Where to look first after a walk
Ticks climb onto a dog from grass and leaf litter and then wander to warm, thin-skinned places to attach, so a quick glance over the back misses most of them. After a walk, especially through long grass, heath, or woodland, check around the ears and under the collar first, then the neck, armpits, belly, groin, between the toes, and around the base of the tail. Fleas favour the lower back near the tail, the belly, and the inner thighs. Work in good light indoors, before the dog settles on a bed or sofa, so anything you dislodge lands on a floor you can clean.
A hands-and-comb method that finds them
Start by stroking against the direction of the coat with your fingertips, feeling for small raised bumps on the skin. Any bump deserves a closer look: part the hair around it and see whether it is a tick, with legs close to the skin and a body that grows firmer and rounder as it feeds, or simply a wart, scab, or skin tag your dog already had. Follow with a fine-toothed comb over the back and tail base, combing onto a sheet of white paper or a damp white cloth. Tiny black specks that smear reddish brown on the damp cloth are likely flea dirt, which is a sign of fleas even if you have not seen a live flea move. Live fleas are fast and reddish brown, and often appear at the belly when the dog rolls over.
If you find a tick or fleas
Remove an attached tick promptly with a proper tick tool or fine tweezers, grasping close to the skin and pulling steadily, then clean the area and note the date and where on the body it was found. Do not squeeze the tick's body, burn it, or coat it in oils, which can make removal harder. Save the tick in a sealed container if the dog later becomes unwell, so your veterinarian can see it. For fleas, wash bedding and vacuum resting areas thoroughly, and speak to your veterinarian about suitable prevention for your dog's age and health rather than layering multiple products at home. Contact the vet promptly if a bite area becomes swollen and hot, the dog seems tired or off food after a tick bite, or scratching causes broken skin.
Turning a check into a habit
A thorough check takes three or four minutes, and it is most reliable tied directly to the end of walks in tick season and after any route through tall vegetation. Short-coated dogs are quicker to search, while thick or dark coats need slower combing because ticks hide more easily. Puppies and older dogs benefit from gentler handling during the search, with the same areas covered in shorter sessions.
Why a log of checks matters
Noting each check, and any tick found, quickly reveals whether one walking route is producing repeated ticks or whether parasites are appearing despite prevention, information that is genuinely useful to your veterinarian. KinsLe Care Teams lets a household record that post-walk parasite check alongside the walk itself for a dog, creating a dated history instead of a vague memory at the next appointment.