The best natural bug repellent for dogs is safe, plant-based, and non-toxic. It won’t harm your pet or cause any adverse reactions in it.
Typically, the best natural and non-toxic bug repellent for dogs contains essential oils, apple cider vinegar, or other plant-based ingredients.
Most importantly it is DEET-free since it is common knowledge now that DEET has many adverse effects on humans and pets alike.
Natural bug repellents for dogs are gentle yet effective and can repel bugs like ticks, fleas, and mosquitoes.
In this guide, we have 5 all-natural bug repellent for dogs. These are plant-based yet effective in preventing those bug bites on your beloved pet.
Just in case you are in a hurry, click on our short summary below to view our Top 5 reviewed products for the best natural bug repellent for dogs:
- Our Editor’s Pick: No products found.
- Best Overall All Natural Bug Repellent: No products found.
- Best Budget Natural Bug Repellent for Dogs: No products found.
- Best Organic Bug Repellent: No products found.
- Best Bug Repellent for Ticks and Fleas: No products found.
Is there a Natural Bug Repellent for Dogs?
Yes, there are many effective natural bug repellents for dogs and we have discussed 5 natural, DEET-free products below.
Your dog needs effective protection against mosquitoes, ticks, fleas, and other bugs and crawlies. These pests can cause diseases in your dog and sometimes, they can even cause serious complications.
Luckily for us, there are several natural and plant-based ingredients which can effectively prevent these pesky problems.
Natural bug repellant for dog is safe and chemical-free so it won’t adversely impact your pet’s nervous or endocrine system.
Chemical-free all-natural repellents are much safer, non-toxic, and healthier alternatives to chemical-based repellents and this safety extends to humans, kids, and our planet as well.
Best Natural Bug Repellent for Dogs – 2022 Top 5 Picks
1. No products found.
No products found.Vet’s Best Mosquito Repellent for Dogs and Cats is gentle, safe, and effective. It is recommended by vets for preventing mosquito bites which can cause heartworms in dogs.
You can use the spray not only on your dog’s body but also on its flea comb/grooming brushes, inside kennels, on dog beds, and around the house.
There are clove and peppermint essential oils along with lemongrass and geraniol oils in this natural spray and they leave a mild-yet-pleasant fragrance that won’t irritate your pet’s senses. It is also a great scent for humans.
Vet’s natural bug repellent for dogs can be safely used on pets 12 weeks and older.
This great repellent uses steam-distilled essential oils – a process that enhances its efficacy and potency. This offers your dog a long-lasting protection from mosquitoes. (You need to reapply every 2-3 hours for effective protection).
What we like about it
- DEET-free
- Extensively tested
- Plant-based and all-natural
- Pleasant and lemony scent
What we don’t like
- Not safe for use around dogs with sensitive skin or health issues like epilepsy and seizures.
- Does not repel ticks, fleas.
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No products found.Bug Soother spray repels gnats, mosquitoes, sand fleas, and black flies and is safe for use on dogs, cats, kids, adults, chickens and horses too.
It contains 100% pure lemongrass oil mixed with vanilla scent for a pleasant combination. The other ingredients in this skin-friendly spray are Vitamin E, castor oil, and soy lecithin.
This pleasant spray is versatile and multi-purpose and you can use it on your pet just before walking/camping in bug-infested areas.
Bug Soother spray offers long-lasting protection to repel bugs for several hours.
What we like about it
- Safe for dogs
- Easy to use
- Has a pleasant scent
- Ideal for taking on travels
What we don’t like about it
- Does not repel ticks.
- Sticky formulation.
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No products found.Nantucket essential oil bug repellent for dogs contains rosemary, thyme, cedarwood, geranium, and peppermint essential oils.
You can safely use it on your dog’s back and belly to prevent bites from various bugs including fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, spiders, gnats, etc.
It is formulated to be gentle-yet-effective on puppies too.
We love the fact that this budget bug repellent is free from DEET and also vegan, non-GMO, cruelty and soy-free.
