Why does our dog stink?

[Ricardodaforce]

I've never been into pets at all. My favourite animals are served with potatoes and a good pepper sauce.

Unfortunately my wife had a dog when we met and so I have inherited it. I have tried over the years to like it. But the dropped hair etc have always bothered me. It stays outside unless my wife is in, in which case it comes into the house. But jeez does it stink! Why does this dog smell so bad? My wife might bathe it on a Sunday, but by the following day the smell is back! It doesn't bother my wife, but it makes it harder for me to ignore it.

Does anyone have any tips as to how to make a dog stink less?

 

[viv1969]

Long or short haired dog, and is it bathed every weekend? You really shouldn't bath a dog unless there is a specific reason for doing it (filthy dirty or rolled in something nasty etc.) Washing often will remove all the natural oils from the fur and more importantly from the skin. If your dog has developed a skin condition, it will whiff.

 

[pepi1967]

Long or short haired dog, and is it bathed every weekend? You really shoiuldn't bath a dog unless there is a specific reason for doing it (filthy dirty or rolled in something nasty etc.) Washing often will remove all the natural oils from the fur and more importatly from the skin. If your dog has developed a skin condition, it will whiff.

Agreed. The worst thing you can do is keep washing it. A good grooming with a dry shampoo works better than a bath in most cases.

 

[Ricardodaforce]

This is it:


Libby by Ricardodaforce, on Flickr

Get's a bath every 5-6 weeks. Doesn't appear to have any skin condition. It just stinks!

 

[Ricardodaforce]

Agreed. The worst thing you can do is keep washing it. A good grooming with a dry shampoo works better than a bath in most cases.

As mentioned we don't keep washing it. It gets done every few weeks

 

[viv1969]

Vet then. There is no reason a healthy chocolate labrador should stink. And for heaven sake is this dog male or female..."it" indeed. If you always treat "it" with such disdain it probably farts at you on purpose.

 

[Ricardodaforce]

Vet then. There is no reason a healthy chocolate labrador should stink. And for heaven sake is this dog male or female..."it" indeed. If you always treat "it" with such disdain it probably farts at you on purpose.

She does alright out of me, I take her for a long daily walk!

 

[new2me]

If you always treat "it" with such disdain it probably farts at you on purpose.

I knew my ex girlfriend didn't have a medical condition. It used to fart all the time!

 

[Ricardodaforce]

I knew my ex girlfriend didn't have a medical condition. It used to fart all the time!

 

[Osmo]

She looks awesome....would I be right in thinking that even if she smelt nice you still wouldn't like her very much? To be honest she probably knows you don't like her and as such this wont help the relationship.

As others have said, a vets trip might be in order, are her teeth/gums okay, bad breath from her diet, skin complaint, consistently (without you knowing) stepping or rolling in something?

Every few weeks to wash a dog is still very frequent. The last time I washed our dog he had rolled in something highly unpleasant months ago but he thought it was great fun!

Ours doesn't smell of anything apart from maybe a slight popcorn smell if he's got wet! I guess I'm lucky with that though.

Does she bother her bum much (im talking about your dog Ricardo, not the subsequent girlfriend comments! )? it could be she has infected anal glands that need treatment....this smell is absolutely horrendous, so it could be that?

 

[FourRingCircus]

Awwwww.....

You have to love them for the smell to go away!!

TBH, keeping the dog outside all the time will potentially be making the problem worse. My dog smells of my house, not the other way round. Food consumed will also make a difference - just as it can with humans. A dog is a sociable animal and should be part of the family.

FWIW, I spent a vast sum on a new Italian cream leather suite and my dog was the first one to sit on it. She has slept on it every night since! What's more, it smells of leather and not dog.

 

[neil_g]

as said a healthy lab shouldnt smell (farting excluded).

what sort of smell are we talking?

 

[viv1969]

She looks awesome....would I be right in thinking that even if she smelt nice you still wouldn't like her very much? To be honest she probably knows you don't like her and as such this wont help the relationship.

As others have said, a vets trip might be in order, are her teeth/gums okay, bad breath from her diet, skin complaint, consistently (without you knowing) stepping or rolling in something?

