Golden Retriever Training: Sep 18, Flea Solutions For Your Dogs, Home and Yard

Effective flea solutions must attack every stage of the flea's life cycle.

That's because a typical flea population consists of 50 percent eggs, 35 percent larvae, 10 percent pupae, and only 5 percent adults. Those fleas you see hopping around on your dog are just the tip of the flea infestation iceberg.

Depending on where you live, fleas may be a seasonal problem or one that constantly plagues your Golden Retriever.

But you need to keep in mind that even when there's ice and snow outside, you could be hosting a happy houseful of fleas. So you should consider year-round prevention for your own comfort and that of your furry friends.

Getting rid of fleas is so much easier these days!

Several of the top brands of flea medication for dogs are applied with a single topical spot application between the shoulder blades of your dog.

The product wicks through his fur and dries within an hour or two.

It's an odorless and safe flea treatment for your dog.

Many of the products are water resistant or waterproof.

That lets your dog swim and take baths as he normally would.

They're safe for dogs of all ages, so they're a gentle way to take care of fleas on puppies, too.

Golden Retriever Swimming Some of these products are made for killing fleas on contact. Others contain an insect growth regulator (IGR) that prevents fleas' eggs from hatching.

The ones that kill adult fleas instantly, before they get a chance to bite your dog, are the best ones for sensitive dogs.

That reduces the chance of your dog developing flea allergy dermatitis and other skin irritations from flea bites.

You can still find a variety of the old-style flea solutions on your pet store shelves. These products are generally less effective than the prescription products mentioned above, but some of them do help control flea populations.

These cheap flea control methods include shampoos, sprays, dips, powders, and collars.

You can use a flea shampoo to give your dog a thorough flea bath, but that will only kill fleas that are on your dog, and have no residual effect.

Flea sprays work for up to two weeks, killing any fleas on the dog and preventing new ones from jumping aboard.

Flea dips also work for up to two weeks, killing just the fleas on the dog.

Besides that, they can only be applied to a freshly bathed dog.

Flea powder is messy to apply, only kills existing fleas, and doesn't work for very long.

Flea collars were once the way to go, but recently they've become almost obsolete.

They're generally ineffective for most of your dog's body except maybe directly underneath the collar.

Some dogs are sensitive to them anyway, and may develop skin problems from wearing them.

If there are fleas in dogs, there are fleas in the house, too. It's just that simple. So let's turn our attention to flea solutions for where you and your dog live.

Most household flea control products available today contain an insect growth regulator, along with a quick-acting adult flea killer.

When sprayed on your dog's bedding, as well as your furniture and carpet, any adult fleas present are killed. The bonus is that any flea larvae or eggs can't develop either, so the whole flea population dies out.

Unfortunately, the fleas' pupae are resistant to both of these chemicals. A pupa can remain dormant for up to 2 years. That?s why fleas may seem to magically reappear if you stop using the various flea solutions, even after your dogs are apparently flea-free.

Here's how to solve the pupae problem: The noise and vibration of your vacuum cleaner stimulates the fleas' pupae to hatch, because it feels like an animal is walking nearby.

So if you have fleas in carpet (and elsewhere), start by vacuuming, which will suck up most of the fleas, pupae, larvae and eggs. Then empty the vacuum cleaner outside and apply the flea treatment to your carpet. This should take care of the newly-hatched adults.

Flea Fogger By the way, if you have the kind of vacuum cleaner bag that just gets emptied but not taken out and thrown away, you should also treat the vacuum cleaner bag with an insecticide to prevent any clinging eggs and larvae from hatching.

As far as what to actually use in your house, there are a number of effective flea bombs on the market. This flea fogger method is quite effective, but make sure you follow the directions carefully.

You can also bring in a flea pest control professional for a thorough flea extermination job.

Fleas can enter your home even if your Golden Retriever only goes outside briefly to do his business. They can hop in from outside, or even hitch a ride on a human.

Golden Retriever For that reason, it's a good idea to treat outdoor areas, too.

Animal pens, kennels, doghouses, crawlspaces and sandy soil or gravel driveways should be treated during the flea season.

Insecticide sprays and pellets are generally good flea solutions for outside, especially those that contain an insect growth regulator.

For best results, soak any dry areas with water before applying yard flea control products.

That will bring the flea larvae up to the surface.

You may need to apply additional treatments at intervals, according to label directions, to be totally effective.

There tend to be regional differences among fleas, so you should talk to your veterinarian about the best products for flea control in your particular area.

If you're interested in non-chemical ways to prevent and eliminate fleas, check out these home remedies for fleas.