What we like about it
- Can be directly used on dog’s coat and belly area – safe for use on puppies too
- Does not have harsh citrusy fragrance which some dogs absolutely detest.
- Made in USA with non-GMO ingredients
What we don’t like
- Caused sneezing in some allergic, sensitive dogs.
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No products found.Greenerways is a natural mosquito repellent for dogs. You will love the fact that it is USDA certified organic and free from genetically modified ingredients.
Being DEET and chemical-free, you can spray Greenerways non toxic bug repellent for dogs on your pet’s bedding or on its collar to repel bugs.
It repels fleas, ticks, chiggers, gnats, no-see-ums, house flies, bed bugs, and mosquitoes for several hours.
You can spray it around kennels, pet bedding, around camping tents, on decks, in the doorways, etc.
What we like about it
- Organic, natural, effective bug repellent for dogs
- Non sticky formula with a great scent
- Non-toxic, USDA certified, non-GMO
- Long-lasting bottle
What we don’t like
- Cannot be applied directly on human or pet skin as it burns.
- Some users found the scent very strong.
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No products found.Wondercide kills and repels many bugs like fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, gnats, and other creeping, biting, and stinging insects.
You can also use this spray as an indoor flea and tick treatment in case you are already dealing with an infestation.
Wondercide natural bug repellent uses all-natural plant-based ingredients like cedar oil and lemongrass oil that block important neurotransmitters in bugs like ants, roaches, fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes killing them instantly.
You can safely spray this spray on pet bedding and on rugs and carpets as well.
What we like about it
- Multi-purpose and works on many bugs
- Safe, essential oil-based natural bug repellent for dogs
What we don’t like
- Very strong scent that caused headaches in some users.
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Is Bug Repellent Safe for Dogs?
Yes, natural bug repellents are safe and even necessary for your dog.
Here are reasons why your dog needs a bug repellent if you live in a bug-infested region:
1. Some bugs are extremely dangerous to your pet
Bugs like ticks and fleas can cause a lot of pain and irritation to your pet.
Sometimes, ticks can also lead to dangerous health issues like tick fever, Lyme disease etc., which, without treatment can even cause death. Fleas can lead to tapeworm infestations.
Mosquitoes can cause heartworms in dogs and they are extremely difficult to get rid of. Heartworms often lay eggs in the heart’s sac causing various debilitating symptoms in your dog.
Mosquitoes could cause a lot of angst in your pet as it would be unable to sleep due to the bites.
Some bugs like gnats and chiggers can also irritate your dog especially if they swarm around your pet in large numbers.
2. You must protect your pet Indoors and Outdoors
In infested areas, even a short walk of a few minutes in grassy trails is all it takes to get ticks to latch on to your pet.
When you camp or hike in tick infested woods, your dog could bring back hundreds of ticks into your home.
We must not forget that a single female tick can lay hundreds of eggs and the infestation can rapidly spiral out of control. The same is true with fleas.
Fleas and ticks could also bite humans leading to various diseases like Lyme’s disease, Rocky Mountain fever, etc.
That is why, you must use a natural and safe bug repellent for your dog to protect your home, kids as well as yourself from bug bites.
3. Natural bug repellents are safe and non-toxic
Chemical bug repellents mostly contain DEET which is known to impact cognition, endocrine, and other systems in humans and dogs.
Many of these chemical bug repellents are known to cause mood changes, sleep disorders, and other health issues in pets and humans.
A study conducted in France on DEET-based chemical repellents showed that it could also impact the nervous system functioning in mammals.
Natural bug repellents can prevent all these issues and are a safer, healthier alternative for controlling and preventing stings, bug bites, and related diseases in humans and pets alike.
How to Make Natural Bug Repellent for Dogs?
You can always purchase high-quality bug repellents for your dog but in case you want to go the DIY route, here is a simple recipe for an all-natural essential oil-based bug repellent with readily available ingredients:
You will need:
- 1 oz. jojoba oil
- 5 drops of geranium oil
- 10 drops of peppermint oil
- 10 drops of cedarwood oil
- Spray bottle
Steps
- Mix all ingredients in the spray bottle
- Shake well to combine.
