Having a bad-smelling dog is not pleasant for any family. Furthermore, it can be a sign of poor health and a need for grooming. Understanding why your dog is smelly can help you to treat or prevent the odor. For example, it’s pretty easy to cure wet smell in dogs.
If you want to know how to make a dog smell good then you have come to the right place! Dogs all have a natural scent and some aren’t the nicest. Furthermore, as a dog gets older and struggles to groom themselves, they may smell more bad than good.
We will be diving into why dogs smell, as well as what naturally gives them a good smell. Knowing the small changes you can do to help your dog’s scent improve can make your house feel cleaner and stop it from smelling like an old dog! Making a dog smell good requires grooming, but can also be influenced by factors such as diet and their bed. So let’s take a look at these factors so we can help.
What Makes Dogs Smell
All dogs will have a natural scent, however, no dog’s natural scent is heavily unpleasant. This normally indicates that something is wrong. Medical conditions, lack of personal hygiene, even diet can lead to your dog smelling differently. But how can you find out what it is? A process of elimination is the best way to detect the cause of your dog’s odor. Obviously, if you notice anything of concern with your dog then a vet visit is important. They can also help you to treat the smell. However, if your dog is otherwise healthy or the affecting condition can be treated at home, read on.
Noticing any changes your dog has displayed or changes in your dog’s environment can help you to figure out the cause. From a skin allergy to your dog struggling to groom themselves, noticing changes can help you to find the cause.
How To Make a Dog Smell Good
Here are our five top ways to notice and help your dog to feel better.
Health Check
By doing a thorough health check on your dog you will be able to notice if something is wrong and if it is leading to a bad smell. Causes such as open wounds or skin conditions can lead to your dog smelling bad. In order to do a good health check of your dog, start by checking their head and working their way down to the anus.
This avoids any bacterial cross-contamination, such as touching their eyes after their anus. Look at their teeth, eyes, in their ears, and everything you cab working your way down the body. Notice anything unusual such as discharge or pain, signs of injury, and infection. Then if you have concerns, you can go to the vet to treat your pup and to treat the symptoms of the poor smell as well.
Proper Dog Hygiene
Regular grooming and using the right shampoo are the top tips for improving a dog’s bad smell. Every breed has different requirements for grooming due to its coat type and fur length. Consult a professional and trusted groomer to help you understand your dog’s grooming needs. They can even offer dog colognes!
Some dogs may be likely to defecate on fur surrounding their anus or urinate on fur surrounding their genitals. By trimming this fur and washing it regularly it can help to remove and prevent lingering scents. Furthermore, Older dogs may struggle to properly groom themselves after the toilet or a long walk. So a dog’s age can also affect its smell.
Quality Diet
Every dog has a different nutritional diet. If they are being provided either a poor, or incorrect diet in some manner, this can lead to them smelling bad. Some food types can lead to bad breath, increased gas release, and loose stool which can stain coats. Consider your dog’s age, gender, breed, and weight to pick the perfect dog food and amount to give.
Also, consider that your dog may have or have developed a food allergy. This can lead to gastrointestinal issues as well as bad breath due to vomiting. Vets and nutritionists can advise the best dog food for your pup.
Regularly Wash Their Belongings
If your dog is sleeping in a dirty bed or chewing on a gross, old toy, then they may start smelling themselves. When they go to sleep they are surrounding themselves with their bed. If it has unpleasant smells such as old dog food or urine, then them lying on these smells for hours will lead to a natural scent transfer.
Checking the advised amount of time to clean your dog’s belongings is crucial to ensure your dog has good hygiene and is smelling nice. Their bed, toys, and blankets should all come with advice for how often to wash them. Also, check if these products are machine or hand washable for ease.
Regularly Clean Your House
If you have dirty areas of your house, your dog is sure to find them. A dusty area behind the cupboard or some old stored away from food that has upset your dog’s stomach can lead to terrible smells. Deep cleaning your house or the areas of your house that your dog visits can help to minimize bad odors. We all know that if something is stinky, our dogs love to go find it and roll in it.
Dirty washing is often a favorite for dogs to pull out of a laundry basket and roll in. Keeping on top of the washing or locking the door that the bin is in can help keep your dog clean. Some naughty dogs even go through the bin! Emptying it and training them can prevent them from smelling like trash.
How To Make a Dog Smell Good: FAQ
We have a few more answers about how to make a dog smell good. So you can leave knowing exactly which cause of action to take. Look at our FAQs below!
There is no one cause for a dog having an unpleasant smell. From health issues to requiring more frequent grooming, it depends on your dog. Start with a health check and think about any recent changes in your dog’s life or behavior. A vet checks and consulting a groomer can help you to find the reason for your dog smelling bad.
Dogs do sweat but they have very few sweat glands in comparison to humans. They only have sweat glands on the base of their paw pads so produce a minimal amount of sweat. Therefore, it is very unlikely that a smell is caused by your dog sweating.
It would depend on the cause. However, baths can sometimes amplify a bad smell, for example, if your dog has a skin condition. The soap and warm water can aggravate the skin and lead the body to become more inflamed, release more natural oils, and produce a stronger smell. It is why it is so important to identify the cause of your dog’s bad smell so you can provide the proper treatment for them.
You can buy many disinfectants and cleaners for blankets and carpets online. However, you need to check the ingredients to make sure they are safe for your dog. Some elements may be toxic or lead to your dog feeling unwell so research is crucial.
Older dogs often smell more than puppies or younger dogs. This is because they move less and struggle to clean themselves as thoroughly. An elderly pup will have less energy and less mobility commonly. Therefore, they will usually struggle to groom themselves as well as younger dogs. This means that fur can be left dirty and smell unpleasant. It is why frequent grooming of older dogs can be, arguably, more important than that of adult dogs.
If your dog does not smell great then this is a sign that something is wrong. It can be as minor as your dog has rolled in something awful whilst on a walk. However, it can be a sign of a health issue as well, such as dental problems or an open wound. Check what you can at home to see if the solution is easy. However, if you have noticed any concerning changes in your dog then a vet visit is the best cause of action. If your dog appears healthy then a dog groomer and nutritionist may be the next professionals to consult.
