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Why Does My Dog Smell Bad? Tips & Solution

 
By Josie F. Turner, Journalist specialized in Animal Welfare. August 24, 2017
Why Does My Dog Smell Bad? Tips & Solution

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Looking for some tips to stop your dog from smelling bad? You've come to the right place. AnimalWised want to offer you some advice that will greatly improve this stinky situation and allow you to finally breathe easy.

The odor may be due to several factors including sweat, dirt or the presence of fungi, among others. Although most of these causes do not affect your dog's health, it is important to rule out a skin disease.

Do not miss this informative article to improve your dog's odor with home remedies.

You may also be interested in: How to Bathe a Dog at Home: Tips and Products

1. Brush your dog regularly

Brushing is a necessary practice in the daily cleaning of dogs. Not only does it remove dead hair but it also helps you to remove dust and dirt that can come from the street and even from inside your house.

It is important that you identify your dog's type of fur so you know how often you should brush it. You should dedicate some time to this avoid entanglements, dreadlocks and knots, points where dirt accumulates. Find out about the different types of brushes there are according to your dog's coat so you can start as soon as possible.

In addition to the advantages, brushing your dog will improve your bond and will make their fur look brighter and well cared for. If you do not have a special brush for dogs, remember that you can find one in any pet shop.

Why Does My Dog Smell Bad? Tips & Solution - 1. Brush your dog regularly

2. Bath your dog only when they need it

Bathing your pet is a very important routine to improve your dog's odor, but watch out: you should not bathe them too often.

This is because your pets have natural fat on their skin that protects and insulates them from the environment. By eliminating this layer too often you accidently make your dog smell worse. Rather than bathing them, if they are a little dirty, you can use baby wipes and focus on a particular area.

How often should I bathe my dog?

  • For short-haired dogs, a bath every month and a half will suffice.
  • For long-haired dogs, repeat this activity once a month, but apply a conditioner or softener specific for dogs to avoid knots.
  • For wire-haired dogs like a Westy, you should bathe them every two or three weeks.
  • Finally, curly-haired dogs should be bathed once every 20 days.

A very useful tip that you are encouraged to try is to add apple cider vinegar to your dog's regular shampoo, you'll make it smell much better and for longer. The mixture should be 50% shampoo and 50% apple cider vinegar. And the benefits do not end here, applying this all-natural product will make their fur look shinier and healthier.

Why Does My Dog Smell Bad? Tips & Solution - 2. Bath your dog only when they need it

3. Drying and dog-friendly perfume

You should know that incorrect drying will also produce a bad odor. You can't fully dry your pet with a towel but they get scared when you use a hairdryer. What can you do? You can find hairdryers for dogs on the market, a silent and very useful tool that professionals use.

In addition, to improve your dog's odor, you can create an all-natural fragrance easily in your own home:

  1. Get yourself a new plastic spray bottle
  2. Use a base of distilled water
  3. Add a tablespoon of almond oil
  4. Add a tablespoon of glycerine
  5. Finally, give it a personal touch and add the juice of 1/2 lemon or orange

This will give you a unique homemade perfume that will not irritate your pet's skin. Add all the ingredients to your new plastic spray bottle, shake and presto!

Do not forget that after the bath it is essential to use a pipette on your dog's coat to prevent the occurrence of fleas, ticks and mosquito bites.

Why Does My Dog Smell Bad? Tips & Solution - 3. Drying and dog-friendly perfume

4. Mouth and ears

Both the mouth and ears produce odors, for that reason it is essential that you maintain constant hygiene of these body parts of your dog.

To get started, pay attention to their ears, a sensitive and delicate area. If you do not know how to clean your pet's ears you can go to your vet to see a demonstration.

  1. Get yourself some clean, new gauze (sterile) at any pharmacy.
  2. Cover your finger with gauze and insert it into your dog's ear canal, it is very important to not force entry or apply too much pressure.
  3. Move your finger slowly and in a circular motion.
  4. Once you're done with one ear, change the gauze and use a new one for the other ear.

Finish the cleaning process with its mouth, a particularly smelly area. For most dogs that do not have a cleaning ritual, tartar accumulates excessively. To clean your dog's teeth, simply get a specific toothpaste for dogs and use your finger or a brush to rub them. Continue with this routine once a day. Check out our article on how to remove tartar in dogs for more info.

In addition, to improve bad breath remember that it is better to give your dog dry feed than wet food as well as giving them anti-tartar treats.

Why Does My Dog Smell Bad? Tips & Solution - 4. Mouth and ears

5. Eliminate your dog's bad odour within your home.

If you really want to remove all traces of odor it is very important to have a strict and regular cleaning routine at home. So you should pay attention to the corners where hair can accumulate and use detergents that thoroughly disinfect to improve the quality of your pet's environment. We also recommend using neutral air fresheners.

A basic and extremely important step is to clean your dog's accessories often such as their bed, clothing, toys and other objects.

Combine cleaning and training with your pet by rewarding them every time they follow any commands while cleaning them. Do not let them get on sofas or armchairs, areas where you cannot clean as often. Always congratulate it when they go into their bed. Remember that positive reinforcement is the best weapon in education.

Why Does My Dog Smell Bad? Tips & Solution - 5. Eliminate your dog's bad odour within your home.

If you want to read similar articles to Why Does My Dog Smell Bad? Tips & Solution, we recommend you visit our Beauty tips category.

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