how do i know if my dog has fleas?

Dogs scratch for many different reasons. But if you suspect fleas may be the culprit, the following easy to perform tests can put an end to the guesswork, so you can begin to help your pet.

1) Have your dog stand on a clean surface, with a damp white cloth or paper towel handy. Now, fleas tend to congregate on the back near the tail, so give her hind end a real good scratch. She’ll absolutely love you for this! Wipe the table or floor below where you’ve been scratching, and look at the debris on the white towel. Wait a minute or two, and any black specks which melt into red smears are flecks of dried blood, commonly known as flea dirt. This is the most accurate way to determine if your dog is afflicted by fleas, other than actually seeing them.

Alternatively…
2) If you have a hair dryer with a cool setting, pass the air over your dogs coat, parting the hair in a methodical manner. You can sometimes catch a glimpse of a flea before it scurries away. This method works if the dogs coat is not too thick or matted.

3) Use a flea comb which you can purchase at a local pet shop – a metal one is best as the teeth won’t bend. This works best on a dog with a short coat with no tangles. Run the comb through your dogs hair, being sure to go over her entire body. The comb will pull the fleas off because the teeth are so close together, and you can use this method to remove the fleas as well, but, since fleas move around quickly, you’ll need to go over her multiple times.

Now that you’ve determined your dog has fleas, the healthiest way to get rid of them is with a natural flea bath.