Protecting Your Dogs From Fleas, Ticks and Other Outdoor Threats

You know what they say: A dog is man’s best friend. While admittedly a bit cliche, we’d have to agree — dogs bring a whole lot of love into a household. However, if your pet spends a lot of time outside, there are other, less-desirable things they can bring into your house, including disease-carrying fleas and ticks. Regular preventative flea and tick treatments can help keep your dog safe from biting insects, of course. But ultimately, the best way to keep unwanted pests from migrating from your lawn to your home is to make your lawn inhospitable to them in the first place. TruGreen® Outdoor Nuisance Pest Control service is designed to do just that. Ahead, learn more about our flea and tick treatment for your yard and discover how to create a dog-friendly backyard that everyone can enjoy.

There are a host of outdoor pests that could pose a potential danger to your fur baby, but for the purpose of this guide, we’ll be sticking to two of the most common: fleas and ticks. Below, learn how to protect your yard and your pet against these unwanted visitors.

First, there is no foolproof, guaranteed way to eliminate fleas from your yard. That’s the bad news. The good news is that there are many things that you can do to help keep them at bay and protect your home:

• Avoid overwatering: Fleas prefer to live in dark, damp environments — including landscaping, which shouldn’t be overwatered. Water your yard early in the morning once to twice per week to keep your plants healthy without inviting excess moisture.
• Rake consistently: Leaf litter and other plant debris create shade and trap moisture, both of which fleas like. Keeping your outdoor space well-maintained can help make your property less appealing to fleas.
• Avoid fleas by storing food in sealed containers: Food can attract small mammals, many of which carry fleas. If dining outside, aim to store all food in air-tight containers to prevent the smell from drawing flea-carrying wild animals.

As with fleas, there is no surefire way to keep ticks off your property. That being said, certain yard maintenance practices can make your outdoor living space less attractive to them. Here’s how to help prevent ticks in your yard: 

• Clear tall grasses: Ticks generally prefer living in tall grasses and wooded areas. When possible, avoid planting tall grasses along the perimeter of your property.
• Use wood chips as a natural barrier: If you live near a wooded area, consider creating a “barrier” between the woods and your home with a three-foot wide path of woodchips (or gravel). This will help prevent ticks from migrating from their habitat onto your property.
• Eliminate potential hiding spots: Ticks commonly hide under outdoor furniture and other debris. Keep your lawn clear to reduce the number of hiding spots available.
• Install a fence: While a fence in and of itself won’t keep ticks at bay, it may keep other animals, such as deer or small mammals, away. This is important because ticks can hitch a ride on these animals and onto your property.
• Avoid overwatering: Like fleas, ticks like wet grass, trees, shrubs and other damp areas. As such, you’ll want to avoid overwatering your yard to make your property less hospitable to ticks.

Fleas and ticks aren’t the only threats your pup may encounter while frolicking in the backyard. Below, learn about a few other potential threats and how to keep your pet protected.

Many plants can harm your pet if ingested. Weeds poisonous to dogs include jimson weed and English ivy. Some flowers, fungi and even trees can be harmful to your pet, too (the ASCPA has an extensive database of plants that can pose a threat to your pets).1  While some toxic plants only cause mild symptoms, consider whether it’s worth the risk. 

Unfriendly wildlife doesn’t just refer to obvious predators like coyotes and wolves: it can also mean small disease-carrying mammals, poisonous toads or frogs or other harmful insects. 

If you’re concerned about fleas, ticks or other outdoor hazards that could put your dog at risk, consider creating a dog yard — a designated area where your pup can play safely, with minimal risk. Grassy areas and landscaping should be maintained regularly and kept dry to deter unwanted pests like fleas and ticks. If desired, you can also forgo grass in favor of a dry, dog-safe mulch. 

Ultimately, protecting your fur baby from outdoor threats is a marathon, not a sprint. But TruGreen can help. With our Outdoor Nuisance Pest Control plan, we’ll help keep fleas and ticks at bay. 

Want to learn more about what TruGreen can do for you? Find details on our Outdoor Nuisance Pest Control plan and what it entails. 

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