A Natural Insect Repellent That Works

It was starting to get warmer and the inquiries on how to control those nasty little critters began to bubble up again.

The Three Biggies

Fleas cause intense itching, can transmit tapeworm and infest your house.

Ticks can cause Lyme disease. And they are harder to find on your dog than fleas, especially in a thick double coat like a Sheltie’s.

Mosquitoes. UGH! I can hear them but can’t see them until after they bite. Aside from the itchy welts they leave on me, I hate them for the possibility of bringing heartworm to my dogs. While the chances are slim, it still is on my mind.

Researching a Natural Insect Repellent

Being a control freak, if I can put something together myself, so I know what’s in the final product, that’s what I do. Reading ingredients labels has become a hobby of mine.

Every natural insect repellent I’ve read has different ingredients. The reason being, there are MANY natural oils and plants that repel those nasty creatures. So you can pick and choose which ones to try.

I have used sprays as a natural insect repellent that I’ve mixed up myself with a combination of essential oils. I’ve had good results but decided I prefer a powder instead for a few reasons:

It lasts longer on the dog
Kinda slowly sifts its way down to the skin over a few days.
It not only repels but kills anything that decides to land and try to make a home on my Shelties.

What's In My Insect Repellent?

NEEM: repels fleas, ticks and mosquitoes. It is an antifungal and antibacterial as well. Helps with itchy skin too.

YARROW: Repels all three of the above pests

CATNIP: 10 times stronger than DEET for repelling mosquitoes! This is not your typical store bought catnip. So don't put it on a dog where cats reside!!

FOOD GRADE DIATOMACEOUS EARTH: Mechanically slices and dices the fleas and ticks thereby killing them.

How To Apply It

I put it in a shaker and sprinkle a little on the dogs and gently work it into the coat. They get a nice little massage and I get peace of mind.

As with most fine powders don’t inhale or get it in the eyes as it can be temporarily irritating.

reapply every few weeks
or if the coat gets wet
or if you bathe the dog

IF YOU HAVE A WHITE DOG.... The powder is a gentle green color from natural plant matter, so it may temporarily discolor the coat.

Breeding Stock

I take the common precautions with pregnant bitches that most human pregnant women take. That is, take nothing medicinal unless absolutely necessary. Plain Diatomaceous Earth is what I use for them.

Neem:

I do limit the use of this powder on bitches in heat as there is a possibility of reducing the ability to become pregnant short term (a few weeks) if used in large amounts.
Orally, in large doses (taken 3 times a day by the male) it has been found to prevent sperm from fertilizing eggs in humans. I doubt a few licks of powder off the coat will do it, however.
If applied vaginally it can act as a spermicide.

Yarrow and Catnip:

Can stimulate the uterus and so I don’t use it with any bitches that are pregnant.