My dogs and I love spending time out in our campervan but after a few particular run ins with ticks I set out to find the best tick repellent hack for dogs. We I hike daily, usually hitting some big hikes on the weekends too. Because of this, we have had plenty of time for trail and error the best way to keep ticks away.
Our first night in the camper van was what set us on this path. Tiberius, Arabella and myself had gone on a nice hike through Brown County State Park here in Indiana. That night when we went to bed I woke up to a feeling on my head. Sure enough, Tiberius had picked up a few ticks and one had jumped from him to me.
Many hikes to follow, I would find several more tick on my pups. After returning home a few weeks later, I found 19 ticks between the two dogs. Granted their flee and tick medication ensures that if the dogs are bit, the tick will die. However, the possibility that we brought home that many ticks was just baffling.
Standard Tick Defense
If you are looking for a general overview of your typical tick repellent be sure to read : Tick Protection for Dogs who Love Adventures.
First of all, always check with your vet and use the suggest flee and tick medication. My two are on a monthly tablet that ensures that if a tick bites them that it will die before it can do any serious harm.
I typically will spray myself and the dogs with Tick Ban, Its safe for humans and dogs. Speaking of spray, at the beginning of each season I will spray my favorite hiking clothes with Permethrin. That will repel ticks and will stay on clothes for up to 6 washes.
When it became apparent that the vet recommended monthly prescription wasn’t cutting it, I called my local vets office. As it turns out, the monthly chew are typically used keep the dogs safe from contracting things like lime disease by killing any that bite. However, it does not act as a repellent. After explaining the problems we were having, our vet recommended investing in a seresto collar. This collar acts as a repellent and last for about 8 months. We no longer go out on hikes without one on.
That is just to name a few of our go to’s… but here is my #1 secret to keep ticks away!!!
Tick Repellent Hack for Dogs
I had previously mentioned Permethrin in this post. This product is primarily used for clothing, however, it is also safe for dogs. I noticed that at least 80% of the ticks that the dogs picked up would jump onto their feet. The other 20% were from sticking their snoot into the bush.
While this seems to take it back to the 80’s with the sweat band look, this has been a game changer. I bought a pack of 6-12 month baby socks that seemed to have a good elastic band. We went with white because it matched Tiberius coat. I cut these socks just above the toe seam. After that, I quite literally soaked them in Permethrin and let them dry. When we head out on a big hike I slip them onto my dogs lower ankles. With that we have great protection to repel ticks at the problem area.
Tick Repellent Conclusion
There are several forms of protection against tick for your dogs. As always, consult your vet first! However, if you find yourself at a constant battle keeping the ticks off of your dogs, then I hope these few tips off some relief. The better protected you and your pups are the more you can enjoy your time together.
