It has been a busy stretch of trail walks around here, which means it is also tick season. Meet the reason this post exists: Juneau and Finnegan, our two golden retrievers and FindTape's least-paid product testers. Between the tall grass, the wood line, and the general enthusiasm goldens bring to rolling in things, summer is hard on a dog, so we put together the kit we actually reach for. Here is what is in it.
Juneau, supervising.
Before the walk: keep the bugs off
Ticks and mosquitoes are the whole reason we are careful in the summer, so prevention starts before we head out. Natrapel Pets & People Essential Oil Insect Repellent is a DEET-free spray built around thyme and lemongrass essential oils, and per the manufacturer it is safe for dogs and the whole family when used as directed. It has a fresh scent, a non-oily feel, and it is made and independently tested in the USA. As always with anything you put on your dog, follow the label directions and check with your vet if you have any questions.
After the walk: the lint-roller tick trick
This is the tip worth the price of admission. When the dogs come back inside, before they settle in, we run a wide lint roller over their coat. Unattached ticks are still crawling around looking for a spot to bite, and a few passes with a sticky sheet lifts a surprising number of them (plus burrs, grass seed, and loose fur) right off the coat before they ever embed.
The one we keep by the door is the Scotch-Brite Extreme Clean Lint Roller in the 8 in. wide size. The extra-wide sheet covers a lot of dog per pass, and the Extreme Clean adhesive is 50% stickier than a standard roller, so it grabs more with less rolling. You pull off a used sheet, ticks and all, and you are down to a fresh one instantly.
One honest caveat: a lint roller is a fast first pass, not a replacement for a real tick check. It catches the ones still on the move, not the ones already attached. After you roll, still run your hands through the coat, and check the usual hiding spots (ears, armpits, between the toes, under the collar). If you find one attached, remove it properly and keep an eye on the spot.
Finnegan, at the wood line where the ticks live. This is exactly the spot we roll him after.
When something goes wrong on the trail
Cut paw pads, a snagged nail, a limp that shows up a mile from the car: it happens. The Adventure Dog Medical Kit [Trail Dog] is built for exactly the injuries dogs pick up on the trail, most of them to the paws. It weighs less than a pound, tucks into a pack or the glove box, and includes supplies for wounds, cuts, ticks, and sprains, plus a Pet First Aid Handbook that walks you through what to do if you are not sure. It is the one thing on this list we hope to never open.
The tapes that hold it all together
We are a tape company, so you knew this was coming, but these two earn their spot in a dog kit.
3M Vetrap Bandaging Tape is the self-adherent wrap you have probably seen at the vet. The trick that makes it perfect for animals is that it sticks firmly to itself but not to hair, so you can hold a dressing on a paw or leg without shaving fur or taping skin. It is breathable, tears by hand, comes in a range of sizes and colors, and it is cheap enough to keep several rolls on hand. Use it over a dressing, never so tight that it cuts off circulation.
For the working and older dogs, there is also kinesiology tape made for animals. It is the stretchy therapy tape you see on human athletes, formulated to support muscles and joints and help with recovery. We carry the Kinesio Canine Kinesiology Tape for Dogs and the VetkinTape Equine & Canine Kinesiology Tape, which has extra adhesive power so it actually stays on fur. If you are new to it, the VetkinTape Introduction Canine Kinesiology Tape Box is a starter kit that gives you everything to begin. One important note: canine taping works best when it is applied correctly, so it is worth learning the technique from your vet or a certified animal therapist before you rely on it.
Roll it all up small
That is the kit: repellent before the walk, the lint roller after, a Trail Dog kit in the pack, and a couple of rolls of Vetrap for whatever the day throws at you. None of it takes up much room, and all of it means more time on the trail and less time worrying. Juneau and Finnegan approve. You will find all of it, at the best prices with fast shipping, at FindTape.com.
What is in your dog's summer kit? Tell us in the comments.