flies

I won't use OFF on me because of all the chemicals so I sure wouldn't be using it on my DOGS!
 
It sounds to me like you leave your dog outside while you are gone?  We live out in the country, farm country to be exact and get MAJOR black flies and those buggers bite and bite HARD.  They never bother the dogs, and I'm guessing that's because they have really healthy immune systems primarily from their diets.  The fleas and black flies LOVE me, which doesn't say much for MY immune system [] but they pretty much leave the dogs alone.  Things that DRAW flies are poop, anything smelly, so make sure your DOG is clean and not smelling like dinner to flies, and any open sores are gonna attract them too.  All that said, the best and safest thing for your dog is to leave him in the house when you are gone.

I agree Off is too harsh.
 
I use an equine spray which helps with the dogs too. It is Cooper's Best, spray for horse fly's, skeeters and much more. They don't like the smell of it but it is not harmful to them if they groom themselves.

I used to have a dog with that problem...the flies chewed at the tips of the ears.  The Vet gave us an ointment to repel the flies...worked very well.  I have seen it in PetSmart, also.

We are having trouble with tons of flies, the worse I have ever seen.  HOWEVER due to the fact we have only had 2/3" of rain since Jan. NO SKEETERS are hanging around.  If you go to a couple of miles to the water or marshland, they are thick, but they are not coming this far inland because NO WATER.  Normally the fields around here are at least knee deep in corn, maize or cotton, but this year there are just plowed rows of dirt, nothing growing.  Is really hard on the farmers.  But it sure is nice to be able to walk around and not get a single skeeter bite.  Can't say the same for the flies, tho.

Yes Casey stays out during the day.  I am gone too long to leave him in the house unsupervised and he would freak out to be crated.   He isnt happy right now anyway cause my other dog Coal is inside going thru HW treatment.  My dad comes over and walks him during the day but he cant deal with Casey too.  I let Casey in at night once i get home...
 
Will call the vet and find out about the ointment or if there is something I should do to change his diet... i dont know.. poor baby...  hes not a happy camper anyway and now the flies are bothering him.   I have notied the flies around my house.. they are hanging out on my car and I have notced them in the back yard around him but otherwise  havent had many skeeters either...   thanks for the help.

Are these flies, house flys?

A couple of summers ago, we had the worst case of flies outside that I can remember.  My husband is super good about picking up the poop, so it wasn't that but they were bad!!  We'd be sitting outside with the dogs and I spent the whole time shooing the flies off them - not fun!  I went to Petsmart and they have a spray that you can use and it lasts for a few days.  For anywhere from the neck up, I sprayed it on my hands and then wiped the ears and top of the head.  It's not something you'd want to get in their eyes.  You can also buy those fly traps (not the sticky paper kind which are worthless).  It's like a plastic jug that you put the vial of bait in and add water.  It's got holes at the top and the flies go in and die.  Just a word of warning, it smells nasty, so you'll want to hang it a little ways away from the house or patio area.

My mom's Dane had the same problem just being outside to run with the other dogs.  Asked the vet about it and he wanted to give us something with pesticides in it.  So we found Nautral Spray by Miracle Coat.  It repels flies, mosquitoes, and gnats.  I don't know if she used it yet since we haven't talked since. 

Keeping a dog outside all day without proper shelter from biting flies would be considered animal cruelty here... My guess is that the sore was infested with maggots that hatched into flies, or that flies were swirling around to lay eggs in an open sore.  Horrible.  Get some ointment from your vet.  There are products made that will help the sore heal, and keep the flies away.
I really wish you would try to find a way to keep your dog in - he isn't safe alone outdoors.  Maybe you could train him to go on a Wizdog, or pay a stay at home mom in the neighborhood to come and let him out.

Is the sore healed now?  If not, I would definitely leave him inside until it is.
 