Every few weeks to wash a dog is still very frequent. The last time I washed our dog he had rolled in something highly unpleasant months ago but he thought it was great fun!

Ours doesn't smell of anything apart from maybe a slight popcorn smell if he's got wet! I guess I'm lucky with that though.

Does she bother her bum much (im talking about your dog Ricardo, not the subsequent girlfriend comments! )? it could be she has infected anal glands that need treatment....this smell is absolutely horrendous, so it could be that?

That's always possible.
I'd be willing to bet that Ricardo really just hates the dog and most of the smell is actually in his imagination

 

[pepi1967]

She looks awesome....would I be right in thinking that even if she smelt nice you still wouldn't like her very much? To be honest she probably knows you don't like her and as such this wont help the relationship.

As others have said, a vets trip might be in order, are her teeth/gums okay, bad breath from her diet, skin complaint, consistently (without you knowing) stepping or rolling in something?

Every few weeks to wash a dog is still very frequent. The last time I washed our dog he had rolled in something highly unpleasant months ago but he thought it was great fun!

Ours doesn't smell of anything apart from maybe a slight popcorn smell if he's got wet! I guess I'm lucky with that though.

Does she bother her bum much (im talking about your dog Ricardo, not the subsequent girlfriend comments! )? it could be she has infected anal glands that need treatment....this smell is absolutely horrendous, so it could be that?

Could be or could be something as simple as an ear infection.

 

[Ricardodaforce]

She looks awesome....would I be right in thinking that even if she smelt nice you still wouldn't like her very much?

Does she bother her bum much (im talking about your dog Ricardo, not the subsequent girlfriend comments! )? it could be she has infected anal glands that need treatment....this smell is absolutely horrendous, so it could be that?

Correct, if she smelt of my favourite Boss aftershave I'd still not be interested. I just don't do pets! We all have different interests, and mine don't include dogs or cats. She never bothers her bum, she seems very healthy for an old girl, she's just turned 9.

Awwwww.....

You have to love them for the smell to go away!!

TBH, keeping the dog outside all the time will potentially be making the problem worse.

This is what my wife says. The dog tends to be outside about 19 hours of the day.

as said a healthy lab shouldnt smell (farting excluded).

what sort of smell are we talking?

Hard to describe. To me it's a stench. To my wife "it's not that bad"!

That's always possible.
I'd be willing to bet that Ricardo really just hates the dog and most of the smell is actually in his imagination

Don't hate it, but don't like it, but I promise you the smell is there!

Could be or could be something as simple as an ear infection.

But would that make the whole of her smell?

 

[HMansfield]

Is it a particular smell, or does it just smell of dog?

I couldn't have a dog because I don't like the smell that a healthy clean dog has, just as some people can't stand the smell of a healthy clean cat.

 

[Ricardodaforce]

Is it a particular smell, or does it just smell of dog?

I couldn't have a dog because I don't like the smell that a healthy clean dog has, just as some people can't stand the smell of a healthy clean cat.

She always had that dog smell, but now she has a stench! I really don't know how to describe it, other than to say that it's just not pleasant.

 

[Osmo]

Quote:
Originally Posted by pepi1967
Could be or could be something as simple as an ear infection.

But would that make the whole of her smell?

Probably not, but if not localised smell, i would guess it is either a systemic infection or more likely her diet is just causing her coat to smell a bit more than normal....or she just smells like a 9 year old lab and you just dont like that...fair enough, i guess.

 

[viv1969]

She always had that dog smell, but now she has a stench! I really don't know how to describe it, other than to say that it's just not pleasant.

