Being a pet parent allows you to enjoy all of the fun parts of having a dog, such as cuddles, belly rubs, and a lifelong friend. However, it’s important to know that there are also some not-so-great things that come with being a pet parent as well.
Fleas! If only we could snap our fingers and these blood-sucking foes are gone from our lives for good. Unfortunately, this is not the best way to get rid of fleas. Fleas are tiny little vermin that make a house in your dog’s fur and leave your puppy feeling itchy and miserable.
Fleas can live through a lot of hassle and getting rid of an infestation is trickier than you might imagine. The best thing that we can do, as pet parents, is to take preventative measures to avoid fleas finding your dog in the first place.
Today we are looking at the best flea collar for dogs that can be used as both a preventative measure and an effective flea treatment to tackle an already thriving infestation. We have tried every collar on the list with our Goldendoodle because we like to frequently hike outdoors.
Related Article: Best Flea Shampoo for Dogs
In a hurry? Here are the top picks!
Best Flea Collars Reviewed
The Seresto Flea and Tick Collar for Dogs has an overwhelming response online, which is why it is undoubtedly the best flea collar for dogs on the market. Available in both small and large for different dog breeds, this flea collar offers protection against fleas and ticks for eight months.
Here are a few more reasons why we, and the rest of the internet, love this flea collar so much:
- Within 24 hours of your dog wearing the collar, fleas and ticks will begin to die.
- Veterinarians recommend this product over other flea collars on the market.
- The collar does not make your dog’s fur greasy during wear as other flea collars can.
- Pros
- Effective relief from fleas for eight months.
- Kills fleas within 24 hours of use.
- Recommended by veterinarians.
- Odorless and less greasy.
- Cons
- More expensive than other flea collars on the market.
Starting off our list is an extremely well-received flea collar from Seresto. This flea collar gives your dog eight months of continuous protection from fleas and ticks. This is a great amount of time that will last for longer than the average flea season does.
The flea collar kills fleas through contact to prevent your dog from having to suffer through bites before the vermin can die. Within 24 hours of putting the collar on your dog will experience relief due to the fleas dying and falling off of their skin.
Veterinarians recommend the Seresto flea collar for flea and tick protection, and we even use it on our Goldendoodle since we frequently go hiking. The collar does not make your dog’s coat greasy, and there is no odor emitted from the collar. This collar is for large dogs, but Seresto also offers a flea collar for small dogs.
- Pros
- Protects your dog from fleas and their eggs for seven months.
- Freshly scented.
- Water-resistant.
- Low price for the effectiveness of the collar.
- Cons
- Chemicals are not suitable to use around cats or children.
Next up on the list of flea collars that actually work for dogs, the Hartz UltraGuard flea collar comes in four different sizes to ensure that you get the perfect size for your puppy. There are also three different variations of collar – UltraGuard, UltraGuard Plus, and UltraGuard Pro. Each of these collars offers up to seven months of protection from fleas and ticks.
Additionally, the collars offer a fresh scent to ensure that your dog smells nice in between washes, as well as being rid of fleas. The flea collar can also be worn alongside your dog’s normal collar so that you don’t have to remove the collar during walks and trips out.
What’s more, the collar is water-resistant as well so that your dog can wear it while they’re playing in puddles. You won’t need to replace the collar once your dog accidentally gets it wet. This collar kills through contact and also prevents eggs from hatching, which prevents flea infestations.
- Pros
- Fits any dog no matter what size.
- Waterproof without affecting the effectiveness.
- Kills more than just fleas.
- Lifetime warranty.
- Cons
- A very strong scent comes from this collar.
Like the Seresto flea collar, this model from SOBAKEN offers your dog eight months of protection from fleas and ticks. The new formula has now been unveiled and is now more effective in preventing fleas from being attracted to your dogs.
One size fits all with this collar as you can fit it onto your dog whether they’re small or large! This puppy flea collar is waterproof and does not lose any of its effectiveness even after playing in puddles or bathing.
A low concentration of chemicals will be evenly distributed across your dog’s fur and skin to kill all of the fleas that it comes into contact with. This collar is effective not only on fleas, but also on chewing lice, ticks, flea larvae, and sarcoptic mange.
SOBAKEN also offers a lifetime warranty on this product and donating $3 to animal charities for every purchase.
- Pros
- Kills fleas in all life stages.
- Adjustable collar for every dog.
- Reflective collar for added safety measure.
- Cons
- The collar might not stay on effectively.
Again, the Adams flea collar also gives your dog seven months of protection from fleas, flea eggs, flea larvae, and ticks. The collar begins working as soon as you put it on, ensuring that your dog does not have to suffer through a flea infestation for much longer.
The collar is adjustable to ensure that it fits correctly on all dogs, no matter their size. It’s also waterproof so that you don’t have to replace it once you find it sodden from muddy puddles or a messy drinker.
This collar kills fleas in each stage of their life to remove the threat of fleas as quickly as possible. The flea repellant collar is reflective, making it a good safety measure for taking your dog out at night time. The reflective material shines light up to 450 feet in the distance.
- Pros
- Fits all dog breeds with a new and improved clasp system.
- Veterinarian verified chemicals used.
- Offers six months of protection from fleas and ticks.
- Cons
- Might not be suitable for dogs with sensitive skin.