I don't think I would use Off on a dog unless I were desperate.  To my way of thinking, there has to be something that is attracting the flies to your dog.  Try to figure out what that is and correct it.  In the meantime, I would use a fly repellant that is recommended for animals.  Your local feed store probably has some choices for you to consider.
 
Weather permitting, Odie stays outside during the day too.  He has a kennel, a dog house, shade and fresh water.  If the weather is bad, he stays in the house and I go home and let him out for a bit at lunch.  I think an unsupervised dog should always be contained by some method other than a tie.  Loose dogs have a way of finding themselves in trouble.
 
Can something bad happen to a dog who is left outside?  Sure.  Can something bad happen to a dog who is left in the house?  Absolutely.  Ever since dogs were invented, they have lived outside.  Us, leaving our dogs outside during part of the day, assuming we provide for their needs while they are outside, does not make us bad owners.  If someone wants to debate that point with me, please, bring it on.  []
 
All that being said, leaving a dog outside, where flies can get to an open sore is, to be kind, not terribly responsible, IMHO.

He didnt have an open sore.  he had a place on the top of his head that looked like something bit him.  I washed it very well with warm water and put neosporine (sp??) on it.  It was scabed over by the next morning and was totally gone within 2 days.   I only noticed the flies that day.  I came home the day I wrote this origianl post and noticed them again but no new sore.   And was just asking for advise from someone who may have had this problem before.    I went to the feed store like one of the posters suggested and got some spray and things were good when i left this morning.  thanks for the help.

he has a room on the back of my house that has a  large bed in it and a concrete slab that they like to lay on to get cool.  I leave the door open for them even though it probably runs my electric bill up with the hot water heater being in there.  

They have a 10x20 dog Kennel in the back yard that is totally shaded with 2 large dog houses in it with cedar chips..     Also the whole back yard is totally fenced in and like I said they both used to come in at night one is going thru HW treatment (long story) and the other has never been crated and no telling what he would do all day left alone in the house.  At least outside he can chase the birds and chew on his bones... He is a setter and totally loves chasing the birds, rabbits and squirels around the yard.   And he totally ball crazy.... 

They also have a kiddie pool that my lab loves to get in and lay down... 

So if this is animal cruelty I am sorry.  Thanks to all of you who answered it really helped.   Lots of products at the feed store to choose from

I think that some folks imagine "outside" dogs as being staked to a tree or in danger of being stolen or running away.  I'm sure that's sometimes the case, but like you, my labs much prefer being outside when we're gone than in the house. I have zero fear of someone stealing them, since they'd never be able to get near them, nor are my dogs diggers or escape artists.   We have a large yard with a 6 foot wooden fence, locks on both gates, a built-in pool/spa, a lounge chair that one of the dogs has claimed as her own, 2 igloo dog houses with bedding in them to nap in, a 3 car garage with a doggie door, so they can go to get out of the sun and there's doggie bed in there, 2 lap lickers for water, one 3 gallon bucket always filled with water....etc., etc., etc.  Frankly, if I die and come back as a dog, I'd want the life they have [].

My goldens are in or out as they so chose.  They go to the door, I let them out.  When they are ready to come in, they come to the door.  Sometimes they opt to be outside most of the day, sometimes they opt to be inside most of the day.  I h ave water inside and out for them.  We also have a 6 foot wood fence, lock on the gate and we don't worry about anyone getting into our yard.    Many times when I leave for a few hours, I just leave the patio door open so they can go out as they want to--our back yard is shaded with sycamores and live oaks.
 
There really are some breeds of dogs that do enjoy  being outside as much as inside and sporting group dogs are mostly that way  Goldens are "love bugs" and love to cuddle, etc, but they also love chasing squirrels, getting into the kiddie pool, etc.
 
 
 

Looks like you have the problem solved here is a little more info.  The ointment for fly strike is VIP Fly Repellent Ointment for Dogs & Cats. It works!  Another thing you might try is Avon's Skin So Soft.  It can be used full strength or 1 part Skin So Soft and 9 parts water.   Good luck!