When I adopted my dog Sandy two years ago, we brought home a wonderful dog, and TICKS. We had to fight a long time to get rid of them, off him, and out of the yard. I started by picking them off with tweasers, but there were so many I just changed to picking them off with my fingers. I know for some people that's terrible, but when your dog is covered and they keep coming back over and over, daily, you develop a "thick skin". I kept a dish nearby with water and heavy with dish washing liquid soap. After I threw the icky things in the dish, they drowned and most sunk to the bottom. Often we counted how many we picked off. Sometimes it was over 100 a day. Happily that big mess is over and has never come back. He was checked daily and never developed any sore areas from pulling ticks.

We had applied Frontline but it took a while before it actually worked, for although they would die off, more would get on him right away. When he would shake, the dead ones would fly off. I was told that they can live in my yard for 2-3 years without a host. Warm weather year round. Finally sprayed my whole yard. Yes, I got a couple on me too when doing yard work. By then I had seen hundreds and just picked them off and threw them in the toilet.

The final fight was a 2nd spraying of the back yard. Keeping him out of the back yard and spraying him down on top of the Frontline. He was then kept in the house with us instead of in the yard. I thought he would die from it all, but he was alright. It never happened after that.