Any Suggestions Re A Natural Fly Repellant?

[MaryK]

Flies!!!!!!!! Driving me crazy here, nasty little sticky ones, big buzzy ones and everything in between. They are making training difficult as both dogs take swipes at them. Very distracting to the dogs and myself.

Any ideas for a natural fly repellant please which can be used safely on dogs? I don't like the chemical ones, even for myself, and sure not going to use them on the dogs.

 

[charmedwolf]

This is what we always use in the nursery when the flies start biting.

1 cup water
1 cup Avon Skin So Soft Bath Oil
2 cups vinegar (white or apple cider doesn't matter)
1 tbs. Eucalyptus oil
Optional:
few tablespoons of citronella oil.

Shake spray bottle well before spraying on dog.

I've always heard of using bounce fabric sheets and pinning them around.

 

[Adrianna & Calvin]

I just read somewhere about repelling flies in an area by hanging up clear ziploc bags of water with pennies in them. The internet is divided on this being a preposterous old wives' tale and working extremely well. Who knows. If I had a patio and a fly problem, I'd give it a shot. Just be sure that the dogs can't access the coins, as coins with zinc can cause serious (sometimes fatal) health problems if swallowed.

 

[MaryK]

Than you Charmedwolf, I guess I can also spray myself too.

Not sure what bounce fabric sheets are though????

 

[MaryK]

Thank you Adrianna and Calvin. We don't have pennies here. Would silver or gold coins work? And thank you for letting me know how dangerous coins can be too dogs!

Is all zinc dangerous to dogs? As in the zinc sunscreen? Not that I use it but would like to know as a lot of people do use it and dogs will lick anything like that with gusto!
Will check what's in my sunscreen though, just to be sure.

I'm with you, I'll try anything to keep these ghastly flies at bay and sometimes those old wives' tails really work!

 

[charmedwolf]

Yep, you can spray yourself with it!!

Fabric sheets are called dryer sheets I believe. They're fabric sheets coated in fabric softener that you put in the dryer to make you clothes soft and static free. I don't know how popular they are where you are though.

 

[Jean Cote]

Flies? It's about to snow here

 

[MaryK]

Yep, you can spray yourself with it!!

Fabric sheets are called dryer sheets I believe. They're fabric sheets coated in fabric softener that you put in the dryer to make you clothes soft and static free. I don't know how popular they are where you are though.

Thank you. Don't recall seeing them here, will have to check them out.

 

[MaryK]

Flies? It's about to snow here

Wish it was here, I LOVE snow , miss it terrible! Not a heat lover at all

 

[Adrianna & Calvin]

It doesn't have to be pennies, I think coins in the bag supposedly help it refract light, so I presume it could be any darker (bronze/golden) coin. Do say if you note a difference, I'd like to find out which half of the internet is right

 

[MaryK]

It doesn't have to be pennies, I think coins in the bag supposedly help it refract light, so I presume it could be any darker (bronze/golden) coin. Do say if you note a difference, I'd like to find out which half of the internet is right

Ah I see, so the 'gold' dollar or two dollar coins will work (if only they were real gold). Or the cheaper version, the 'silver' five cent pieces .


I will as I too am very curious to see if this works. It's a bit like the use old CD's to scare the birds off the fruit trees. That one I can say doesn't work

 

[Dogster]

Flies? It's about to snow here

I know, right? I can't wait!!!!!!!

 

[MaryK]

I know, right? I can't wait!!!!!!!

I'm sooooooooooooooooooooo jealous, post some pics please of your dogs and snow, so I can droll!

 

[MaryK]

Update on the fly problem.

A & C the silver coins work - up to a point. I hung them from the verandah rafters and they do keep the flies away in a radius of say about one meter (approx 3') but outside that area they're everywhere LOL will have to 'decorate' the entire verandah with little water/coin filled bags!

Charmedwolf am still waiting for the Avon lady to call, boy she must be either very rich,very busy or have a bad memory! Going to look on line and order that way as I know Avon has a web site.

 

[raymond upton]

Thank you Adrianna and Calvin. We don't have pennies here. Would silver or gold coins work? And thank you for letting me know how dangerous coins can be too dogs!

Is all zinc dangerous to dogs? As in the zinc sunscreen? Not that I use it but would like to know as a lot of people do use it and dogs will lick anything like that with gusto!
Will check what's in my sunscreen though, just to be sure.

I'm with you, I'll try anything to keep these ghastly flies at bay and sometimes those old wives' tails really work!

iv'e seen people use the clear bags filled with water but with nothing in them just water in a clear bag them seem to work

 

[MaryK]

iv'e seen people use the clear bags filled with water but with nothing in them just water in a clear bag them seem to work

The bags do work but only over a short distance. I've put up more all along the verandah to ensure a 'fly free' zone

Will try just water and see how that goes, LOL my garden's going to look a bit 'odd' but if it keeps the flies away so be it!

 

[k9 crazed]

Basil is supposed to help. I planted it everywhere when I lived in So Cal, but they were pretty small plants because they were in pots. We shared an acre with horses and had 2 giant and one large dog- I seem to remember it helping... It would probably be easier to maintain them if they were in the ground and they require a fair amount of water.

 

[Anneke]

I use citronella spray. I buy it in the store. But I use the nature stuff, not the really chemical stuff.

 

[MaryK]

Thank you K9 Crazed, I'll do that when the plants are available again, they only seem to come on the market in Spring, it's mid summer here now.

Thank you Anneke, I would only use the natural stuff too, the synthetic is actually quite harmful, as are a lot of synthetic oils. Will get some.

 

[Pawbla]

Ah I see, so the 'gold' dollar or two dollar coins will work (if only they were real gold). Or the cheaper version, the 'silver' five cent pieces .


I will as I too am very curious to see if this works. It's a bit like the use old CD's to scare the birds off the fruit trees. That one I can say doesn't work

In the rural areas here, they hang bottles without coins inside, so I take it it's not that important. It's supposed to work, I understand the principle, and it's not very far fetched, but I'm not sure if it can be practically applied that easily.