Hey all, I’m looking for a good (and preferably cheap) way to treat my yard for fleas. My poor dog keeps getting re-infested despite applying monthly flea control. I know it’s not the house because I have all wood and tile, and every time I treat her I sweep and mop the floors, vacuum all furniture, wash her bedding, wash MY bedding, etc.

I think the fleas may be coming from my yard, since we have a lot of squirrels and I know they are notorious fleabags. Short of cutting down all of my trees and erecting a 6 foot electric fence, though, I don’t see how I can keep the squirrels out. So instead, I’m looking for a way to kill any fleas that might be living in the yard, waiting to accost my dog when she goes outside.

All suggestions are welcome, but I’m looking in particular for something that won’t break the bank, and preferably something all-natural. I don’t like the idea of dousing my yard with chemicals. I have heard that salt kills fleas, but will salt also kill my grass? If it’s the dog or the grass I’ll let the grass die, it’ll grow back in the spring, but I’d rather not destroy my yard if possible.

Thanks for your help!
Roxy – Unfortunately it doesn’t snow here so we don’t really get a period of time where the fleas die off during the cold! It’s a year-round struggle.

As for your carpet, I have heard that for carpet, you can spread iodized salt over the rugs and leave it for 24 hours, then vacuum it up. It supposedly kills the fleas and their eggs. I’ve never used it before because like I said, I have no carpet here, but I’ve heard other people say it works. It’s safe and relatively cheap (they say to use a lot of salt, but you can buy it in big boxes for cheap) so maybe it’s worth a shot for you?

Oh, and I love Skin so Soft! Use it all the time.

I live in southern ca in an Apartment complex with my husband (who’s deployed) and my service dog Lucas (A golden retriever) We have lived in this complex since Dec 2008 without any problems with fleas… Until now. Lucas, being a service dog is groomed and well kept, he has been on frontline since I got him and we have never had a problem. About a month ago I noticed a flea on him, and immediately got a flea comb, brushed it out, vacuumed the entire house, the couches, (through away the vacuumed bag) Sprayed and applied frontline (it was only a week early which after I talked to my vet, learned it was completely fine.) However, not even 24 hours after applying the frontline the ENTIRE house and Lucas broke out in fleas (and yes I did the treatment correctly, I’ve been doing it for years) I IMMEDIATELY called my vet and took him in to get flea dipped, while he was there I cleaned EVERYTHING, bedding, furniture, vacuumed, sprayed the entire 2×2 apartment. The vet got all of the fleas off of Lucas and gave him a Capstar, not even a day after coming home it happened all over again and increasingly got worse. I continued on my vigorous cleaning cycle, every time I took him outside as soon as we came back in I would flea comb him (he gets them from outside), I boraxed the entire house, sprayed the entire house and still it only gets worse. By this point Lucas has been flea dipped three times (once a week, with the all natural stuff) I’ve used frontline twice, Capstar once, on top of Cleaning, vacuuming, spraying everyday,after me raising a fit the complex sprayed one patch of grass outside my apartment (With the same stuff I’m using in the house… they’re cheap) and still nothing! I’m being eaten alive by these fleas, I have rashes all over me, my hair has been falling out ( I think due to stress) Lucas’s hair is falling out from him itching so much, I can see Larvae on the floor (They just appear, I vacuume and clean and they just come back) My dog is miserable and I can’t do anything more to help him. He is my service dog and I can’t take him anywhere because he is totally infested. I am at my wits end and not only have I spent too much energy on this (I’m a double leg amputee and cleaning this rigorously is extremely painful, its become EXTREMELY expensive. The problem isn’t me or my dog, its the outside environment, shouldn’t the complex pay to fix this? I’m moving into a new apartment complex in two weeks (our lease is up and I just don’t want to stay here) At this rate I’m going to bring the problem with me. I’ve had the house bombed and still, within a day its all back again….. HELP ME. My last resort is to put lucas up in a dog hotel for the few days before the move, have him flea dipped (again) and the house bombed like the day before the movers bring everything into the new place…. Once we’re there then I’d go get Lucas and bring him home…. Should I even have to pay for this all???? I’m running out of money… and strength…. HELP!!!
I do do laundry, everyday as well as vacuume, spray salt, borax the carpets… I’ve done EVERYTHING I can do. The exterminator was here and bombed the house as well as the lawn outside…. I just don’t want to have to pay for this anymore, I’ve spent already 0…. and nothing helps
I thank you everyone, for your help and advice in handling this horrid problem. There isn’t anything more that I can do, I Wash everything, bedding, clothes, I keep him in the livingroom/kitchen/dining area all the time because its the only part of the house that isn’t carpet, its wood. I vacuum twice a day, I’ve used flea powder, Borax, flea spray, I’ve done the bowl of water with the light trick, I’ve bombed the house, I’ve bathed him in Dawn, He’s been on Frontline, had multiple flea dips…. I’ve done everything that I can do, Lucas can’t have any more chemicals on him, I can’t give him more treatments for another 3 weeks! The problem is outside, and as long as it stays that way they will never go away. My question is, should the complex pay to put him in a kennel until we move? What is the complex required to due by law…. I feel like they are doing the minimum amount possible. Its just not fair.

