“The Honeymoon is Over… and the Fleas Have Moved In”

You know that sweet newlywed moment? The one where your daughter moves into her first home, puts up a cute little welcome sign on the porch, and everything smells like fresh paint and love?

Yeah. That lasted about three days. Then the dog started scratching like it had a part-time job in pest control.

At first, Natalie thought it was allergies. Or maybe something in the yard. But nope—it was fleas. Real, live, happy-to-be-here fleas.

And here’s the kicker—she didn’t just move in with one dog. She brought FOUR.
To the fleas, it was like someone rolled in a full banquet and said, “All you can eat, baby!”

But What Natalie Didn’t Know… Was That Mama Already Took Care of It

Let me back up.
I’m Sherri—aka Mama. I’m the owner of Smeraglia Farm and Teddy Bear Goldendoodles, and I’ve been raising and caring for dogs a long time. We’ve never had a flea issue at our farm, and that’s because we don’t play around with prevention.

When Natalie’s dogs came in for grooming on Tuesday, I gave them Bravecto, the same pill we use on all of our dogs here. It’s a chewable flea and tick treatment that protects for 12 weeks—starts working in hours, no greasy mess, no fuss.

So while Natalie was googling flea collars and dialing pest control, Mama had already handled it.

Still, Natalie Did Everything Right (Like the Dog Mom I Raised Her to Be)

Once she realized what was going on, she called in a professional service to treat the yard and the house. She also went out and bought Seresto collars for all four dogs—because she wanted that extra layer of protection.

And she got a great recommendation from Kari at Wags Barclay, a doggy daycare in Oklahoma. Kari has five dogs of her own (plus dozens that come through her daycare), and she swears by the Seresto collar.

That’s all I needed to hear—if Kari’s using it in a dog-filled daycare, it’s good enough for us.

Now Listen, Here’s Mama’s Tip: DO NOT Wait 4 Weeks Between Treatments

I’m gonna say this once for the people in the back:
The flea life cycle is three weeks.

If you wait four weeks between yard or house treatments, those little monsters have time to hatch, bite, and lay a fresh batch of eggs. And boom—you’re right back at square one, itchy and overwhelmed.

So mark your calendar every three weeks. Not four. Mama said.

If You’re in a Flea Situation Yourself, Here’s Your Game Plan

Step 1: Treat the Yard
•   DIY options: Wondercide or Vet’s Best Yard Spray
•   OR hire a pro (like Natalie did)—but make sure they come every three weeks

Step 2: Deep Clean the House
•   Vacuum like your sanity depends on it
•   Wash all bedding in hot water
•   Use Vet’s Best or Knockout E.S. to spray soft surfaces

Step 3: Treat the Dog(s)
•   Bravecto (what we use here)—one chew = 12 weeks of protection
•   Seresto collar—great backup layer, lasts up to 8 months
•   Other options: NexGard, K9 Advantix II, Capstar, or natural flea sprays

Moral of the Story?

Never underestimate a squirrel.
Don’t move into a flea-filled neighborhood with four dogs unless you’re ready to go to war.
And trust your mama—because if she’s Sherri from Smeraglia Farm, she probably already took care of it.

Natalie and Sam are officially ahead of the game, the dogs are fully protected, and the flea circus has been shut down.

Need help choosing the right flea prevention—or looking for a puppy who’s already off to the right start?

Visit us at Teddy Bear Goldendoodles to learn how we raise healthy, happy, parasite-free pups at Smeraglia Farm.