I discovered Actif Alium garlic treats about 2 years ago while in Europe. From there I decided to test market it under the name of Grrr-Lick. I wanted to know - did it work? Did the dogs like it? Would dog owners accept it? Comments that have come back have been nothing but positive other than the occasional dog that will not eat it. People have basically reported, the fleas have left the building/dog and it appears to be a deterrent to ticks also. At the least, we know there is significantly less of an attraction to the dog by the ticks, thus there is less of a tick problem when the dogs are on it. It has been successfully used in Europe for over four years and Canada for three.

As far as the dogs liking it there is nothing that every dog everywhere likes (except kitty poop of course!) but the percentages of dogs that do like it are in the majority. Occasionally we get a dog that will turn their nose up to it. On the other hand we have taken it to dog shows where dogs are often under to much stress to take food and found that it was overwhelmingly accepted. Handlers at dog shows have even reported successfully using it for bait. They have told us that most dogs went crazy for it when they cut it into very thin slices.

Since it is a very powerful dose of garlic I suggest you stay fairly close to the recommended use instructions on the label. The only concerns would be just as if we ate too much garlic. Our breath would become a little much to deal with socially and very high amounts of garlic, if you are not used to, it can give you a little stomach discomfort. Even if you doubled or tripled the daily recommended amount there would be no need for concern. We have had dogs eat a whole stick of seven in a day with no problem, there is nothing dangerous about garlic.

You will like the convenience and savor the peace of mind knowing that you are not loading your pet with chemicals. It is important to keep in mind that it takes about a month for the effect to start taking place. The dog should be put on the Grrr-Lick at least 30 days before the flea season starts. This is not a flea killer but a flea deterrent. If a flea jumps on the dog it will exit due to the odor given off by the dog’s skin. This odor is not detectable by humans and the dogs will only have garlic breath for a very short time after ingesting the treat. The smell of garlic is mainly due to its high concentration of sulphur in the oil which is believed to be the main reason for the effect.

The health benefits of garlic have been known for centuries and many of them apply to dogs. It is used for and has been proven to be a diaphoretic, diuretic, expectorant, antibacterial, antimycotic, and a stimulant. Garlic will enhance fibrinolytic activity; the breaking down of fiber associated with blood clots, and will inhibit platelet aggregation. I bring this up because; if a dog is scheduled for surgery discontinuation of the product a week to ten days before would be desirable since garlic will slightly inhibit the clotting effect of blood. This action on the other hand is beneficial in most cases since it removes and assists the plasmin, an enzyme that converts fibrin into soluble products, in dealing with any problem causing internal scar/fibrin tissue that may be in and around internal injuries. During the wars of the early part of the 20th century the juice of garlic was applied to battle wounds to control the formation of pus/infection, thus the name Russian penicillin. The lives of thousands were saved through the use of garlic.

From the book A Modern Herbal, this passage is found; It is said that during an outbreak of infectious fever in certain poor quarters of London, early last century, the 19th, the French priests who constantly used garlic in their dishes, visited the worst cases with impunity, whilst the English clergy caught the infection, and in many instances fell victim to the disease.

Garlic has invaluable medical properties for asthma, hoarseness, coughs, difficulty of breathing and most disorders of the lungs. It is especially effective in dealing with bronchitis due to its powers of promoting expectoration. Among the other diseases treated successfully with garlic are; pulmonary tuberculosis, whooping cough, edema and it is also said to prevent anthrax in cattle. It is a very powerful aid in digestion and the essential oil of garlic helps maintain a healthy stomach lining. Garlic aids in lowering cholesterol and high blood pressure and it is effective in removing the environment of excess mucosa where parasites hide in the gut. Not to mention, as we all know, it repels Vampires!