Is it me, or are the ticks particularly bad this spring? It seems like wherever the dogs and I go we end up finding them. Here are the things I do to protect myself and the dogs from ticks:

• Permethrin is my first line of defense. I spray my clothes, boots, and the inside of my car, including my seat. Just make sure you let the surface dry before touching it. If you use permethrin, keep in mind that it’s toxic to cats and aquatic animals! Permethrin-soaked tick tubes can kill cats or fish and other water animals if they’re dragged near the water by wildlife.

• Green Mountain Tick Repellent. This stuff is all-natural, so I’m comfortable spraying it on myself and the dogs. It uses essential oils to repel ticks, so it will reduce the number you end up with at the end of a hike.

• Tall boots or gators. I wear my tall muck boots during tick season. If I’m wearing shorter boots or shoes, I’ll wear permethrin-treated gators that cover my shoes and the bottoms of my pants.

• Avoiding tick-heavy areas as much as possible. Although it seems harder this year than most! I try to keep the dogs in open fields and away from tall grass or wooded areas with lots of leaves.

• Tick checks galore. I don’t have the time to give each dog a thorough tick check at the end of every camp session. But I do give everyone a once-over before loading them into the car and then when I drop them off. Make sure you check your dog thoroughly each night!

• If your dog comes to camp, please make sure they’re up-to-date on their flea and tick preventative.

I’m hopeful that this first population boom will be over before too long, but in the meantime I’ll be vigilant in my fight against ticks!