Coming late to this thread, but tick season is still here and flea season is really getting rolling.
We use Frontline on the dogs when we camp because some other brands aren't recommended for dogs prone to seizures. It really works - fun to actually watch the ticks running to get OFF the dog.
We never use essential oils on the dogs - see lots of professional veterinary literature on how hard they are on cats & dogs, especially their livers.
We don't use the tick/flea pills on the dogs for 2 reasons:
The first is that they don't repel the buggers, and I want them to not even attach. The second is that we live in southern Nevada where we simply don't have a problem with them locally. When we lived in Southern CA we used both Frontline and Program with great results.
I use Sawyer permethrin on my clothes. I'm allergic to practically everything and have no trouble with it. I also use DEET sprays (usually OFF or related brands) on myself.
One of my travel mates swears by putting up his tent, spraying the interior with DEET and then having coffee while it settles. He then unrolls his sleeping bag and voila - tick, flea and mosquito free sleeping area.
