How Vinegar Can Make Your Dog Flea-Free

I have found a sure way to fight off fleas on my dog. Little did I know the solution has been in my kitchen all this time.

One evening I noticed my dog, Jetty, scratching furiously. I knew the reason right then: fleas.

It was already late that night to buy flea powder or shampoo so I rung up my next-door neighbor, Paul, to ask if he had any flea control treatment. Paul has three retrievers and with that number of dogs I assumed he had his own stock of dog supplies.

He said he ran out of anti-flea treatment. Instead, he told me to use a common household item. Vinegar. I never even bothered to hide my skepticism as the whole thing seemed bizarre. I told Paul I didn't want to add "flavor" to Jetty, I just wanted the fleas off him. Paul laughed it off and assured me that it works.

"The vinegar will give your dog an odor that fleas don't like," Paul said.

"But if he starts to smell sour, even I won't like him," I replied.

"Don't you worry. The odor is strong enough for fleas but too faint for us to notice. Besides, even if your dog happens to smell bad, will you love him less?" he said.

Good point, I thought so I tried it. And what do you know, it worked!

Here is the proper way to use vinegar to rid your dog of fleas.

  1. First, bathe your dog using a flea shampoo and rinse thoroughly (if you don't have one, you can skip to the next step).
  2. Mix one part apple cider vinegar or white vinegar with one part water.
  3. Put the mixture in a spray bottle or wet a clean cloth with it.
  4. Spray or dab all over your dog's coat. Avoid his eyes as it can easily irritate him.
  5. Do not rinse.
  6. Do it every 2 days until your dog is completely free of fleas.

To maximize the effect, add a teaspoonful of vinegar to his drinking water. It will make your dog's skin more acidic which fleas hate. There's no need to worry about upsetting his stomach, the dosage is too minimal to cause any harm.

After a few sessions of his vinegar bath and cocktail, I was blown away. Not even a single flea on Jetty anymore. Well at least none that I know of, since he has stopped scratching ever since. So the next time you're making a salad dressing, leave some of the vinegar for your canine friend.