How can I make my dog smell better?
This is a question that we often get from sitter and owners who work with Rover. Help the community out by answering them in our forum!
5 Answers
Dogs smell can be related to various things such as diet, allergies, breed, ear infections, and bathing.
Typically a healthier diet leads to better skin and smells. Cheaper grade food will have ingredients that don't promote healthy skin and oils.
Sometimes when dogs have allergies, they will itch and lick themselves more causing stenches from their saliva. Greenies and other dental bones can help with breath as well as using dog toothpaste to brush their teeth. Some breeds just have a general musk because they secrete more oils.
Sometimes when your dog has an ear infection they can give off a real funk. Signs of an ear infection include shaking their head often, itching ears, and the funk coming off their ear area. You can clean your dogs ears at home, groomers can do it, or the vets. If they have an actual ear infection, you will need to visit your vet and get the prescription ear drops.
Lastly, you can bathe your dog occasionally and use sprays and wipes inbetween to keep them smelling fresh.
Some dogs have a natural "musky" scent as their skin is more oily than others...think hunting dogs that are natural swimmers, such as golden and flatcoat retrievers. Good grooming (bath and brush out) helps with this. You can also try dry shampoos between baths to fluff up the coat and leave it smelling clean. If the coat type is not not the case here, be sure there are no health or dental conditions that may cause different odors by taking your dog for a vet check up.
If your dog smells, first you want to figure out why.
Does your dog have an ear or skin infection? If so, treat the infection with the help of your vet.
Is your dog's skin yeasty? If so, your dog might have allergies. Allergies can be food related or environmental. Changing food or giving your dog benadryl can help. Adding a fish oil supplement will help improve skin and coat health too, even if your dog doesn't have allergies. Find a fish oil supplement that also contains vitamin E, such as Bonnie and Clyde fish oil.
Does your dog's breath smell excessively bad?
If so, your dog may need a dental procedure at the vet. If your dog's breath smells terrible, he may need a tooth extracted due to gingivitis. It is very important to get this taken care of with the help of your vet.
Does your dog get brushed and bathed enough? Be sure to bathe your dog regularly, and also brush your dog every day. If you don't bathe or brush your dog, dirt and dead skin and fur can build up in the undercoat, which can be uncomfortable and cause a smell.
Comments
If you do try to get rid of the smell by bathing your dog, be aware that some dogs don't like scented shampoos. When I adopted an old street dog, I had to use unscented dog shampoos because anytime I used one that smelled, he'd go roll in poop the first chance he got. Yours might be fine, though.
If you want to make your dog smell good without getting him wet, reach for the baking soda. There is no set amount to use; how much you put on your dog will depend on his size and how long his fur is. Just use enough to work it well into his fur, getting it all the way down to the skin. Follow with a good brushing to remove the excess baking soda. This "dry bath" will leave your pet smelling fresh and clean with no water required. If you prefer, purchase a good commercial dry shampoo for dogs. Spray it on him and brush it out. Easy to use wipes also will help keep your dog smelling good between regular baths and are especially easy to use on short-haired dogs.
After all the good advice about food and ear infections, if you're dog still has a musk, there are sprays that help keep the coat shiny that have a light scent. I like these in winter when my dogs skin gets itchy and I don't want to bathe him because Irs so cold outside. I find all natural products in case he licks himself after.