People generally don’t like the smell of dogs. In fact, the body odor of dogs often makes people reconsider whether to keep a dog, whether to stay indoors and in the car with the dog. There are many kinds of dog odors, including breath, flatulence, unmaintained fur odor, or the odor of stepping on the poop, rolling, and so on. Basically, a smelly dog is unbearable no matter how cute it is, so it is vital to make a dog smell good. The following are some of the main and feasible things to check and catch dog odors.
step
Identify the source of the dog’s odor. If the cause is obvious, you can directly make targeted remedies (see the following section). For example, a dog that has not been bathed for more than a month and is always rolling around in the mud in the backyard may only need to take a bath. On the other hand, if a very clean but heavy-toned dog emits a bad smell, there may be pathological reasons. First, check whether the dog has obvious problems, such as stepping on excrement, decay, or other foul-smelling things; dogs like to roll in foul-smelling things because this can cover their own smell, and some dogs are better than others. Similar people prefer to do this. This is a fact that cannot be changed. If the initial examination does not reveal any cause, try to bathe the dog (make sure not to get water or soap in the dog’s ears). If this doesn’t work, here are some other common things:
- If your dog has problems with breath or flatulence, it’s time to see the vet. I hope you have arranged for your dog to have a physical examination every six months or every year, but the odor problem will require a special examination to see if the odor is due to a potentially serious cause. Possible problems include kidney disease (persistent urine smell) or diabetes (sweet, sugary breathing), liver disease (foul odor, yellow eyes or gums, ascites, and vomiting), teeth, gum problems, or ear infections. Anal gland infections can also cause bad odors. If this is the cause, you need to learn to clean them.
- Skin or hair conditions such as seborrhea, mitosis, or other conditions that require medical intervention may also be a cause of a dog’s body odor. But this is not obvious to you unless you give your dog a bath and its smell still doesn’t improve. Again, seek advice and treatment from the veterinarian immediately.
Do not spray perfume, deodorant (Febreeze®), or other scented products on dogs. This can only cover but not eliminate the smell, and it will cover the deeper problems that may exist. Also, most of the things you would want to spray on a dog may be very unsuitable or even unsafe for the dog.
Take a bath
For dogs who have been rolling in unpleasant things, have not bathed in a while, or look dirty, taking a bath is the first step in dealing with odor problems.
1. Buy a dog hair shampoo (conditioner can be purchased according to the type of fur). Try to find a product whose original intention is to remove the odor rather than mask it. If your dog has skin problems, such as an overdose of yeast, ask the veterinarian to recommend a suitable medical shampoo.
2. Moisten your dog thoroughly from the top of the head to the tail.
3. Squeeze some shampoo on your hands. Apply the foam from the top of the dog’s neck to the tail. Shampoo the outside of the ears, legs, breasts, belly, fluff (if any), and other parts of the body, but be careful to avoid the dog’s eyes.
4. Rinse the shampoo from the fur and don’t get water into the dog’s ears.
5. If you want to use hair care products, repeat the above process.
6. Let your dog shake off the water. Then use a hairdryer or towel for the dog to dry or dry the dog. Before the dog is completely dry, it is best to prevent it from rolling around again.
7. Dry your dog as quickly as possible. The smell of wet dog hair that people often complain about is mainly caused by bacteria that live on the dog’s natural sebum. Like many other bacteria, they are more prone to outbreaks in warm, humid environments. The best way to control this problem is to bathe your dog regularly and try to keep the dog dry during the period (remember that if you bathe too frequently, the dog will lose too much sebum and cause skin problems). According to the weather, hair length, etc., please ask the veterinarian for the recommended frequency.
Retouch
Infected ears and lack of care can aggravate a dog’s odor.
1. Clean the dog’s ears to prevent earwax accumulation. Dirty ears may become red or swollen and even attract mites.
- Buy ear wipes or cleaners (such as Oxyfresh’s pet ear cleaner).
- Wipe the obvious parts of the earwax (usually dark brown) and every gap in the ear.
- Spray the cleaner in the dog’s ears and wipe in circular motions.
- Take a cotton ball and place it under the auricle, tilt the dog’s head towards the cotton ball, the spray will be absorbed by the cotton ball.
- Find a clean cotton ball and gently wipe off the excess spray.
2. Brush or comb the dog’s hair every day. This will remove all debris and the accumulation of dust, bacteria, and other substances. Combing backward can help remove more shed hair; wet combs can pick up more shed.
3. Make sure your dog’s oral hygiene is good. Bad teeth cause breath-after all, imagine what the smell will be in your mouth even if you don’t brush your teeth for a month…
Choose a toothbrush that fits the size of your dog’s mouth. You can buy it from any pet store, pet product bar in a mall, or veterinarian. Find a toothpaste suitable for dogs (don’t try to use human toothpaste); dog toothpaste is usually a good taste like beef or poultry.
- Squeeze a pea-sized toothpaste on the toothbrush.
- Turn the dog’s lips up gently so that you can see its teeth.
- Brush all the teeth in your mouth for one minute, making sure to brush both sides of the teeth.