Then do the responsible thing and take her to a vet. Apart from anything else, if the dog does reek as badly as you say she does ALL the time, then the vet will be able to smell it too, no? If they can't then it is all in your head

 

[Osmo]

Ricardo,

Any of the following help at all??

http://vetmedicine.about.com/cs/dogdiseasess/a/stinkydog.htm, ok my dog didn't roll in anything, and did not get sprayed by a skunk. What else could it be?
Here are just a few possible smell-producing medical problems:

Breath - some diseases, like kidney failure and diabetes, can cause a change in breath.
Diseased teeth and gums - dental disease and infected gums can produce a very foul odor. Additionally, a sore mouth may cause increased drooling. The malodorous saliva can coat the fur, furniture, etc., and you may not recognize that this is originating in the mouth.
Infected ears - bacterial infections of the ears are often extremely smelly. Vets often diagnose this type of infection by smell upon entering the exam room. Your dog will usually be scratching or shaking the head, but not always. A bath may make ears worse if water is trapped in the ear canal.
Flatulence - is the odor on your dog, or from your dog? Flatulence, or "gas" may indicate a dietary or intestinal problem. Some flatulence is normal, but if this is regularly occurring, please see your veterinarian.
Anal glands/sacs - this is perhaps the most common cause of doggie odor that won't go away. Anal sacs are two small scent-sacs in the area of the anus. These are a type of "marking" glands. When a dog has a bowel movement, these sacs are normally squeeze, and a very smelly, oily secretion is released with the feces.
If these sacs become infected or impacted (thicker secretion than normal, can't empty properly), problems result. This can be a very painful situation when they become infected! If a dog (or cat) is scared or overly excited, these glands can secrete the smelly, oily substance on the surrounding fur, causing bad odor.

By the way, she might be rolling in dead things frequently to neutralise this...'Correct, if she smelt of my favourite Boss aftershave I'd still not be interested'

 

[Ricardodaforce]

Probably not, but if not localised smell, i would guess it is either a systemic infection or more likely her diet is just causing her coat to smell a bit more than normal....or she just smells like a 9 year old lab and you just dont like that...fair enough, i guess.

Then do the responsible thing and take her to a vet. Apart from anything else, if the dog does reek as badly as you say she does ALL the time, then the vet will be able to smell it too, no? If they can't then it is all in your head

We are going to change her food. Another theory of my wife. So, rather than the usual we are going to feed her some ultra-expensive stuff. If that doesn't make a difference then maybe a trip to the vet is in order. The dog seems outwardly very healthy, and it seems strange taking her to a vet just for a pong!

 

[viv1969]

Being 9 isn't a reason for a dog to smell. Our GSD is 12 and sure she can fart like a docker, but it's temporary. (Granted, she can clear a room ) Ordinarily she doesn't pong.

 

[srichards]

Dogs smell. Where is the smell from? Unless you do a sniff test it's impossible to say... Could be ear infection, rotten teeth, rolling in dung when you're not looking.

 

[Ricardodaforce]

Ricardo,

Any of the following help at all??

http://vetmedicine.about.com/cs/dogdiseasess/a/stinkydog.htm, ok my dog didn't roll in anything, and did not get sprayed by a skunk. What else could it be?
Here are just a few possible smell-producing medical problems:

Breath - some diseases, like kidney failure and diabetes, can cause a change in breath.
Diseased teeth and gums - dental disease and infected gums can produce a very foul odor. Additionally, a sore mouth may cause increased drooling. The malodorous saliva can coat the fur, furniture, etc., and you may not recognize that this is originating in the mouth.
Infected ears - bacterial infections of the ears are often extremely smelly. Vets often diagnose this type of infection by smell upon entering the exam room. Your dog will usually be scratching or shaking the head, but not always. A bath may make ears worse if water is trapped in the ear canal.
Flatulence - is the odor on your dog, or from your dog? Flatulence, or "gas" may indicate a dietary or intestinal problem. Some flatulence is normal, but if this is regularly occurring, please see your veterinarian.
Anal glands/sacs - this is perhaps the most common cause of doggie odor that won't go away. Anal sacs are two small scent-sacs in the area of the anus. These are a type of "marking" glands. When a dog has a bowel movement, these sacs are normally squeeze, and a very smelly, oily secretion is released with the feces.
If these sacs become infected or impacted (thicker secretion than normal, can't empty properly), problems result. This can be a very painful situation when they become infected! If a dog (or cat) is scared or overly excited, these glands can secrete the smelly, oily substance on the surrounding fur, causing bad odor.

