The Best Flea Collars for Dogs

Are you getting itchy yet? The mere thought of having fleas on your dog (and therefore in your home) is enough to send you scurrying for something to ward them off. And if you don’t like the idea of smelly pipettes squeezed onto their skin, a humble dog flea collar can be an appealing alternative.

We took a good hard look at the available options to compile this shortlist of the best flea collars for dogs available today.

Dog flea collars are convenient, last longer, and have many other advantages to consider too, as you’ll see in our complete guide to the best dog flea collars around today. Is the perfect flea collar for your dog included in our collection?

Best Dog Flea Collar Comparison Table

The Best Dog Flea Collars to Buy

1. Seresto 8 Month Flea & Tick Prevention Collar for Dogs

Seresto 8 Month Flea & Tick Prevention Collar for Dogs Buy on Chewy

Active Ing.: Imidacloprid & Flumethrin | Duration: 8 months

This top-selling flea collar also provides essential protection against ticks. Better still, it also protects against flea larvae, killing them before they get the chance to grow into adult fleas.

Lice are also no match for this smart collar. Ideal for puppies seven weeks and older with a minimum weight of 18lbs, the collar is easy to adjust to achieve the perfect fit. This version of the collar is intended for larger breeds.

The collar is water resistant, offering continued protection for an impressive eight months. Its efficacy will not be affected by swimming, bathing, or exposure to the sun.

2. Adams Plus Flea & Tick Collar for Dogs

Adams Plus Flea & Tick Collar for Dogs Buy on Chewy

Active Ing.: Tetrachlorvinphos | Duration: 7 months

Repelling fleas and ticks is just as important as killing them, as it prevents them from landing on your dog to start with. This Adams Plus collar repels and kills fleas, flea eggs, ticks, and even flea larvae.

It also kills tick larvae and tick nymphs, providing all-round protection for seven months. It is also water resistant, so you don’t need to worry if your dog is a keen swimmer.

That said, it can easily be removed if you bath your dog and find it easier. The collar is also easy to fit and can be trimmed to length if required.

3. Hartz UltraGuard Pro Reflective Flea & Tick Collar

Hartz UltraGuard Pro Reflective Flea & Tick Collar Buy on Chewy

Active Ing.: Tetrachlorvinphos | Duration: 7 months

The UltraGuard flea and tick collar provides seven months of protection against fleas and ticks, not to mention killing all flea eggs and larvae too, preventing them from hatching and causing issues.

Designed to suit dogs and puppies aged 12 weeks and over, the collar fits neck sizes up to 26 inches. The innovative design is also made from reflective material, reflecting light up to 450 feet away.

This collar isn’t just the ideal measure for getting rid of tick and flea problems, it also makes your four-legged friend more visible on nightly dog walks.

4. TropiClean Flea & Tick Repellent Collar for Dogs

TropiClean Flea & Tick Repellent Collar for Dogs Buy on Chewy

Active Ing.: Cedarwood & Peppermint Oil | Duration: 4 months

If you would rather avoid chemical formulas and choose something natural, this TropiClean collar is your perfect defence against fleas and ticks.

Available in a large size that is suitable for necks measuring up to 25 inches, the collar repels ticks and fleas for up to four months. Suitable for dogs aged at least four months of age, it is not suitable for puppies. Natural oils provide the defence against fleas and ticks, with peppermint and cedarwood among the ingredients.

Its waterproof design means you need not worry if your dog is a keen swimmer.

5. Only Natural EasyDefense Flea Collar

Only Natural EasyDefense Flea Collar Buy on Chewy

Active Ing.: Peppermint & Thyme Oil | Duration: 4 months

This is another natural product that avoids all kinds of chemical formulations in favour of geraniol and peppermint oil. Other ingredients include thyme and almond oil, specifically chose to help repel ticks, fleas, and even mosquitoes.

It offers up to four months of protection for your dog. Stated to be veterinarian approved, the collar is easy to fit and is made from nylon to be hard-wearing over those four months.

It is also waterproof, so even when your dog has a swim or a bath, the ingredients won’t fade or lessen in potency.

