Summer on the acreage means long walks in tall grass, afternoons playing with the chickens, and that particular kind of dog happiness that only comes from a good roll in something questionable. But summer also brings ticks. Mosquitoes. Fleas. And with them, a question I get asked often at the store: Is there a way to protect my dog without reaching for the chemical options?
The short answer? Yes — with the right combination of tools. The longer answer is what this post will discuss.
I want to share the natural pest prevention products I carry in my pet food store and recommend to my customers, explain how and when to use them, be honest about where natural options have limitations (and how to close those gaps), and give you the full picture on why so many holistic-minded pet parents are choosing to move away from conventional chemical flea and tick medications.
I've been working in the holistic pet world since 2006, and pest season is one of the times when having the right information — and the right products — makes a genuine difference.
Why Choose Natural Pest Prevention?
There's a growing conversation in the holistic pet health community about the risks that come with conventional chemical flea and tick treatments. Practitioners like Dr. Karen Shaw Becker, Dr. Judy Morgan, and canine herbalist Rita Hogan have all spoken extensively about the importance of supporting the body's natural defences — rather than loading it with pesticides — as a first line of pest prevention.
Natural pest deterrents work with your dog's biology. Many use plant-based essential oils, dietary compounds, or physical barriers that repel insects without introducing systemic chemicals. They're generally safer for children who cuddle with the dog, for cats in the home who may groom them, and for dogs with sensitivities or underlying health conditions.
That said, I want to be upfront about something important: natural options typically need to be used together to be as effective as chemical treatments. A single product used inconsistently won't give you the protection you're looking for. Think of it like an inside-out and outside-in approach that covers the yard, the dog's coat, and even their diet. Used consistently and in combination, these products can deliver excellent protection throughout the season.
The Truth About Chemical Flea & Tick Medications
I'm not here to tell you never to use conventional flea and tick products — there are situations where they're medically warranted, and that's a conversation to have with your vet. But I do believe you deserve the full picture before you make that decision, and it's a picture that isn't always clearly presented.
Isoxazoline-Class Oral Medications (Bravecto, NexGard, Simparica, Credelio)
In 2018, the FDA issued a formal alert warning that drugs in the isoxazoline class — including Bravecto, NexGard, Simparica, and Credelio — may cause neurological side effects in some dogs and cats. Reported adverse events have included muscle tremors, ataxia (loss of coordination), and in some cases, seizures. These are oral medications that work by circulating through the bloodstream — meaning your dog essentially becomes a toxic environment for any insect that bites them. For dogs with a history of neurological issues or seizures, this class of medication carries additional risk.
Topical Spot-On Treatments (Frontline, Advantage, Revolution)
Topical treatments applied to the skin can cause localized reactions at the application site — hair loss, redness, irritation — and some dogs experience broader symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, and lethargy. These products also contain chemicals that persist in the environment and can be transferred to children and other pets through contact.
Flea Collars (Seresto and similar)
The Seresto flea collar has faced significant scrutiny in recent years after reports to the EPA linked it to thousands of pet deaths and injuries, as well as harm to pet owners. The collar releases low levels of pesticide (imidacloprid and flumethrin) continuously over months — and while the manufacturer and many vets maintain it is safe when used as directed, the volume of adverse event reports led to a congressional investigation. It's worth noting that imidacloprid is a neonicotinoid — a class of insecticide under increasing environmental and health scrutiny.
Pyrethrins and Permethrin
Many conventional flea sprays and some spot-ons contain pyrethrins or permethrin. While these are derived from chrysanthemum flowers, they are extremely toxic to cats — something to be aware of in multi-pet households. Higher-concentration permethrin products (often marketed for dogs) can be fatal to cats even from indirect contact.
Natural Pest Protection Products I Carry & Recommend
Here's a look at some of the products I carry for natural pest prevention, how each one works, and when and how to use it. The key, as I mentioned, is building a routine that layers these products together for the best coverage.
Tick Mitt
The Tick Mitt is one of the simplest and most underrated tools in your pest prevention kit. It's a fine-fibred glove designed to catch and trap ticks as you run it over your dog's coat — before those ticks have a chance to find skin and embed.
How to use it: After any outdoor adventure — a walk in tall grass, a hike, time spent camping or even just your own backyard in peak season — run the Tick Mitt over your dog's entire coat, paying extra attention to high-risk areas like the ears, neck, armpits, groin, between the toes, and around the tail base. The mitt's fibres grab ticks before they anchor in.
