Although most responsible pet owners do a good job of noticing and controlling fleas and ticks on their animals, many don’t give a second thought to controlling them in the environment, particularly outdoor areas. In order to be truly effective in keeping pests at bay, it’s important to consider the simple things one can do to prevent our beloved pets from coming into contact with them in the first place, and that means understanding the needs of the pests and doing our utmost to see that our outdoor spaces are inhospitable to them.

For the most part, both fleas and ticks like humidity, foliage and organic debris such as leaf litter. They also need contact with a host in order to survive and breed, so areas friendly to wildlife are more apt to be welcoming. Neither ticks nor fleas can fly, so if we can create pest-free zones in our yards and gardens, and keep our pets in those zones, it significantly reduces the opportunities for contact. Fleas, of course, can jump quite a distance, so keep that in mind. Ticks cannot, so one must actually brush up against them in foliage or at least be close enough for them to crawl on or drop on in order to become their victim.

Here are the main things we can do to control these pests in the environment and limit our contact with them.

1) Keep your lawn clipped and edged, and shrubs and other plants trimmed. Tall grass and overgrown foliage is an ideal breeding ground for pests, and provides cover for wild animals that serve as hosts. Dog houses, kennels and play areas should be kept free of tall grass and brush.

2) Clear away the mess. Leaves, grass clippings, and other organic debris provide good habitat especially for fleas (as do piles of sand and stone around the property). Keep the areas where your pet rests or plays well raked and swept, free of debris from vegetation as well as loose pet hair, etc.

3) If there are deer, rabbits, rodents, birds and such in your area, it’s important to keep them away, as much as possible, from areas where your pet will be, and certainly to avoid direct contact between them and your pet. Rid out roosts, nests and the like from your “pest free zones” and if you feed the wildlife, place feeders well away from the main pet areas.

4) Confine your pet (and for that matter, your family) as much as possible to the pest free zones, and allow a buffer area between those zones and any areas that might be hospitable to fleas and ticks.

5) There are lawn and garden treatments of both the natural/non-toxic variety and the dangerous/poisonous variety available to control or eliminate pests in your outdoor spaces. Some are hazardous to humans, pets and beneficial insects, so a thorough understanding of the risks and proper application methods is important before using such products. Consult your local garden shop, a pest control service, your veterinarian or other reliable source for information before resorting to this approach. If you follow steps 1 through 4 above, it is less likely that you’ll need to use such a treatment.

Remember also that routine monthly treatment of your pet with a preventative can help avoid flea and tick infestations and the ailments associated with them. Add to that some good environmental control efforts, and you can significantly reduce the likelihood of flea and tick problems. A little effort can bring peace of mind throughout the warm weather months.