Welcome back to the Gubba Podcast. I'm Gubba, a first time homesteader following in the footsteps of my homesteading forebears. I discuss everything from homesteading to prepping and everything in between. Today we’re talking fleas and ticks, but not in the “panic and poison everything” way. More in the “what if your dog’s body and your home environment could become a place parasites don’t thrive” way. This episode is also focused around dogs because that's what I have on my homestead. I do not have any cats, but that isn't to say this couldn't be beneficial for you and your feline friend because a lot of the things are going to be similar. Like the common flea and tick solutions that are harming pets everything.
Because that’s the part nobody wants to talk about. We’ve been trained to treat fleas and ticks like the enemy is the bug itself, and the only answer is a chemical product from a shelf. But fleas and ticks are opportunists. They’re not deep thinkers. They’re looking for the easiest host, the easiest meal, the easiest environment, and when the body is inflamed, undernourished, or the skin barrier is weak, it’s like rolling out a welcome mat.
So I want to frame this episode around “terrain,” because the terrain mindset changes everything. It’s not just what you put on the dog. It’s what you build into the dog. It’s skin health, coat health, immune resilience, digestion, mineral status, and the invisible ecosystem living on the skin. And I’ll say it right up front, because I’m not here to play games with your pet’s health, this is education and not medical advice, What I’m offering is the foundational homestead approach that can reduce pressure and support the body so you’re not stuck in a cycle of constant infestation and constant chemical exposure. You always do what is best for you.
One of the most common questions I get is what I feed my dogs, and how I treat them naturally for pests. Well, here are a few things I do not do. I do not take them to the vet unless it is an emergency like a broken bone, and I do not give them any sort of preventative medication.
Now here’s something that most people never actually do. They never read the product insert. If you take the time to look at the package insert that comes with many common flea and tick medications, the language is very clear. These products are classified as insecticides or parasiticides. That means they are pesticides by definition. Whether they’re topical or oral, their mechanism of action is to disrupt the nervous system of insects. Some bind to specific receptors in the parasite’s nervous system, leading to overstimulation, paralysis, and death. Systemic chewables circulate in your dog’s bloodstream so that when a flea or tick bites, it ingests the active compound and dies. Topicals spread across the lipid layer of the skin and kill on contact. That’s not conspiracy language. That’s how they are designed to work. They are engineered to be toxic to parasites. Now, manufacturers aim for selective toxicity, meaning the compound is far more toxic to insects than to mammals, but that doesn’t make it inert. These are biologically active chemicals. That’s why inserts also list potential adverse reactions, neurological warnings in some cases, and precautions for use in certain animals. Again, this isn’t fear-based. It’s informed consent. When you understand that these are pesticides, you can make a more intentional decision about whether you want them as a first-line defense or a last resort after you’ve strengthened terrain.
Let’s start with the big anchor point you asked for, the raw diet, because if you only change one thing in this whole episode, this is the one that changes the “terrain” the most. When I say raw diet, I’m talking about biologically appropriate, species-appropriate food that prioritizes animal-based nutrition, moisture, minerals, and amino acids in forms the body actually recognizes. A lot of dogs living on ultra-processed kibble are running on something closer to pet “cereal” than real food. That doesn’t mean every kibble-fed dog is doomed, but it does mean many dogs are living with chronic low-grade inflammation, yeast overgrowth, digestive weakness, and poor skin barrier function, and you see it as itching, hot spots, musty smell, greasy coat, flaky skin, ear infections, paw licking, and that “my dog is always uncomfortable” vibe. That discomfort is not just annoying, it’s a signal the terrain is off. And when the terrain is off, fleas love it, because fleas thrive in a world where the skin is reactive and the coat isn’t resilient. If you’ve ever noticed fleas seem to explode on one pet in the home while barely bothering another, that’s terrain.
A raw-focused approach tends to support the skin and coat from the inside out because it’s rich in complete proteins, naturally occurring fats, fat-soluble vitamins, trace minerals, and moisture. Hydration alone matters more than people realize. Skin is an organ, and dry, irritated skin is compromised skin. Moisture-rich food supports normal elimination, bile flow, and gut motility, and that matters because so much of the immune system lives in the gut. If the gut is inflamed, the immune system is distracted, and then everything becomes reactive. I want you to imagine the dog’s body like a homestead. If the fences are broken, the soil is depleted, and the water system is dirty, you can chase pests all day, but they’ll keep showing up. If you restore the land, pests lose their advantage. Raw feeding, done responsibly, is one of the ways people “restore the land.” You can listen to my feeding your pets raw food episode here.