When to use it: Make it part of your post-walk routine from May through October. Think of it the way you'd wipe muddy paws — it just becomes part of returning home after an adventure.
Blends for Life Nature Shield — Internal Pest Repellent
Nature Shield works from the inside out — which is a concept many pet parents haven't encountered before. The idea is that certain dietary compounds, when metabolized, are exuded through the skin and create an environment that insects find less attractive. Think of it as changing your dog's "scent signature" at a biological level.
Nature Shield contains a blend of ingredients including brewer's yeast and B vitamins, which have long been used by holistic practitioners as natural pest deterrents. The B vitamins — particularly thiamine (B1) — are thought to be especially effective at making dogs less appealing to mosquitoes, ticks and other biting insects.
How to use it: Add the recommended dose to your dog's food once daily for 7 consecutive days, once per month. This is not an everyday supplement — it's a monthly protocol. For best results, start before pest season ramps up in spring so your dog's system has a chance to build up before the bugs arrive.
When to use it: Seasonally from early spring through late fall, doing a 7-day course each month throughout the season.
Mosquito Barrier — Yard & Garden Spray
Mosquito Barrier is a highly concentrated liquid garlic spray designed to be applied to your outdoor environment — bushes, long grass, garden beds, outdoor furniture, fence lines, and anywhere else mosquitoes rest and breed. Garlic compounds are a natural insect repellent; when the spray dries, it's odourless to humans but highly effective at deterring mosquitoes.
How to use it: Dilute as directed and spray your yard perimeter, lawn edges, shrubs, and outdoor seating areas. One application typically provides several days of protection, depending on rainfall.
When to use it: Apply at the beginning of mosquito season and reapply after rain. This product protects the environment your dog lives in — it's the first layer of your natural pest shield.
Important note: While garlic is toxic to dogs in significant dietary quantities, Mosquito Barrier is used as an environmental spray — not applied directly to your dog — and is safe when used as directed.
Naturpet Outdoor Spray — Topical Protection
Naturpet's Outdoor Spray is a plant-based, essential oil-formulated topical repellent made specifically for dogs. It creates a protective barrier on the coat against ticks, mosquitoes, and other biting insects — without harsh chemicals.
How to use it: Spray directly onto your dog's coat before heading outdoors, avoiding the eyes and mouth. Work the spray through the fur so it reaches the skin, paying particular attention to the ears, belly, legs, and groin — areas where ticks and mosquitoes tend to target first.
When to use it: Before any walk, hike, or outdoor time in areas with high pest activity. Reapply every few hours during extended outdoor adventures, and always reapply after your dog gets wet.
Note: As with any essential oil-based product, avoid the eyes, nose, and mouth. Specifically formulated for dogs — do not use on cats.
PureGard Repellant Spray — Topical Protection
PureGard's Repellant Spray is another excellent plant-based topical option — formulated to repel mosquitoes, ticks, and biting insects while being safe for dogs. It's a great one to keep in your trail bag or car, and it doubles beautifully as the scent source for your Puregard TrailBands (see below).
How to use it: Apply to the coat before outdoor exposure, working it into the fur so it reaches the skin. Avoid the eyes, nose, and mouth.
When to use it: Ideal for hikes, camping trips, or time spent in high-risk natural areas. Keep one at home and one in your pack.
PureGard Evict-a-Tick Lifter — Tick Removal Tool
If a tick does make it past your prevention routine, the way you remove it matters enormously. The Evict-a-Tick Lifter is a professional-grade tick removal tool designed to lift the tick cleanly from the skin without squeezing the body — which is critical, because squeezing can cause the tick to release fluids (and potential pathogens) back into the bite site.
The Lifter features a specially shaped hook that slides under the tick's body and allows you to extract it with a smooth, upward lift close to the skin surface.
How to use it: Slide the tool under the tick as close to the skin as possible. With gentle, steady upward pressure, lift the tick free. Do not twist, jerk, or squeeze.
When to use it: Any time you find an embedded tick. Keep one in your home first aid kit and one in your trail bag.
PureGard Evict-a-Tick Slider — Tick Removal Tool
The Evict-a-Tick Slider is the wallet-sized companion to the Lifter — a flat, credit-card-style removal tool that's thin enough to live in your wallet or clip onto your keys. It features a notched edge that captures the tick and allows you to slide it free from the skin with smooth, even pressure.
The Slider comes with a keychain attachment, which means you can keep it with you at all times. No more digging through a bag when you need it most.