- Spray on a bandana and wrap it around your pet’s neck.
- You can also spray the gentle solution directly on its fur prior to walk/hikes in infested areas.
- Reapply every 2-3 hours.
How to Treat Bug Bites on Dogs?
Here are some remedies to treat bug bites on your dog.
A. Benadryl
Vets recommend Benadryl to soothe pets’ itchy skin caused by bug bites.
Consult your vet to find out how much Benadryl is safe for your pet’s age and weight.
The antihistamine in Benadryl helps prevent itching and soothes irritation, swelling, and pain caused by the bites.
B. Calamine
A dab of calamine can prevent bug bite itch and soothe your pet’s irritated and inflamed skin.
Take some calamine lotion on a sterile cotton ball and apply directly to the bitten areas. Reapply as often as needed.
C. Aloe vera gel
Cut open an aloe plant and dab its transparent gel directly on your pet’s skin.
Not only is aloe soothing, it also prevents bacterial infections caused by severe scratching.
D. Hydrocortisone cream
Over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream can soothe irritation and relieve itchy bug bites on dogs.
Go for No products found. to directly use on your dog’s skin but discontinue use within a few days of use.
E. Bathe your pet
Bathe your pet using a dog shampoo containing colloidal oatmeal. Colloidal oatmeal soothes irritated and painful bug bites to relieve itchy skin.
Also Read: Expert Tips on How to Make Your Dog Smell Good without a Bath
FAQs On The Best Natural Bug Repellent For Dogs
Does apple cider vinegar repel mosquitoes on dogs?
Yes, apple cider vinegar’s strong scent helps repel mosquitoes. Also, being acidic in nature, mosquitoes do not like its taste when they bite into the treated skin.
This naturally prevents bites and keeps mosquitoes away from your pet.
Apple cider vinegar also soothes bug bites, so it is beneficial to your pet in two ways: soothes and heals, and also prevents new bites.
To apply: dilute apple cider vinegar with water in 1:1 ratio and spray all over your pet’s fur. Allow it to air-dry naturally.
Reapply every 3-4 hours.
Also Read: How to Make Dog Fur Shiny – Expert Tips!
Do bug bites cause lumps on dogs?
Several factors can cause lumps on dogs and bug bites are one of them.
If the lump persists for several days after you first notice it, please have it evaluated by your vet right away.
What kinds of bugs bite dogs?
Many insects and bug types can cause bites on your pet’s skin: mosquitoes, spiders, fleas, ticks, ants, bees, hornets, wasps, etc. are some of the common insects that could harass your dog.
How to naturally keep bugs from biting your dog?
There are many things you can do to prevent bugs from biting your fur-baby:
Use essential oils
You can safely repel bugs using essential oils like cedarwood oil, lemongrass oil, geranium oil, and citronella oil.
Always dilute these oils with carrier oils like coconut oil, before use. Never use them directly as they could burn your pet’s skin. You can also make a spray with these oils and vinegar, water, or aloe vera gel.
Use electronic plug-in repellents
You can use ultrasonic plug-in repellents to drive pests away.
We recommend the No products found. which is safe to use around pets but works for repelling ticks, fleas, mice, bed bugs, gnats, mosquitoes, ants, and roaches.
Use bug repellent clothing
Insect-shield tees are great for repelling ticks, fleas, mosquitoes, etc. They are treated with odorless chemicals and offer complete protection from many biting insects.
Vets also recommend these t-shirts for dogs living near woody, tick-infested areas.
We recommend the No products found. for protecting dogs from fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, and other biting bugs.
Conclusion
The best natural bug repellent for dogs is free from DEET and can protect your pet from painful bug bites from ants, mosquitoes, etc.
We recommend No products found. for its gentle-yet-effective formula that works against mosquitoes and other pests.
Do check out our other product recommendations as well.
