Since I work in a tick-infested area, (swampy, with a variety of birds and wildlife), it was a concern as to how to protect my Bella. My vet recommended the use of Frontline. I went on line and learned that 44,000+ dogs had serious side effect (including death) with Frontline and similar products, last year alone, especially with small dogs under 20 pounds….Bella weighs in at just 10 pounds. Therefore, my research brought me to a natural bug repellant recipe that I could make and apply myself to protect her. I made the stronger version of this recipe with only 1 cup of water due to her high exposure to ticks. The jewel of this recipe is that you can use it on people (& children) too! I have been using it on Bella very successfully, and I am thrilled with both the results, and the knowledge that I am not applying poisonous chemicals to her small body. Additionally, the cost savings is very significant!

I wanted to share with you this recipe and hope that you will find it effective whether you need a repellant for you, your children or your pets against flying insects, mosquitoes, or ticks as we do.

Enjoy the spring & summer!

Bug Repellant Recipe

Ingredients:

1 cup Avon Skin So Soft (Original Oil)
2 cups white vinegar
1-3 cups water
1 Tablespoon Eucalyptus or Citronella oil (available at most health food stores).

Mix and Apply: Combine Ingredients and put in trigger spray bottle.
Shake well before each use.
*Spray a light mist over your dog - a little goes a long way.
Avoid nose and eyes

The weaker mixture (3 cups of water) works with flies and mosquitoes. The strongest mix (1 cup of water) is for when your dog is in tick-infested areas. However, it is not guaranteed to prevent ticks. Be sure you take other precautions, and check your dog thoroughly when you get home.

* I prefer to spray the mixture into my hands, and then rub it to the entire coat of my puppy.

thank you so much - I just came in from watering my plants and the mosquitoes are already out in South Carolina

Thanks for the info. I have four dogs and ticks have been a problem.

Thanks for sharing this. I like more natural repellants that I can make so much better than those for sale.

thanks!

Great. Thanks for the info. I'll have to find an Avon dealer or order online. I'll need a truck load beings I have a dog thats 130 lbs and a 60 lbs er. But It will be worth it.
I was just looking for a recipe that I have somewhere for skunks. Someones dog the other day got sprayed in my area.
YIKKES. I'll find it later and post it too. :thumbup:

Thank you for this info. Do you know if it repels fleas too?

Yes, It is advertised to do so.

What about fleas? Sure would like something natural to put on my two cats.

Last year I got some commercial flea meds for my cats, and after a few hours the male, Koko, started falling off chairs that he had leapt onto the previous day. He also started climbing up my pants leg, which is absolutely forbidden, going to the potty on any availible flat area, and crying because he was hungry, didn't seem to be able to remember where the food dish was.

The other one started hiding out, and since she never gains weight I was afraid she would get really ill. She seemed frightened of even Koko, mentally off.

Called my sister, her 3 huge rescue cats were vomiting and falling off the couch that they had been sleeping on for years.
She had also put flea meds on her cats.

Called my daughter in Texas near Ft.Worth, said that she thought her cats had the flu because of sudden rain, but yes, she had just put flea meds on them. All of us bathed our fur babies, and they slowly got back to normal.

I think the brand I used was Advantage, sister used it too but don't remember what my daughter used.

Still wanting a natural flea medicine for my fur kids.
----------
Darnit, forgot about Avon's Skin So Soft. Even my nice son-in-law said he used it in jungle swamps he had to wade through.
One daughter raised Chows, one of which had an allergy and kept digging at it's skin so that it had a bare spot. DD put on some Skin so Soft and the fur grew back in so pretty that she had the dog shaved and rubbed the oil in it often, fur came back in looking lovely.

I put apple cider vinegar in their drinking water,which I have been told repels fleas ticks etc,
about 1 capful to a gallon of water