Fleas - This one is easy! - if your dog scratches himself alot, he's probably got fleas!  To check, separate a patch of fur so you can see the skin underneath.  If there appear to be a lot of tiny black specs (flea excrement), your dog probably has fleas.  Fleas reproduce extremely fast, can become resistant to insecticides, and are therefore difficult to get rid of.  


Ticks - Ticks often carry diseases, like Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis, and tick paralysis. They consume their host’s blood by burrowing their heads and mouths into the skin, so diseases can easily pass from tick to animal. Ticks can be spotted on short-haired dogs, but it's not as easy finding ticks on your longer haired breeds.  Check your dog for ticks often, especially if he spends a lot of time in wooded or grassy places.  Ticks tend to prefer areas near the ears, head, and neck, so be sure to investigate these areas often.