How to Avoid Ticks While Walking the Dog

The daily dog walk is one of the most common ways people encounter ticks — those grassy verges and brushy trails are exactly where ticks wait. Here's how to keep both ends of the leash safer.

Pick safer routes

Ticks cluster at the brushy edges of paths. Where you can, walk on pavement or the mowed center of a trail and keep your dog from nosing deep into tall grass and leaf litter. Sniff-heavy walks through overgrowth are prime tick territory.

Protect yourself on the walk

• Long pants tucked into socks on trail or tall-grass walks.
• Light colors so you can spot a tick on your clothing.
• A repellent layer — an EPA-registered spray for heavy exposure, or a drug-free, no-spray clip you can keep on your daily-walk jacket or bag.

Roam Repel is a featherlight, chemical-free clip designed to repel ticks — an easy layer to keep clipped on for every walk, no reapplying.

Protect your dog

Talk to your vet about a proven, vet-recommended tick preventive for your dog — that's the evidence-backed way to protect a pet. (Ultrasonic devices are not a substitute for vet-recommended prevention on dogs.)

Check after every walk

Ticks often ride indoors on a dog's coat, then move to a person. After walks in tick season:

• Run your hands over your dog, checking ears, neck, armpits, between toes, and around the tail.
• Do a quick check of yourself — ankles, waistband, behind knees.

For the full routine, see our prevention guide.

This article is for general information and isn't medical or veterinary advice. Consult your vet about tick prevention for your dog.

Source: CDC — Preventing Tick Bites