets in contact with the dog’s fur, inevitably fleas will try to breakout. The lathered up border will trap and kill the fleas that are trying to get out. So after creating a soapy lather, proceed to washing your pet. Pay special attention to the neck and head region. To achieve its maximum effect, be sure that you leave the shampoo for at least fifteen minutes prior to rinsing. Rinse your dog carefully and dry well especially when it is chilly and cold to prevent draft.

Vinegar
Vinegar is a general kitchen ingredient. Add vinegar to your pet’s bathtub and you’ll see that the flea count is greatly reduced.

Use Avon’s Skin So Soft
According to researchers at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Avon’s Skin So Soft is a marvelous flea repellant. Avon’s Skin So Soft is available in the premier groceries and online stores. Make a wash solution. Carefully mix 1 ½ ounces of Avon’s Skin So Soft bath oil to a gallon of water. Soak your dog in this special bath. Based on the study, a considerable 40 percent drop in the flea count was observed after using this remedy in just one day.

As a dog owner, you ought to be responsible in looking after your pet’s health. Certainly, fleas are difficult to eliminate. Still, don’t belittle them because they are damaging. Try the home remedies above and see which one works for your dog. Cheers.

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House Training: Is Your Dog Refusing To Follow Your House Training Rules?

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Some dogs just absolutely refuse to become house trained. No matter how long and hard you have tried to implement techniques to get your dog to use the bathroom in the proper areas, he still chooses to be “vengeful” towards you by not following your instructions, right?

Wrong! The common misconception that your dog is trying to be vindictive and countermine your housetraining efforts by refusing to follow the rules is a complete myth.

Dogs only have the capacity for simple, direct emotions, such as being happy, sad, or scared. Their minds are not capable of plotting ways to seek revenge for that swat on his rear, or how you scolded him an hour ago.

Dogs do, however, remember and draw upon past experiences that they associate with current situations. But it is important to understand that these associations only create an emotion in which they will feel when going through a similar experience.

In other words, lets say that you punish your dog for urinating on the front porch. If you continue to scold him for this behavior then eventually your dog will become fearful of using the bathroom outside. All he knows is that he is “outside”, not on the front porch. Your efforts will countermine your housetraining goals.

For this reason alone, it is important never to punish or yell at your dog when he uses the bathroom inside the house. Most housetraining problems actually stem from owners who completely instill fear in their pets when they go potty on the floor. This creates enough trauma to completely halt all of your housetraining efforts.

The key is trying not to react. Instead, remove your dog from the room and take him outside in a very calm and relaxed manner. Be sure that he does not see you cleaning up his mess. Quietly clean the area and be sure to use an enzyme-containing house cleaner. Vinegar or liquid soap will do just fine as well. By completely removing all of the older, this helps reduce your dog’s need to urinate and mark the same spot over and over.

Tip: Avoid using ammonia because the smell is very similar to that of a dog’s urine and can stimulate him to pee in the same area.

When all else fails, schedule a visit with your veterinarian so that the doctor can do a complete health checkup of your dog to make sure that there is not a health-related reason for his inability to become house trained.

Some dogs can be harboring illnesses that may prove to be the cause of not having the ability to control their bowel movements. Such illnesses could be caused by ticks, such as Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, or the most common reason: a urinary tract infection.

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