Is it Possible to Get Rid of Ticks?
There are a few things you can do that will help to minimize the ticks in your area, and keep them out of your house and off of your dogs. They do not hop or fly. They crawl or “drop” from where they are perched, unto an animal that is very close by.
They then crawl up the animal to the spot they choose to bite into and feed on. However, a tick does not always bite the person or animal that they first crawl on. When they get on dogs, and your dog comes into the house, it may very well fall off of your dog, and end up attaching itself to a person in your house instead. This happens many times, so you want to make sure you treat your dog with a tick control product. Using products such as Frontline Plus, which is a dog flea and tick medicine, will not only rid your dog of these parasites, but it will also stop them from getting a free ride into your house, by way of your dog's coat! 
Ticks do not just live in tall grass, but they do like it. They also crawl into bushes and trees, and will fall off of these items, to land on you or your dog. They like and need humidity. Keeping your shrubs trimmed and your grass cut often, will help force them to move a bit further away from your house, where there is more moisture from dense brush. This will not get rid of ticks, but will lessen the amount of them you have hanging around, waiting for a meal. They will bite into any animal with a blood supply, so by keeping your yard cut short, ticks will move a bit further out and attach themselves to other wildlife, rather than to you or your Chihuahua. I'm sure everyone by now, has heard about wearing light colored clothing when they go for a walk in the woods, to help minimize the risk of tick bites. This is so you can see if a tick is crawling on you, as they are dark colored and easier to spot that way. They do not just crush easily, like a mosquito will, as they have a very hard shell to them. When you do find one, always kill and get rid of it, either by using your fingernail and crushing into their back, flushing them down the toilet, or burning them with a match. Personally, we do all three! Just wash your hands well after handling them, in case any of their bodily fluids came out onto you. You can also then use rubbing alcohol on your hands to kill any remaining germs. Though you may not be able to completely get rid of ticks, they can be minimized!
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