Do ticks lay eggs on dogs?

Ticks can and do lay ticks on dogs and other hosts. One female tick can lay as many as 2,000 eggs at a time, and when they hatch, these seed ticks can be seen in large numbers on any dog unlucky enough to be infested.

According to Family Vet, the seed tick feasts on the blood of the host before falling onto the ground during the nymph stage of development. These nymphs must also find a host to feed upon, at which time they fall to the ground and then molt into adulthood. The entire cycle can take anywhere from two months to two years, although it is speedier during warmer weather.