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This DIY tick repellent spray for dogs has been a life saver for us! We live in one of the worst places for ticks and my dog can pick up 3 ticks by just walking across our yard. Since we started spraying our dog with this daily, we haven’t seen one tick!
This time of year is when the ticks are a big concern for outdoor pets. Ticks can spread Lyme Disease, which can make dogs very sick and in some cases it can be deadly. Turns out store bought tick deterrents can have hazardous chemicals in them that are not good for pets, or humans! This is a concern for anyone with kids who like to cuddle with their dogs. To be safe I only use a natural DIY tick repellent spray for dogs. It’s natural, easy to make, and much cheaper store bought products.
Not only are the ticks harmful for our dog but, they often jump off of him and end up on our couch or bed where they could bite us! All the diseases they carry are very scary. Since we started using this DIY tick repellent spray, our dog hasn’t brought one tick in yet. This past year we’ve been very diligent about trying to keep the ticks out of yard, off our pets and out of our house. I always spray myself with a DIY homemade tick repellent spray and since it works so well I thought it was time to make one for my dog.
How this DIY Tick Repellent Spray for Dogs Works:
This DIY tick repellent spray for dogs uses lavender and cedar wood essential oils to naturally repel ticks. Essential oils are great for repelling ticks because they hide a dogs’ scent, so the ticks are less likely to latch onto them.
Lavender essential oil naturally repels ticks. It has even been shown to stop tick eggs from hatching . One tick is bad enough, I couldn’t imagine dealing with a whole nest of them. Lavender essential oil is the perfect ingredient the DIY tick repellent spray for dogs.
Cedar oil is great in the DIY tick repellent spray for dogs. It blocks the tick’s scent receptors, which controls their breathing and movement. Cedar oil also works by dehydrating ticks to the point of death. Using cedar oil also prevents against tick eggs and larvae. The cedar scent also helps to mask the natural scent of our dogs, which ticks are attracted too.
How Often Should You use the Spray
I spray my dog with this DIY tick repellent spray for dogs every morning before I take him outside. You can spray it twice a day if needed.
How to Make the DIY Tick Repellent Spray for Dogs
What You Will Need:
- 15 drops Lavender essential oil
- 15 drops Cedar essential oil
- A spray bottle
- 1 cup of water
Instructions:
1.) Add 30 drops of essential oils in total to one cup of water.
2.) Pour the mixture into a spray bottle.
3.) Shake the bottle well and then spray on your dog.
I recommend using 15 drops of each oil in the DIY tick repellent spray for dogs. You can always adjust how many drops of each oil to use depending on your preferences. If you have a smaller dog, you may want to use less essential oil. Do not use over 30 drops in one cup of water.
Important Notes:
It is important to remember dogs have a much better sense of smell than us, which makes essential oils stronger to them. Essential oils should always be used with caution around dogs. Never use any undiluted essential oils on a dog’s skin or fur, they are too strong to use undiluted.
DO NOT use cedar oil if you have issues with carpenter bees – cedar oil attracts them.
Where can I purchase these oils lavender and cedar ?
I found in Wallmart!!
You can get them at your local health food store or order them online.
Hi Lori, Have you seen any issue with your dog licking this? I’ve read that dogs shouldn’t ingest essential oils, so i am curious if your doggie has tried to lick it and how it affected him (I can only assume he’s fine haha)
Hi Susy, my dog hasn’t licked it at all (not that I know of anyways).
I have started using this mix (starting with 5 drops each of cedar oI’ll and lavender, now on to 9 drops of each) twice a day, all over, on my dogs but the tics are still attaching themselves. Some are still alive and some are dead and shrivelled up but I still have to extract them which can be more difficult. Is this spray designed specifically as a repellent and if so what am I doing incorrectly? I hope you can help, many thanks
Hi Michael, are you spraying it on their legs, belly and neck? I always make sure to get those spots as that’s where we often find ticks. Do they have very long fur? Are they going through tall grass/high brush areas?
Their fur is not long. Rubbing neck chest and tummies, will do legs from noel on. We do encounter long grass and small copses, we rarely go in woodland except in the winter. Thanks for your reply we will be more vigilant applying the mixture on their legs from now on and see how it goes.
Hope that works! It has really helped with our dog. He is a tick magnet. We also keep our grass as short as possible and keep his fur short too. The scent seems to help repel them. He rarely brings any ticks in now.
God bless you and thank you so much just moved to Southeast Washington last October whet out to a lake one day with the puppy and ticks are everywhere so thankful to come across your blog from now I Will be regular follower of your blog. Thank you thank you thank you what creepy little creatures they are.
Glad you found it helpful. It has been working great for our dog.
Great recipe for tick spray! I can’t wait to share this with my readers because they are always asking for this. 🙂
I actually googled how to make this today as I have a new pup and stumbled upon your site- so easy to make, thanks!
It has been working great for us. We have the worst ticks!
Hi Lori,
When I’m out and about I am always fretting about sun block and sun tan lotion but it’s not until my neighbor’s dog got ticks that I even thought about tick repellent for dogs. My local pet shop wanted $17 a bottle for a repellent full of chemicals I couldn’t pronounce. Thank you so much for this simple 3 ingredient recipe, it seems to have worked so far!
So glad it’s working for you too! I use it on my dog almost every day. Our yard is full of ticks 🙁
Will the dilution ratio work for people too?
Yes, in general you only need a few drops of essential oils. They are very potent.
Thank you for this, so helpful!! Time for me to get cedar EO!
Just wondering if this spray will also repel flies? My german shepherd’s ears just get bitten up so bad from flies.
Yes, the essential oil scents can help repel flies. I’ve found that lavender essential oil in particular is great for repelling flies.
Hi Look forward to receiving your Newsletter. Great information as always. Thankyou Wonderful Girl. Look forward to your next newsletter. Karen 😊😊
Thank you Karen 🙂