It’s summertime, and that means hot days and lots of flies. If you’re like most people, you probably don’t enjoy sharing your food with pesky insects. Flies can be a nuisance, but they don’t have to be. Plenty of ways to keep them away from your dog food—and your home—without using harmful chemicals.
If you’re a pet owner, you know that keeping flies away from your dog’s food is a top priority. Flies can spread diseases and make your dog sick, so it’s important to take steps to protect them. In this article, we’ll discuss 10 great ways to keep flies away from your dog’s food.
Top 10 Ideas to Keep Flies Away From Dog Food
1. Portion Control
One of the best ways to keep flies away from your dog’s food is to portion control their meals. If you feed your dog multiple times a day, consider portioning their food into smaller meals. This will help to avoid attracting flies with the scent of food.
You can also use an automatic feeder to portion your dog’s food. This is a great way to keep flies away from their food, as well as make sure they’re getting the right amount of food each day.
- Determine proper dog food portions and ideal daily intake with our helpful calorie calculator here.
2. Keep the Water Bowl Separate
If meal times don’t work for your dog and you need to free-feed them, we strongly recommend you keep their water bowl separate from their food. Splash from water can contaminate their food, adding moisture to kibble, which will make it more attractive to flies.
Moisture, in general, will attract flies, so if you’re free-feeding your dog, we recommend using a food storage container with a lid to keep their food fresh and dry.
3. Wash Bowls Regularly
Another way to keep flies away from your dog’s food is by regularly washing their food and water bowls. We recommend washing them with hot, soapy water at least once a day. This will help to remove any food or water residue that may be attracting flies.
If you feed raw or wet food to your dog, you should remove their bowls as soon as they finish their meal and wash them immediately,y as bacteria growth will start immediately.
4. Cover Your Trash
If you have an indoor pet, chances are you have a trash can near their food bowl. While this may be convenient for you, it’s also attracting flies. We recommend keeping your trash can covered at all times to avoid attracting flies.
This includes trash such as recycling and compost. For dogs fed outdoors, control the amount of organic rubbish in the area where they eat to make it less inviting to flies.
5. Install Fly Screens
If you live in an area where flies are a problem, we recommend installing fly screens on your doors and windows. This will help to keep them out of your home, as well as protect your dog’s food from contamination.
Fly screens can be purchased and installed on your own, or many professionals can do it for you.
6. Use Natural Deterrents
There are many natural deterrents that you can use to keep flies away from your dog’s food. Some of these include:
- Citronella
- Peppermint
- Lavender
- Eucalyptus
- Cedarwood
- Lemon
- Lemongrass
- Cloves
This can be diffused in your home or applied directly to surfaces to keep flies away. Just be aware that essential oils can be potentially harmful to your pets if ingested, so be sure to use them sparingly and keep them out of reach of your pets.
You can also make your own fly spray by mixing 1 part vinegar with 3 parts water in a spray bottle. This can be sprayed around your home or directly on surfaces to keep flies away.
7. Start an Herb Garden
Planting herbs such as basil, mint, rosemary, and thyme around your home can help to keep flies away. Not only will this deter them from entering your home, but it will also make your yard smell great!
Herbs can be planted in pots or in the ground, depending on your preferences. If you have a small yard, potted herbs can be placed on your porch or patio to keep flies away.
Indoor plants such as lavender and lemon balm can also help to keep flies away. These can be placed near your dog’s food bowl or in other areas of your home where you typically see flies.
8. Fly Traps
Another great way to keep flies away from your dog’s food is to use a fly trap. There are many different types of fly traps available on the market, so you can choose the one that best suits your needs.
Fly traps work by luring flies into a trap where they get stuck and eventually die. This is a great way to reduce the fly population in your home without using chemicals or harming other animals.
There are many different types of fly traps available, so be sure to do some research to find the one that will work best for you.
9. Seek and Destroy: Chemicals and Zappers
If you have a serious fly problem, you may need to resort to more drastic measures. There are many different types of chemicals and zappers available on the market that can help to keep flies away.
However, these should be used as a last resort as they can be harmful to your pets and other animals if not used properly.
Before using any chemical, be sure to read the label carefully and follow the instructions. Never use more than the recommended amount, as this can be dangerous.
If you have pets or other animals in your home, be sure to keep them away from any area where you are using chemicals or zappers.
You should also avoid using any type of chemical near food, as this can contaminate it and make it unsafe to eat.
10. Use a Fan
If you’re feeding your dog outdoors, consider using a fan to keep flies away from their food. The wind will help to keep the flies away, as well as keep your dog cool in the summer heat.
Be sure to position the fan so it is blowing away from your dog’s food, as you don’t want to blow their food all over the place.
Final Thoughts
Controlling flies is a three-pronged approach.
- Prevent
- Repel
- Kill
You need to take measures to prevent flies from getting into your home and around your dog’s food in the first place. This can be done by keeping your doors and windows closed, using fly screens, or planting herbs around your home.
There are many different ways that you can keep flies away from your dog’s food. Try out a few of these methods and see which ones work best for you.
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Featured Image by: CL-Medien, Shutterstock
