Some Goldendoodles have wavy hair, some have curly hair, and some have straight hair. All Goldendoodles have thick, luscious coats, though! These beautiful, fluffy (and hypoallergenic) coats are one of the reasons why so many people love Goldendoodles and Goldendoodle puppies! But people aren’t the only ones fond of these thick coats. Ticks are drawn to these furry safe havens, too.
Ticks can carry diseases — such as Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and canine ehrlichiosis — that make your dog sick. The longer a tick is on your dog, the greater the risk for disease transmission. If you and your dog enjoy spending time outdoors, you should take extra precautions for preventing ticks on your dog. This is especially important during the warm months when more ticks are more abundant.
Here are a few tips for preventing ticks from getting on your dog.
Brush your Goldendoodle.
Tangles and mats make it difficult to look for ticks on your dog. Brushing your Goldendoodle once or twice a week will keep his coat tidy, which can help you find ticks before they latch on.
Keep a short lawn.
Remove brush and tall weeds. The taller the grass, the happier the tick. Ticks don’t jump. They wait on tail grass and latch onto passersby. Mowing your lawn often will also reduce the number of ticks in your yard.
Keep your Goldendoodle close.
Staying on paths and trails goes a long way in preventing ticks from getting on your dog. The further off trail your dog gets, the more ticks you will have to look for when you get home.
Avoid overgrown areas.
Ticks love tall grass, heavy brush, and thick vegetation. Steer clear of trails and areas that are overgrown and choose maintained paths instead.
Give your Goldendoodle tick medicine.
There are many different medicines that can keep ticks away and kill ticks. Some also work against fleas and lice as well. You can get these medications from your dog’s vet, but there are lots of effective over-the-counter tick medicines for dogs from drop treatments to pills to chews.
Try collars and shampoo, too.
If your dog is often exposed to areas with lots of ticks, go the extra mile and grab a flea and tick collar along with some shampoos that can kill ticks.
Check for ticks no matter what.
Tick medicine, collars, and shampoo are typically effective, but they won’t work 100% of the time. It’s better to be safe than sorry. Always, always, always check your dog for ticks after spending time outdoors.
If you take your dog on a hiking trail, to the river or lake, or even to the park, check for ticks when you get home, and continue checking for the next few days. It can be difficult to feel a tick that hasn’t latched on to your dog, and it can ticks a while to work their way through thick coats.
Check the easy to forget places:
- in the ears
- in between toes
- under arms
- groin area
- under tail
- under the collar
Remove ticks as soon as you find them.
Make sure that you remove ticks promptly and properly. Apply rubbing alcohol to the area, and remove ticks with tweezers or a tick removal tool. Remove the entire tick; make sure that the head doesn’t stay attached to your dog.
We hope that these tips for preventing ticks on dogs will help you. Take a look at our Golendoodle puppies ready for their new forever homes!