There are a lot of pests that can pose a danger to your dogs. At the very least, they make your dog uncomfortable. At the worst, they can cause life-threatening conditions if left unchecked. Heartworms, ticks, tapeworms, fleas, and more can all cause issues for your dog and it’s important for you to protect your dog from them. Here’s how to protect your dog from fleas:

1. Use Flea Prevention Year-Round

Fleas, ticks, and other pests may be more common during warmer temperatures, but that doesn’t mean you should only use preventive measures during that time.

After all, preventive measures, especially medication or topical treatment, only works if your dog is already protected before flea season begins.

On top of that, fleas can thrive indoors during the winter. For these reasons and more, it’s important to use flea prevention consistently year-round.

2. Make Sure You’re Using the Right Products

It’s also important to make sure you’re using the right products for your dog. Your vet is a great resource for determining the best measures to protect your dog from fleas, so it’s worth a visit to at least have a talk about your options.

You want to make sure you’re using products made for dogs and that you’re using the right product for what you need. There are topical treatments, tablets, and pills that are specifically used for flea prevention and others that are only for use to treat an active flea infestation. There are also several options that provide protection from multiple pests like flea, ticks, and heartworms.

Also, make sure you are keeping up with the expiration dates on the products you’re using. Products that are past their expiration date or those that are simply outdated methods are less effective and could leave your dog without protection.

3. Check Your Dog and Groom Regularly

Get in the habit of checking your dog after they’ve been outside. Not only will you be able to stop fleas in their tracks because you’ll catch them early, but you’ll also be able to catch anything else that could cause an issue like ticks. The places to look for ticks on your dog are the same ones you want to check for fleas and other pests.

Regular grooming sessions are also important for your dog in general. And, they can also help you identify and get rid of fleas before they get out of hand. It may also be a good idea to have your dog’s coat clipped or groomed shorter during flea season to make it easier for you to check it. It may help keep your dog more comfortable in warmer weather too.

Keep an eye out for common signs your dog might have fleas and keep up with their grooming to help protect your dog from fleas and your home too.

4. Stay on Top of Landscaping and Housekeeping

Fleas, ticks, and other parasites love to hang out in clutter, whether it’s inside or outside. A lot of clutter inside the house can make preventing a flea infestation or getting rid of one more difficult if your dog does happen to bring a few into the house.

In addition to keeping up with the interior of your home, you also want to stay on top of landscaping and clean up your yard. Fleas love to hang out in warm, shady areas. If there is organic debris present, they love it even more.

Keeping your yard free of piles of fallen leaves, grass clipping, or brush and trimming back foliage can reduce the places available for fleas to hide. Ticks tend to be fans of high grass and it can also hide places for fleas to hang out, so mowing your lawn regularly can also help keep these pests away.

5. Get Regular Vet Checkups

You should be going to all your regular vet visits regardless. Making sure these visits are on the schedule can also help protect your dog from fleas.

Part of a general checkup for your dog includes looking them over for any signs of problems that could be caused by parasites. This helps to protect your dog and is also a nice backup check that your preventive products and measures are working.

In addition to causing other issues, fleas can also be why your dog is so itchy. Knowing how to protect your dog from fleas can save both you and your dog from a lot of misery. Using these tips can help keep your dog safe from fleas and ticks, which gives you one less thing to worry about and lets you focus on enjoying the outdoors with your pup.