Choosing the Best Flea Collars for your Dog

If you’ve ever had to deal with an infestation of fleas on your dog (and in your home, since they’re not fussy about where they breed and multiply), you’ll know that prevention is always way better than cure. While you can use topical treatments to eradicate fleas, it is often easier to choose a flea collar for your dog to wear.

There are several things to think about before purchasing a collar. We’ve covered the most important elements below, each of which were taken into account when recommending the best flea collars above.

Is the flea collar approved by vets?

We’d love proper flea collars to be cheap, but the ones that are don’t tend to be impregnated with anything that works against the nasties you are trying to avoid. Most reliable flea collars need veterinary approval or must be bought on prescription. That is a sure sign you are buying something powerful enough to work.

Fleas only or fleas and ticks?

If fleas are frustrating, ticks are plain nasty. While only a small percentage carry Lyme disease, they carry all kinds of other diseases too. They are also hard to remove once they latch on. If you can avoid your dog getting bitten by a tick, it’s best to do so.

Some flea collars also carry protection against ticks, so if you live somewhere with a prevalent tick population, this might well be the best option. It’s also good to consider a flea and tick collar if you go on holiday somewhere that is known for its ticks. Anywhere with lots of wild roaming deer or sheep, for example.

How long does the collar last?

Some collars are more powerful than others, lasting far longer in the process. most should be fine for at least three months, but some last for around eight months.

You can expect to pay far more for a longer lasting collar but do work out the monthly cost before raising your eyebrows at the price. You may be surprised. You also need to factor in the total cost of the usual protection you use, whether that is tablets or pipettes delivered to the back of their neck.

How does the flea collar work?

This might sound like a weird question, but they do not all offer the same degree of protection against ticks and fleas. Some collars will kill them if they bite your dog, while others will die the moment they land on your dog. The latter is our preference, especially with ticks. If you have ever tried to remove a tick once it has latched on, you’ll know how difficult it can be to successfully do. Proper tick tweezers should be used, otherwise the head and/or mouth parts can remain inside your dog under the skin and cause an infection. Even then, it is quite a challenge to do correctly.

With a collar that kills them immediately and/or deters them from landing on your dog to start with, you won’t need to worry about this issue.

Which chemicals are in the flea collar?

Not all collars use the same formulas. For example, the top-selling Seresto collar has a combination of flumethrin and imidacloprid. Those names may not mean anything to you, but they are viewed as safer for your dog than alternative chemicals that are impregnated in other collars. There are concerns about collars that are based on something called TCVP (tetrachlorvinphos). Some animals have had nasty reactions to this when exposed to it, so you may want to avoid anything containing TCVP.

Is the flea collar water resistant?

You might think this is only relevant if your dog loves swimming. It would be a greater concern if this is the case, but all dogs get wet. Sure, you can take off the collar when you bath your dog, but you want to be sure it is good enough to withstand rain showers too, especially when it is designed to last several months.

What size flea collar does your dog need?

Most flea collars are available in several sizes. Some of the cheaper ones may be available in a ‘one size fits all’ option. This typically requires you to fit the collar and then trim it to get rid of any overspill. We prefer the sized ones, as it simply means you need to measure your dog’s neck and get the correct size for their needs.

Would you rather get a natural flea collar?

There are some natural products on the market that avoid the use of chemicals and instead use natural ingredients to ward off fleas and ticks. One thing to bear in mind with these is that they do not kill fleas or ticks but work instead by repelling them. As you might guess, some are more effective than others at doing this. If your dog already has fleas, it may not work as well as you would like.

Conclusion

These collars are often a more convenient alternative to other methods of repelling and killing fleas and ticks on your dog. A collar that lasts several months means you have the protection your dog needs, without remembering to apply those pipettes or administer medication every month. You should set a reminder on your phone though, alerting to you when a new collar is required. It is very easy to forget to replace it when it lasts three months or more. That could leave your dog exposed to the possibility of attracting the very thing you are trying to avoid. If you remember when to change them though, flea and tick collars are the perfect solution for avoiding the nasties.