Now I’m going to be real with you. Fleas don’t read ingredient labels. A raw diet isn’t a magic force field where a flea lands and immediately disintegrates. What it does is improve skin oil quality, coat density, immune signaling, and overall resilience, which can make a dog less attractive, less reactive, and less likely to spiral into dermatitis when bitten. It often reduces that “allergic response” that makes one bite turn into a full-body itch storm. And when you reduce the dog’s inflammatory response, you reduce the secondary infections, the scratching, the hot spots, the broken skin, and all the things that make parasites and microbes pile on. Terrain is the long game, but the long game is how you win without living in fear.
Okay, now let’s talk garlic, because this is the one that gets everybody heated. You hear “garlic” and immediately someone jumps in with “it’s toxic to dogs,” and then the conversation ends. But the truth is more nuanced, and it’s worth understanding why the fear exists, what the research actually did, and what “dose and form” have to do with safety.
The study that gets referenced constantly was published in 2000 and looked at dogs given garlic extract in a way that does not resemble how normal people feed garlic. The researchers administered garlic extract intragastrically, meaning they essentially tubed it directly into the stomach, at a dose equivalent to about 5 grams of whole garlic per kilogram of body weight, daily, for seven days. They observed hematologic changes consistent with oxidative damage to red blood cells, including Heinz body formation. That paper is often used as the foundation for the blanket statement that garlic is toxic to dogs.
Here’s the issue: it’s that people take a very specific, high-dose, extract-based protocol and pretend it represents a normal, culinary, tiny-dose use in real life. The form matters because extracts can concentrate certain compounds. The method matters because tubed dosing bypasses the normal “this tastes strong, I’m not eating that much” reality. And the dose matters because 5 g/kg is enormous. If you scale that to a medium or large dog, you’re talking about a comically high amount of garlic to deliver every single day for a week, not “a little fresh garlic in food.”
So the honest homestead answer is this. Garlic is not a toy, it’s not “more is better,” and it’s not something you throw at a dog without understanding what's going on. But the “garlic equals instant poisoning” story is often rooted in misunderstanding dosage, preparation, and what the study actually did. If you choose to use garlic as part of a natural approach, think culinary amounts, think intermittent, think fresh, and think about the dog in front of you. I give 1/4 to 1 clove two to three times a week for my 50lb plus dogs. Chopped and with raw meat. I ramp up more in pest seasons.
Now, why use garlic? The traditional reasoning is that garlic can influence odor and skin secretions, and it has compounds with antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties in various contexts. But I’m not going to pretend we have perfect, large, clinical trials proving garlic “repels fleas” the way a chemical repellent claims to. You know why I suspect that is? Because nature can't be patented. If it was shown that garlic has magical powers for dogs, they wouldn't be selling you a pesticide pill that they profit huge on. What we do have is a long history of folk use, a strong narrative of terrain, and a dose-dependent toxicity mechanism that gets flattened into fear.
Let’s move into apple cider vinegar, because ACV is one of those things that homesteaders want to put on everything, and I get it. Apple cider vinegar is acidic, it can influence surface pH, and it can be useful as a gentle rinse in some situations. The key word is gentle. Flea and tick strategies that rely on harsh topical irritation backfire because irritated skin becomes inflamed skin, and inflamed skin is compromised terrain. So if you’re using ACV topically, you’re thinking dilute. You’re thinking “support the skin environment” not “burn the bugs off.” And if your pet has raw spots, open skin, hot spots, or broken areas, ACV is going to sting and can worsen irritation, which is the opposite of what we want. I use colloidal silver for hot spots.
Internally, some people add small amounts of ACV to water or food with the idea that it supports digestion and overall balance. I do one teaspoon per 50lbs in their water a few times a week. Again, evidence for direct flea repulsion is not robust, but terrain-wise, digestion matters. If ACV supports appetite, stomach acidity, or gut comfort in a particular dog, that could have downstream benefits for skin and immune resilience. The practical caution is that not every dog tolerates it. Some dogs get stomach upset, and you don’t force it. Homestead rule, the animal tells you what works.
Now let’s talk coconut oil, because coconut oil is one of my favorite “multi-use” tools in a natural home. Coconut oil can support the skin barrier when used appropriately, and it can help with dryness and flaking, which indirectly helps terrain. When skin isn’t cracked and reactive, bites don’t turn into trauma. There’s also a practical grooming angle here. If you massage a small amount into the coat and then brush thoroughly, you can help loosen debris and create a coat condition that’s less hospitable. It can be a supportive piece, not the entire strategy. And if you slather too much oil on the coat, you can trap dirt, create a greasy environment, and some dogs will get irritated. Again, gentle and intentional.