How to use it: Position the notch at the side of the embedded tick, close to the skin. Slide the card along the skin surface, guiding the tick up and out. Apply slow, even pressure — never squeeze or jerk.
When to use it: Any time you discover an embedded tick. Keep more than one to ensure that you're covered whether you're on the trail, at the park, or at home.
PureGard TrailBands — Lava Stone Collar (for dogs) & Bracelet (for you!)
The PureGard TrailBands are one of the most talked-about natural pest prevention products I carry. Available are lava stone collars for dogs and lava stone bracelets for people. Both work on the same principle: porous lava stone beads that absorb and slowly diffuse essential oils, releasing a natural insect-repelling scent as you and your dog move through the day.
The PureGard Repellant Spray works perfectly for both — just spritz it directly onto the lava beads of the dog collar and your bracelet and let it absorb. Simple, effective, and no dropper required.
How to use it: Apply 2-3 drops of pet-safe essential oil (or a spritz of Puregard Repellant Spray) to the lava beads on the dog collar or bracelet. Allow a moment to absorb before wearing. Refresh every few days or as the scent fades. Always use essential oils that are safe for dogs on the collar — avoid tea tree oil, which is toxic to dogs in concentrated form.
When to use it: During pest season as an everyday wearable layer. The collar can be worn everyday — beautiful, low-maintenance continuous protection. And the matching bracelet means you're covered too.
PureGard Bite Relief Bag — The Complete After-Bite Kit
Even with the best prevention routine in place, bites happen. The PureGard Bite Relief Bag is a complete 10-piece outdoor first-aid kit for bug season — everything you need in one compact, waterproof bag with a reinforced keychain so it clips right onto your leash, backpack, or belt loop. You'll notice it includes the Evict-A-Tick Lifter and several other tools covered in this post, which means you can grab the kit and have almost everything you need. Here's what's inside:
When to use it: Clip it to your leash at the start of tick season and leave it there. Everything you need for a complete tick response in one place, right when and where you need it.
Technically, a few of the items in the article aren't really pest deterrents. They're first aid. And having good first aid on hand is just as important as doing everything you can to prevent bites in the first place. One thing I always recommend people add to their natural pet first aid kit is a small tube of Ledum palustre.
Ledum Palustre — A Homeopathic First Aid Staple for Bug Season
This homeopathic remedy — made from wild rosemary — has long been the go-to for puncture wounds, insect bites, and stings in both people and pets. It's carried by holistic vets like Dr. Judy Morgan for good reason: it's simple, safe, and remarkably effective for taking the edge off a bite.
What it does: Ledum is best suited for bites and stings that are swollen, red, and feel better with something cold applied to them. It works well for mosquito bites, bee stings, spider bites, and tick bites — basically any time something punctures the skin.
Is it safe for dogs? Yes. Because homeopathic remedies are highly diluted, they are considered non-toxic and safe for dogs, with no known interactions with medications, herbs, or supplements. That said, if your dog has a severe reaction to a bite or sting — facial swelling, difficulty breathing, or collapse — that's an emergency requiring a vet visit, not a homeopathic remedy.
30C vs. 200C — which one do I need? The 30C potency is the most widely available and the easiest to find at health food stores. It's the one to stock for everyday bug bites and mild to moderate reactions. The 200C is a higher potency used for more intense or acute situations, but it's less commonly found on shelves. Boiron makes both. If you can find both, go with the 30C — it's what I keep on hand.
How to use it (30C): For a bite or sting, give 3 pellets every 10 minutes for up to 3 doses, then pause and watch for improvement. You can repeat as needed if symptoms return. For a tick bite specifically, give 3 pellets twice a day for two days after the tick has been removed. Pellets can be dropped directly into your dog's mouth or dissolved in a small amount of water and given by syringe.
If you have the 200C, dosing works differently — check with a homeopathic vet for guidance on frequency.
One important note: Ledum is not a substitute for Lyme disease prevention or treatment. It may help soothe the site of a tick bite, but it does not prevent Lyme disease from being transmitted. If you live in a tick-heavy area, continue to talk to your holistic vet about a complete tick protocol.
Make Your Own: DIY Natural Bug Spray for Dogs
One of the things I love about the holistic pet health community is how much practical, actionable knowledge gets shared. Canine herbalist Rita Hogan — whose work I deeply respect and follow — has long advocated for DIY pest deterrents made from common kitchen and natural health staples. The recipe below is inspired by her approach to plant-based pest protection for dogs.
