DIY tick repellent

[flowergurl]

If you make your own tick repellent at home what recipe do you use?
I am going to do some hiking this summer and will have my 2 small dogs with me. I need something non chemical that is human/dog safe.
I have been reading about using natural oils, vinegar and other similar recipes.
Do you make your own, if so what recipe do you use? How effective do they seem to be?

[Tricky Grama]

We always use powdered sulphur but not sure it works on dogs. In fact, seems like it didn't work on our dog...maybe her hair is too thick...?

[Harry Chickpea]

"I need something non chemical that is human/dog safe.
I have been reading about using natural oils, vinegar and other similar recipes."

Oils and vinegar ARE chemicals.

Sulfur (another chemical) seems to work against chiggers. Put the deet on your clothes or a bandana around the dogs necks and do tick checks each night.

[flowergurl]

Okay i guess I wasn't specific enough for some... Natural chemicals to use instead of man made ones. Deet is one of things i'd rather not use.

[northxnorthwest]

Can't go wrong with essential oils.
http://www.experience-essential-oils...-for-dogs.html

[Maura]

B vitamins make you taste bad. Ask your vet how much to give your dog. Due to my dog’s age and the fact he had a stroke, my vet gave me a list of B vitamins for my old fella (just went to the pharmacy on the corner to get it), and to keep him on Vitamin C. Lavender is a natural fleabane, so is pennyroyal. You can easily mix up some lavender e.o. and other e.o. and put into a sprayer.

[Maura]

B vitamins make you taste bad. Ask your vet how much to give your dog. Due to my dog’s age and the fact he had a stroke, my vet gave me a list of B vitamins for my old fella (just went to the pharmacy on the corner to get it), and to keep him on Vitamin C. Lavender is a natural fleabane, so is pennyroyal. You can easily mix up some lavender e.o. and other e.o. and put into a sprayer.

[linnell]

I make my own tick/bug spray. It is:

2 parts distilled water
1 part white vinegar
some or all of the following essential oils:
Geranium
Clove Bud
Orange
Eucalyptus
Rosemary
Peppermint
Thyme

Make sure it's in a dark bottle, preferably glass. This will make your e.o.'s last longer.
I spray my clothing/shoes 2X daily if i'm outside all day. I spray a bandanna well and put it around my dogs necks.
For my LGDs I have a large spray bottle of:
2 parts white vinegar
1 parts distilled water
10-15 drops of Geranium
I spray them DAILY with it.

We use no commercial tick repellants on our pets or LGDs. I make the LGD specific one because it's cheaper and I use more on them.

We do use Pyrmethrin-10 for our pigs in the hottest months for horse flies. My husband also wears pymethrin coated military clothing when he's going to be in the woods. He has a food allergy caused by a tick bite that gets worse the more he's bit, so he's very careful. If you've never heard of this, it's called Alpha-Galactose allergy, look it up, it's rampant here in central VA. He was sick for over a year before we knew what was wrong with him.

Good Luck!

[vpapai]

I use dryer softener sheets and stick them in my boots. Supposedly keeps the ticks from getting on me.