Ticks are pretty common here in NJ in the wooded areas. I have woods behind my house and in the past I have had to take many off the dogs over the years. I just used tweezers and pulled as closely to the skin as possible and then washed the area with alcohol. Afterwards I flushed the creepy things. If you don't catch them early on they become filled with blood and can get quite large. Once my Whitney (BLACK DOG) had one under her ear flap and I never saw it until it got big. It was the size of a small jelly bean (I KID YOU NOT!) They are not only gross but carry Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and of course the smaller ones carry Lyme Disease.