Last but not least, the PetArmor anti-flea collar is another one size fits all model. Whether your dog is large or small, this collar will fit its necks without an issue. The collar is adjustable so that you can change the length depending on whether it needs to be looser or tightened after a few wears.
The collar offers full-body protection and prevents new flea infestations with chemicals approved by veterinarians. Not only will the chemicals kill the fleas, but they will also kill them at every stage of their life.
Expect to see six months of protection coming from this collar, meaning that the chemicals should last throughout the flea season that occurs over the warmest months. The scent is fresh yet not overpowering. It’s one of the top-rated anti-flea collars on the market today.
Best Flea Collar For Dogs Buyers Guide
Now let’s take a look into the most important things to consider when purchasing a flea collar for your dog. Buying the first deal collar you see has the potential to be ineffective and a waste of money, so it pays to do your research beforehand. But first, let’s focus our attention on how flea collars work.
A Little Information on Flea Collars and How they Work
There are two types of flea collars – chemical and natural collars. The former emits a toxic gas across your dog’s skin that kills or repels fleas. Alternatively, chemical flea collars might also release a substance that spreads throughout the fatty layers of your dog so that fleas ingest it once they bite your dog.
Natural flea collars work the same way as chemical flea collars by emitting natural odors that can kill fleas in close proximity. These are used if your dog comes into close contact with pets or cats that the chemicals might be toxic.
It’s up to you which type of flea collar you get, although we will be looking into the effectiveness of each one in the next section to help you choose the best flea collar for your dog.
Chemicals vs. Natural
Chemical flea collars are very effective because the chemicals have been tested and proven to kill fleas. However, those that emit chemicals across your dog’s skin will only be most effective when it comes to the fleas living near the collar. This is how most cheaper flea collars work and they are not commonly that effective.
Flea collars that allow chemicals to run through the fatty layers of your dog; however, are much more effective than the former option. These chemicals can reach much further than the former option because the chemical can travel through large fatty surfaces.
Natural flea collars are generally not as effective as chemical flea collars because it can be difficult to get the natural formula correct. While some natural flea collars get this right, a lot of them don’t, and you’ll just waste your money and time.
With that being said, 100% natural flea collars are the safest to use around pets and children as there are no potentially harmful chemicals within the collar. Some chemicals that are safe for dogs are not for cats, so be wary if you have other pets in the house.
Scents
Some flea collars offer a scent that is emitted to keep your dog smelling fresh. On the other hand, there are also flea collars that are unscented. While some pet parents may like a fresh scent coming from their dog between baths, others are adversely affected by strong scents.
It’s up to you, again, whether or not you want a scent being emitted from your dog’s flea collar. If you’re on the fence, perhaps look to the customer reviews to see whether prior customers found the scent too overpowering or not.
Price
As we have already mentioned, more expensive flea collars are typically best because they use better methods of getting the chemicals to the fleas. Cheaper collars will still emit chemicals used to kill fleas, but you might find that they are still thriving further down the dog’s body away from the collar.
We know that if you’re unsure of whether a flea collar will work for your dog, you might want to go for a cheaper model, but a higher price will pay off when it comes to flea collars. Smaller dogs might see more success with a cheaper collar because there is less of their body to cover.
If you want to opt for a cheaper model, you should look to the customer reviews before purchasing to see whether people have had success or not.
Size
Most flea collars come with an adjustable strap which means the flea collar can fit on most sized dogs. However, there are some exceptions to this. If your dog is an extremely large breed or an extremely small breed, you might need to look for specific collars to avoid opting for the wrong size.
The wrong-sized flea collar can affect how well it works, so don’t hope for the best and choose any collar. Instead, we suggest measuring your dog’s current collar and choosing a flea collar that is close to it in size.
Conclusion for Best Flea Collar for Dogs
The flea collars are great not only for repelling these bugs but also for getting rid of them. Fleas won’t naturally go away on their own, and if your dog gets fleas, you’ll notice them itching and licking themselves uncontrollably. In order to prevent an infestation of fleas, you need to take action. Fleas collars can definitely help control the spreading of fleas, especially if you like to spend time outdoors!
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most effective way to kill fleas?
There are a number of flea treatments that can be used online, such as spot-on treatments, flea shampoos, and flea collars. All of these are effective in their own way. However, we think that the best way to kill fleas and prevent them from coming back is to use all of these methods together.
Start by shampooing your dog with a flea shampoo, following the manufacturer’s instructions for the best result. Wait until your dog is completely dry before applying a spot-on treatment. Again, wait for this to dry completely before applying a flea collar.
You should research whether you can mix your products together before doing this to avoid using too many chemicals on your dog.
Garrett loves animals and is a huge advocate for all Doodle dog breeds. He owns his own Goldendoodle named Kona. In addition, he volunteers at the Humane Society of Silicon Valley, where he fosters dogs and helps animals. Garrett enjoys writing about Doodles and believes that dogs can teach humans more about how to live than humans can teach a dog.
Why Trust We Love Doodles?
At We Love Doodles, we’re a team of writers, veterinarians, and puppy trainers that love dogs. Our team of qualified experts researches and provides reliable information on a wide range of dog topics. Our reviews are based on customer feedback, hands-on testing, and in-depth analysis. We are fully transparent and honest to our community of dog owners and future owners.