It's Almost Flea Season Again. Here are some of my natural ways I've used to prevent fleas. What do you do?

As a pet owner, I’ve tried many different things to keep my pet flea free. My dog has very sensitive skin so one flea will drive him to scratching constantly, which drives me mad.

I live in Florida so it’s a regular so fleas are a year-long focus and if I don’t regularly do something about them, the problem can quickly escalate. This is something that hasn’t happened to me in my many, many years of living here with a dog so I have to be doing something right. Maybe you can learn a little from me and I can learn a little from you.

This article is about my experiences with both chemical and natural based preventatives. I’ll give you some insight into what has worked for me so that maybe it will work for you, too.

Years ago, I used Frontline regularly. After a couple of years, I noticed that my dog was constantly scratching. He got fleas regularly when I treated him with Frontline. It was just a bit less. So, the chemicals prevented an infestation, however, his skin was constantly rashy looking. There are so many articles written about how bad the chemicals in this product are. It's tough to put something on my pet that warns me not to get it on my skin. Since you are putting it on the dog's skin for it to work, you wonder just how bad this stuff is. My goal was to find something that would work naturally. So, that summer was a somewhat odd one for him, because I experimented with a dozen or more natural treatments. Some worked. Some worked a little and some didn't work at all.

I ordered a variety of different things online that claimed to eliminate or prevent fleas. My poor dog. He was basically living in a laboratory of my making for several months.

For the most part, it was throwing money out the window and my dog smelled rather strangely during the process; anything from strong spices to odd oils. I did, however, find some of the natural solutions worked.

The one natural remedy that I found that did work was somewhat obsure. It's called "Flea Relief” by Dr. Goodpet. The product is taken orally, daily and then less over time. As a pet owner, it's not easy where I can just give him a pill and it's done for the month. Most natural remedies require you to administer it daily or spray it on daily.

Dr. Goodpet did work though. It’s a somewhat unusual product in that it takes crushed fleas and uses the essence of flea in the mixture. The theory, which seems to work is that fleas don’t want to eat themselves and it disguises your dog as being a flea.

I quit using it after about 2 years. My dog built up an immunity and it just doesn't work on him anymore. It did work well for years.

1. I’ve used cedar spray, which is also good. Your dog will smell like a big ole cedar tree and the spray has to be used daily.
2. I’ve mixed Brewer’s Yeast in my dog’s food and this seems to work well. My dog loves the taste of it and I have to remember to sprinkle it into his food. (That is the main challenge!)
3. Although Garlic is recommended by some, I haven’t had a lot of luck with it. It just doesn’t feel like it’s getting rid of or limiting fleas.

One of the best flea remedies that I’ve just happened upon is Olive Oil. The fleas have started early here in Florida and my dog has started itching daily. I’ve found that when I rub a generous amount of olive oil into his skin, the fleas don’t like it. I'm wondering if the oil actually penetrates their shells.

According to Dr. Fox on the Chron.com website, Olive oil is a "simple and surprising antiflea treatment — cheap and harmless, indeed. And, no doubt, the dog's coat has a nice shine."

He goes on to say that Olives contain several botanical compounds that are beneficial to the skin, hair and immune system when ingested, and like most plants, they may contain mild insect repellants that are harmless when ingested in moderate amounts.

To treat your dog with olive oil, pour about a tablepoon in a bowl or small container. Rub it all over the dog.

My dog wags his tail when he sees me coming toward him with the olive oil bottle. He likes it. I'm hoping that it will work or at least keep the fleas at bay this summer. I do know that this summer he will have a greasy and beautiful coat.

What kind of treatments do you use? Please feel free to share your thoughts below.