Internally, coconut oil is a fat, and fats can be helpful in moderation for coat health, but too much fat too fast can upset digestion, especially in dogs prone to pancreatitis or with sensitive guts. So coconut oil is one of those tools that needs humility. This is why I keep bringing you back to terrain instead of hacks. I do 1/4 teaspoon per 10-15lbs a few times a week along with rubbing it into their coats when needed.
Now brewer’s yeast. Brewer’s yeast is everywhere in the “natural flea prevention” conversation. Brewer’s yeast can be a source of B vitamins and can be used as a nutritional supplement for some dogs. Again, this is only one part of the puzzle. The foundation is a raw diet and then you bring in the extra forces. I do 1 tablespoon a few times a week for my 50lb plus dogs. I also monitor for allergies, so just watch. If any hot spots develop, it means they aren't tolerating the brewer's yeast or something else well.
Here’s how I would frame brewer’s yeast in a Gubba Homestead way. If your dog tolerates it, and you’re using it as part of a broader nutrition strategy, great. If you’re using it as the main defense and you’re losing the flea war, don’t keep your dog miserable. This is the difference between being natural and being stubborn. Figure out what works best for your pet, and go back to the heart of it all, their diet and readjust! Natural should mean wise, not rigid.
So what does a terrain-first flea and tick plan actually look like when you bring these pieces together? It looks like focusing on whole, species-appropriate nutrition as your foundation, supporting gut health and skin barrier so the dog is less reactive, and using gentle supportive tools like coconut oil and diluted rinses in a way that doesn’t damage the skin. It means being thoughtful about garlic, understanding where the fear came from, understanding what the study did, and making your decision based on the dog in front of you rather than internet shouting.
And it also means remembering fleas and ticks don’t live only on the dog. Fleas live in the environment. If you have fleas, you have an ecosystem issue, not a “dog issue.” Bedding, rugs, couch crevices, baseboards, cars, dog runs, shaded moist areas outside, all of that becomes part of the cycle. So if you’re doing everything “right” with diet and supplements and you’re still battling fleas, it may not be that the terrain idea is wrong. It may be that the environmental pressure is too high. Terrain helps the host, but you still have to reduce the incoming load.
Ticks are their own category too. Ticks aren’t just annoying, they can transmit disease, and depending on where you live, the risk is not the same. Some areas have high tick-borne disease prevalence, and in those places, you may choose to combine a terrain approach with an environment approach like using nematodes to treat fleas in the yard or chickens and ducks for ticks, because prevention is a responsibility. What I love about the terrain framework is it doesn’t force you into extremes. It lets you support your animal’s body while also making practical decisions based on your region and your season.
Let’s circle back to the raw diet one more time and get more specific, because I want you to leave this episode understanding why it matters so much. When a dog eats food that supports stable blood sugar, stable gut bacteria, and stable immune signaling, the skin becomes calmer. The coat becomes more resilient. The smell changes. The oil composition on the skin can change. And a lot of what we call “flea allergy” is really the dog’s immune system overreacting to flea saliva because the dog is already inflamed. So if you can calm the inflammation, you can reduce the reaction. That means fewer secondary skin infections, fewer hot spots, fewer raw patches, and fewer entry points for other problems. It’s like the difference between a strong fence and a broken fence. The pests will test the weak points. Stop giving them weak points.
Now, I also want to address the emotional part of this, because if you’ve ever dealt with fleas in your home, you know it feels like a violation. I imagine it is exhausting. You feel like you’re constantly washing bedding, constantly checking fur, constantly vacuuming, and your nervous system is fried. This is where a homestead mindset helps, because it reminds you that control doesn’t come from panic, it comes from systems. You build a system for nutrition, a system for grooming, a system for environmental management, and a system for seasonal prevention, and then you’re not reacting every day like it’s a crisis. You’re just running your homestead.
So here’s my closing message in the Gubba Homestead spirit. Flea and tick pressure is not just about what’s crawling on the surface. It’s about what’s happening inside the body and around the home. Raw, species-appropriate nutrition is your foundation for terrain.
If you want to live more naturally with your animals, the goal is to give them the tools they need to thrive. The goal is to reduce unnecessary exposures, strengthen the body, and make choices that create resilience. That’s what I do here.
If this episode helped you, share it with a friend who’s tired of feeling like the only answer is a toxic product and a prayer. And if you want more homestead-style, common-sense natural living that actually fits real life, stick around, because we’re building a calmer, cleaner, more capable way of living one system at a time.
