How do you apply anti fly spray for dogs correctly? Follow these simple steps for maximum protection.

My Dog vs. The Annoying Flies - Making My Own Spray

Alright, let's talk about flies. Seriously, they've been a nightmare this season, buzzing around my poor dog's ears and face every time we step outside. I felt so bad for him, constantly shaking his head. I looked at the store-bought sprays, but man, some of that stuff smells strong, and I worry about the chemicals, you know?

So, I decided to try making my own. I figured, how hard could it be? I did a bit of digging around, looking for things that flies supposedly hate but are safe for dogs. Lots of folks mentioned vinegar.

Here’s what I ended up doing:

• Got the basics: I grabbed an empty spray bottle I had lying around. Cleaned it out real good first.
• The main stuff: I went with Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV). The smell is pretty strong, which I guess is the point. I didn't want it straight, thought it might be too harsh.
• Diluting it: I filled the bottle about half with the ACV. Then topped it off with plain water. Maybe a little more water than vinegar, just eyeballing it.
• Mixing: Put the sprayer top back on, tightened it up, and gave it a really good shake to mix the water and vinegar together. Simple as that.

Trying it Out

Okay, the moment of truth. I took my dog, Max, outside. He's not a huge fan of being sprayed with anything, so I went slow. I sprayed a little bit on his back first, away from his face, just to see how he reacted. He kinda flinched, like "What was that?", but didn't freak out or try to rub it off, so that seemed okay.

Then I carefully sprayed a bit onto my hand and gently wiped it around his ears, avoiding his eyes and nose, obviously. That's where the flies were bugging him the most.

Did it Work?

Well, yeah, kind of! It wasn't like a magic force field appeared. But I definitely noticed fewer flies landing on him right after I applied it. They seemed less interested in buzzing right around his head. It seemed to offer some relief, which was the whole goal.

The downside? It doesn't last super long. The vinegar smell fades, especially if he's running around or it's hot out. I found I needed to reapply it maybe once or twice during our longer outdoor times if the flies were really persistent. Sometimes I'd just spray the air around him a bit too.

So, that's my little experiment. It's cheap, uses basic stuff I already had, and I feel better knowing it's just vinegar and water on my dog. It’s not perfect, but it helps take the edge off those annoying flies. Definitely something I'll keep doing.