- Brush at least twice a week.
4. Buy some kind of cologne for dogs with a mild smell; spray the dog several times as a short-term repair. However, as mentioned before, this is only a cover-up, not a solution, and can only be used when it is determined to be a safe product. This is only an addition to all health checks, care, and the cultivation of good eating habits. Measures.
Diet and flatulence
1. See what your dog is eating. If it is not a healthy, natural diet, the source of the odor may be the digestion of these unhealthy foods. This may be one of the most common, but underestimated causes of odor.
2. Switch to cheap and low-nutrient foods and give your dogs better quality and natural brand dog food. Many cheap brands of dog food contain corn that is difficult for dogs to digest. This may be the cause of poor body odor, dull fur, farting, and breath. Try to switch to homemade food. High-quality natural dog food brands can also be bought in good pet stores or online.
- It is important to know that the soy ingredients in some dog food products are the cause of flatulence in dogs. Some brand products contain as much as 25% soy; read the label and change to a brand that does not contain soy or has a very low content.
- Most dogs have lactose intolerance. If you try to include lactose in the dog’s diet, it may result in flatulence in the dog. Exclude the source of lactose and the situation will improve. But on the other hand, natural yogurt with beneficial bacteria may be good for some dogs (ask your veterinarian for advice first).
- If the smell deteriorates after changing the food, you may be changing too quickly. There is a buffer between different foods, which allows the dog’s intestinal bacteria to adapt to the new food. The appropriate conversion period is three days, and one-third of the original food is reduced every day.
- Give the dog some carrots to chew when he eats. This will help clean the teeth. Dry food can also help but look for good quality dry food.
- Adding whole grains, such as cooked brown rice, helps the dog’s digestive system work more efficiently. Good digestion means fresher breath and less (or no) flatulence.
- Stop giving the dog leftovers. The variety of foods on the table is not necessarily good for dogs, and can also cause bad breath and flatulence as well as nutritional imbalances. Of course, unless your own diet is completely healthy!
3. Check if your dog is looking for food in the household garbage. If so, stop it from doing so, because then the dog may eat bad food and may stick a bad smell.
4. Pay attention to the dog’s appetite. Greedy dogs will eat more food, which means more food will ferment and produce flatulence. Don’t tempt it with leftovers or excessive snacks on the dining table. Buy smaller bowls and be determined not to overfeed your dog (if your dog has a bad appetite, you should see the vet).
5. Take your dog for walks and play regularly. Exercise is a good way to reduce flatulence.
kennel
Keep the dog’s sleeping area clean, free of fleas and dirt, so that it can be cleaner.
1. Put all the cloth cushions, fillings, and coverings in the nest into the washing machine and wash them with cold water. Be careful when adding fabric softeners, as they may irritate the dog’s skin. If you want to add something, you can choose a mild detergent or vinegar.
2. After washing, put these objects under the dryer (set to low heat level), or air dry.
3. Flush the doghouse or pet bed with a hose. If it is very dirty, scrub with a sponge or toothbrush and mild degradable soap.
4. According to the specific situation, wash once a week or two weeks.
Wipes
1. Sprinkle some baby powder on the dog’s hair (avoid the head) and rub it evenly. Let the dog get rid of the excess by himself. This will absorb too much oil in the dog’s hair, and even people with the most sensitive noses will find the dog smells fresher and cleaner.
2. After bathing the dog, rub baking soda on the dog’s fur. This will not only not increase but can absorb bad odors and make your dog smell very good. Then gently brush off the excess, otherwise, you will see traces of baking soda in various places in the house!
Precautions
- For dog beds with coverings, try to sandwich some lavender between the covering and the bed base, so that it will have a clean and fresh smell. And doing so may have a soothing effect on the dog!
- The smell of a dog basically depends on its liver’s ability to break down toxins. To help the dog’s liver work better, you can give the dog acetylcysteine (NAC) at 400 mg per day. For dogs that smell bad, the effect will be surprisingly good.
- Make sure that the product you use on your dog will not mix with its own smell to create a new smell.
- There are medical supplies that can reduce flatulence in dogs. Ask your veterinarian for these supplies.
- Bath the dog.
- Allowing the dog to chew the dog’s dry leather bones will help keep the teeth clean. Tug of war is also helpful because the way a dog’s teeth rub on a rope is a bit like human flossing.
- For skin problems, you can see a pet skin doctor in some places. It may be helpful if the source of the odor is skin or hair.
caveat
- Make sure to have professional help when cleaning the dog’s anal glands for the first time. The wrong method can cause serious infections.
- Using human toothpaste may cause digestive problems in dogs.
- Don’t give your dog chocolate, onions, grapes, raisins, tomatoes, avocados, nuts, and foods that contain caffeine or xylitol! These are harmful or toxic to dogs.
- Some dogs naturally smell worse than others. You may have to accept this fact, especially if your dog is getting older and has longer hair or a larger body.
- It may not be the dog’s smell that is the problem, but you are overly sensitive to the dog’s smell. Check the dog first and then know if this is the case!