Homemade Natural BrindleBerry Bug Spray for Dogs
A plant-based, essential oil insect repellent for dogs
What you'll need:- 1 cup distilled water
- 1 cup raw apple cider vinegar (with the mother)
- 10 drops cedarwood essential oil
- 10 drops lavender essential oil
- 5 drops lemongrass essential oil
- A glass spray bottle (essential oils degrade plastic over time)
- Combine all ingredients in your glass spray bottle.
- Shake well before each use — the oils and water will naturally separate between applications.
- Spray onto your hands first, then work through your dog's coat, making sure it reaches the skin. Focus on the ears, belly, groin, and legs.
- Keep the spray away from your dog's eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Reapply every 2-3 hours during extended outdoor time, and always reapply after getting wet.
- Do a small patch test on your dog's skin before the first full application.
- This spray is for dogs only — cats are highly sensitive to many essential oils.
- Avoid peppermint oil, especially around puppies.
- Store in a cool, dark place and use within a few weeks.
Inspired by the work of canine herbalist Rita Hogan. Rita is one of my most trusted voices in natural dog care — you can explore more of her plant-based remedies and herbal protocols at The Canine Herbalist.
What to Do If You Find a Tick on Your Dog
Finding a tick on your dog is stressful — but how you respond in that moment matters just as much, if not more than, prevention. Here's exactly what to do, step by step.
- Don't panic. A tick needs to be attached for a period of time before it can transmit most pathogens — so a calm, careful removal is always better than a rushed one.
- Gather your tools. Grab your Evict-a-Tick Lifter or Slider (or fine-tipped tweezers as a last resort). Do not use petroleum jelly, nail polish, matches, or your fingers to try to "suffocate" or squeeze out the tick. These methods can cause the tick to expel fluids into the bite site.
- Position close to the skin. Get your tool as close to the skin surface as possible — you want to catch the tick's mouthparts, not just its body. If you grab only the body, the head may be left embedded.
- Apply slow, steady upward pressure. Lift straight up — no twisting, no jerking, no squeezing the body. The goal is a clean, complete extraction.
- Check that the tick is complete. Look at the tick after removal to confirm the head and mouthparts came out with it. If any parts remain in the skin, contact your vet.
- Clean the bite site. Disinfect the area with rubbing alcohol or a mild antiseptic. Wash your hands thoroughly.
- Save the tick. Place it in a sealed plastic bag or small jar with a damp cotton ball. Call your vet and ask whether the tick can be brought in for testing — many clinics can identify the species and screen for tick-borne pathogens, which gives you much more information than simply monitoring and waiting.
- Monitor your dog closely for the next 2-4 weeks. Watch for signs that may indicate tick-borne illness: unusual lethargy, loss of appetite, fever, limping or joint pain, or a circular red "bullseye" rash at the bite site. If you notice any of these, contact your vet promptly and mention the tick exposure.
A Few Words on Combining Products Safely
Natural doesn't automatically mean risk-free, and a few important notes apply when using topical essential oil-based products:
Always verify that any essential oil used on or around your dog is safe for canine use. Some oils that are fine for humans — and even some marketed for dogs — can be problematic at higher concentrations. Tea tree oil, in particular, is toxic to dogs in undiluted form.
When in doubt, look for products specifically formulated and safety-tested for dogs (as all of the products above are), and always follow the usage directions on the label. Dr. Janet Roark, "The Essential Oil Vet" has some great resources on essential oils for pets.
If your dog is pregnant, nursing, very young, elderly, or has a known health condition, check with your vet before introducing new topical or supplement products.
This post has been written to educate and empower pet parents who are looking for natural alternatives for seasonal pest prevention. It is not intended to replace the advice of a qualified veterinarian, and it is not a substitute for professional diagnosis or treatment. Always work with a qualified veterinarian — ideally one who is open to integrative and holistic approaches — before making significant changes to your dog's health or supplement routine. If your dog is currently on medication or has a known health condition, please discuss any additions with your vet before proceeding.
The information in this post draws on the work of trusted holistic veterinarians and animal health practitioners, including Dr. Karen Shaw Becker, Dr. Judy Morgan, and canine herbalist Rita Hogan, as well as my own observations and experience working with pet owners in a retail pet health setting.
I am not a veterinarian. I am a passionate, experienced advocate for natural pet health — and I always encourage you to build a team that includes a vet you trust.