Ok. My dog has fleas. They aren’t to bad…. yet, but those little buggers can multiply fast. I’ve never dealt with fleas before and don’t know exactly what to do. I called the groomer and they can’t get him in until Wednesday (he needed a haircut anyway) and they said they automatically do a flea wash. I was wondering if there was anything I could do in the meantime to help him out? Poor little guy is miserable.

He’s a 3 year old male Shih-tzu and has never dealt with the nasty pests. I feel bad because I won’t let him sleep on my bed anymore because he leaves little black stuff after he scratches. I went yesterday and bough Natural Chemistry De Flea spray for your dog and bedding. I am just wondering what else I can do.
Thanks!
I have been using Frontline Plus for the past 4 months and he still managed to get fleas.

I take him to the dog park occasionally (option 1 of being exposed), I live in a condo and have no actual yard – there are other dogs in the complex (option 2), and my roommate’s friend brought her dog over and I’m pretty sure it had fleas (option 3).
I would apply Frontline every month as directed and would take several days to give him a bath before hand. I never gave it to him right after a bath because it’d make his coat all gross feeling so I’d put it on him, wait 2 or 3 days and then bathe him.

I have heard of Capstar and am thinking of giving it a go. The store I went to to get the flea spray I’m using swears by it. If they aren’t gone after he gets groomed and I clean house then I’m going to invest in Capstar.

Related Dog Blogs

• CAPSTAR Green FAST ACTING for Dogs Over 25 lbs. | Sale Best Price
• Capstar Flea Control
• Using Capstar Flea Control to Treat Your Pets | Get Rid of Fleas
• ‘Clean House’ star makes me an offer – Simpler Living – Naomi Seldin – timesunion.com – Albany NY
• Flea Control in the Winter Months | Vet-N-Pet Direct News, Pet Related Articles, Information and More

Because my Mom is a very hard working mother. She only has 1 day off a week. And she needs that day off to rest. So I would rather not go to a vet unless it’s the single only option to get rid of fleas. I don’t want any of that Hartz junk that only shortened my dog’s lifespan a few times. I am already using a flea comb but no matter how many I find, I always find more.

I also vacuum the house once a week while cleaning up our beds to get rid of flea eggs. So far, a normal shower only got rid of a few fleas from my dog but they just keep appearing. So I want to use a good flea shampoo probably made of natural ingredients. I heard of some but all the ones I find can only be purchased online and that is out of our reach right now. So if anyone could suggest a good flea shampoo that can be found in common stores, I would really appreciate it.
P.S. He’s a dog.
I see…. So are there some flea pills that can be found in stores? Or even ordered online so I could explain it to my mom at least.

I am DESPERATE!! PLEASE HELP!! I am so sick of spending time and money. I have bought the frontline and evry other brand out there, pills, liguid that go on the neck, bombed my house, cleaned the bedding, bathing, natural oils, EVERYTHING and nothing is working!!! The fleas are not getting better but worse!! Even put some stuff out in the yard to kill fleas. I am BEYOND tired of this situation. It’s gross, nasty, and not sanitary, not to mention a real thorn for me and my pets(cats and dogs). I am doing everything as directed by the book. What else is left? I can’t even bring my dog inside anymore because he gets fleas everywhere…even if he comes in for just a few minutes! I really don’t want to leave him outside all the time. He loves being inside with the family but we can’t get past the flea problem!

Related Dog Blogs

• When Movie Marketing FAILS: Cats & Dogs 2, Knight & Day, Babies and Grown Ups | California Literary Review
• Revolutionary Home Remedies for Cats & Dogs | Articles
• Parasites and Your Pet Dogs Health | Health Tips
• All About What Are Fleas? – You Must Read This | Jawa Bali Indonesia
• Methods That Helps To Get Rid Of Fleas And Chiggers | Acne Fastest Cures