My dog stinks.

[AlmiraGulch]

And I can't stand it.

 

He's certainly not the worst smelling dog I've ever been around, but I'm really put off by dog odor. I don't want to over-bathe him because it's really bad for his skin. I've tried a couple of those doggie deodorant type sprays but all they do is make him smell like dog-scented baby powder, or something equivalent. I wonder if brushing him with baking soda would work? Don't laugh...I'm desperate.

 

Does anyone have any tried and true remedies that will help alleviate dog odor directly from the dog? I'm not unrealistic and understand that he is a dog and will smell like one, but if I could take it down a notch or two between baths it would really, really help.

 

ETA: I should say that there are no health issues, and it isn't an unnatural or sickly dog smell. Also, he's still a baby....just now 6 months.

[Spryte]

Funny, I was thinking of posting the same thing! Do we have the same dog?

 

No health issues here either, so I am considering a higher quality dog food.

 

Will be watching for more ideas!

[Pawz4me]

How often are you bathing him? Unless you're doing it several times a week then you're not bathing too much and you likely don't have to worry about dry skin. That's pretty much an old wives tale that originated many decades ago when all pet shampoos were extremely harsh. That's no longer the case. Use a good quality shampoo, lukewarm water and rinse thoroughly and it's very unlikely you'll bathe him enough to cause dry skin.

 

I'd never use scented sprays. The smell nasty in and of themselves (IMO) and I believe they must smell incredibly horrible to a dog's sensitive nose.

 

Diet can make a huge difference. In general (but obviously not always) the cheaper the food the more odor the dog is likely to have.

 

I'd also check his ears and anal glands, and I wouldn't assume there aren't any tooth problems. Just like young kids, puppies can have tooth issues. Those are all places where odor can originate.

 

Some breeds, in particular the hounds, can have a distinctive odor that's impossible to eliminate.

[AlmiraGulch]

How often are you bathing him? Unless you're doing it several times a week then you're not bathing too much and you likely don't have to worry about dry skin. That's pretty much an old wives tale that originated many decades ago when all pet shampoos were extremely harsh. That's no longer the case. Use a good quality shampoo, lukewarm water and rinse thoroughly and it's very unlikely you'll bathe him enough to cause dry skin.

 

I'd never use scented sprays. The smell nasty in and of themselves (IMO) and I believe they must smell incredibly horrible to a dog's sensitive nose.

 

Diet can make a huge difference. In general (but obviously not always) the cheaper the food the more odor the dog is likely to have.

 

I'd also check his ears and anal glands, and I wouldn't assume there aren't any tooth problems. Just like young kids, puppies can have tooth issues. Those are all places where odor can originate.

 

Some breeds, in particular the hounds, can have a distinctive odor that's impossible to eliminate.

 

 

I'm trying not to bathe him more than once every two weeks because he is prone to skin issues, and I really did think that would make it worse. If you're saying it won't, I'll switch him to once a week and see if that helps. He's very good in the bath, and I use a very gentle but wonderful natural, oatmeal-based soap that smells divine (lavender essential oil).

 

I feed high quality food - Petcurean NOW Large Breed Puppy, plus Omega 3 QD Fish Oil powder, which really took care of any hot spots he had. Come to think of it, I wonder if the fish oil is making him smell worse? He doesn't smell like fish, but that could be contributing.

 

He was just at the vet, so no dental issues, and his ears are fine. I hadn't thought about the anal glands. Won't most groomers take care of that? Maybe I need to find one and have that checked out. I cannot even imagine squeezing those things myself!

[momtoamiracle]

Just because it is a good food doesn't mean it will agree with every dog. He might smell better after neutering as well. Every two weeks is t enough to keep odor down.

 

Wash bedding every other day. You could maybe wipe feed and behind ears daily with a baking soda wash , that is where the smell comes from primarily, from what I've read.

 

 

I can't smell dog odor either.

[Pawz4me]

I'm trying not to bathe him more than once every two weeks because he is prone to skin issues, and I really did think that would make it worse. If you're saying it won't, I'll switch him to once a week and see if that helps. He's very good in the bath, and I use a very gentle but wonderful natural, oatmeal-based soap that smells divine (lavender essential oil).

 

What kind of skin issues is he prone to? Sometimes that can be a source of odor, particularly if it's something like malassezia (yeast) or seborrhea.

 

I've bathed allergy dogs as often as three times a week for months at a time with nothing but good results. My 14-month old Shih Tzu has no odor and no skin issues. He's had a bath once every seven to ten days since he was a puppy. So IMO once every two weeks is nowhere near being too much.

 

I feed high quality food - Petcurean NOW Large Breed Puppy, plus Omega 3 QD Fish Oil powder, which really took care of any hot spots he had. Come to think of it, I wonder if the fish oil is making him smell worse? He doesn't smell like fish, but that could be contributing.

 

I don't have an experience with fish oil powder, but I've never known a dog on fish oil capsules to smell because of it, other than perhaps their breath. As far as the food -- sometimes even a good quality food just doesn't work for a particular dog. So unless he has a sensitive stomach or some other issue that could be affected by a diet change, it wouldn't hurt to try something else just to see if it makes a difference.

 

He was just at the vet, so no dental issues, and his ears are fine. I hadn't thought about the anal glands. Won't most groomers take care of that? Maybe I need to find one and have that checked out. I cannot even imagine squeezing those things myself!

 

It's not that hard to do yourself, but it's a nasty enough job that I prefer to pay for a vet visit if I suspect a problem. Some groomers will express anal glands as part of a groom, others won't. IMO they shouldn't be messed with unless they're obviously full. Your vet may have given them a quick feel when you were there. If he didn't mention anything, and the dog isn't scooting or paying a lot of attention to his rear end, then they're probably okay.

[RoughCollie]

If your dog food has yeast in it, I wonder if that could be causing the problem.

[jeninok]

I have a stinky black and tan coonhound. We wash him once every couple of weeks and always use a diluted vinegar rinse. But in between I give him a nice brushing with a rubber curry comb, then wipe him down with a damp towel with the diluted vinegar. He smells like a damp dog salad for a little bit afterwards, but he dries shiny and with less odor than with just the brushing.

 

I also vacuum his bed almost daily and then toss it in the dryer by itself with a fabric sheet between washings.

[AlmiraGulch]

I don't think it's his food. I tried him on several when we brought him home before I settled on this one and I didn't notice a single problem. Something to keep in mind, though. Honestly, he just smells like a dog.

 

I'm not exactly sure what his skin problem is. He's an Old English Bulldog and they're just prone to skin problems. It looks like eczema or something when he gets it, but he hasn't had any issues in months because of the food and fish oil so I'm not 100% certain what it is. When I first brought him home the vet just said to give him benadryl to keep him from chewing and start with the better diet and it would clear up, and it did.

 

I'm definitely going to bathe him more and see what happens. The soap I use on him is very gentle and has oatmeal and essential oil in it, so it shouldn't irritate his skin too much. If it does, I can always cut back and do something else.

 

The anal gland thing, though....ick!