Thanks very much Osmo

 

[Ricardodaforce]

Dogs smell. Where is the smell from? Unless you do a sniff test it's impossible to say... Could be ear infection, rotten teeth, rolling in dung when you're not looking.

It's all over Suz! She just whiffs!

 

[pepi1967]

If its all over then it's from her skin. Why don't you just take her to the vet.

 

[Osmo]

The dog seems outwardly very healthy, and it seems strange taking her to a vet just for a pong!

Not at all mate.. the pong might just be the start of an underlying health problem that with early intervention may save her a lot of grief and you (or your wife) a lot of £££

Good luck, i hope you get her sorted out.

 

[Ricardodaforce]

If its all over then it's from her skin. Why don't you just take her to the vet.

I know nothing about these animals. I assumed a vet was the animal equivalent of a doctor, ie a place to take them to when they are ill. The dog shows no signs of being ill, and every sign of being a healthy, bounding dog. So, in all honesty, I never even considered a trip to the vets.

Not at all mate.. the pong might just be the start of an underlying health problem that with early intervention may save her a lot of grief and you (or your wife) a lot of £££

Good luck, i hope you get her sorted out.

Thank you, and you may well be right. I shall follow your advice.

 

[lizzy23]

an outside dog, which to all intents and purposes she is will stink worse than an indoor dog, when we've fetched dogs out of kennels the smell is awful and i have 5 of the little darlings

 

[pepi1967]

I know nothing about these animals. I assumed a vet was the animal equivalent of a doctor, ie a place to take them to when they are ill. The dog shows no signs of being ill, and every sign of being a healthy, bounding dog. So, in all honesty, I never even considered a trip to the vets.



Thank you, and you may well be right. I shall follow your advice.

Your not a vet and you don't like the dog you have no idea if she's unwell or not. The smell could be anything. Certain types of cancer in dogs makes the skin of the dog whiff as the skin produces oil it carries the hormone with it making the dog pong. The dog does not have to show itself to be un healthy to actually be unhealthy. Take it to the vet.

 

[Osmo]

Thank you, and you may well be right. I shall follow your advice.

Good luck mate....and if the vet confirms she is well and everything is fine at least you have ruled out any health problem, and then you can just embrace the fact you've got a lovely looking 9 year chocolate lab, that just happens to reek!

Learn to love her mate, lifes too short to worry about dog hair...as I frown and blow loads of the stuff of my nice new shiny macbook!!

 

[seriousrikk]

Expand on 'outside while your wife is in' - how much time does this equate to?

My parents had working labs and they lived outside, and always had a pretty strong dog smell that would stick to any clothes they leaned on. This pretty much vanished when they lived in the house day and night.

 

[Ricardodaforce]

an outside dog, which to all intents and purposes she is will stink worse than an indoor dog, when we've fetched dogs out of kennels the smell is awful and i have 5 of the little darlings

You poor thing!

Your not a vet and you don't like the dog you have no idea if she's unwell or not. The smell could be anything. Certain types of cancer in dogs makes the skin of the dog whiff as the skin produces oil it carries the hormone with it making the dog pong. The dog does not have to show itself to be un healthy to actually be unhealthy. Take it to the vet.

Really don't know why you feel the need to be so aggressive in your contributions. :shrug:

 

[Ricardodaforce]

Expand on 'outside while your wife is in' - how much time does this equate to?

My parents had working labs and they lived outside, and always had a pretty strong dog smell that would stick to any clothes they leaned on. This pretty much vanished when they lived in the house day and night.

As mentioned earlier, she's outside about 19hrs a day.

 

[viv1969]

As mentioned earlier, she's outside about 19hrs a day.

Simply because you're not "keen" on her?

 

[seriousrikk]

As mentioned earlier, she's outside about 19hrs a day.

Sorry, missed that.

Having been in the company of many an outdoor dog (assuming kennelled/shelter etc) I would be surprised if a vet came back with anything conclusive. Dogs that spend most of their time outdoors, will smell like dogs that live outdoors.

Obviously I don't know the level of stench which is why a vet would indeed be able to advise if there is a problem.

 

[Ricardodaforce]

Simply because you're not "keen" on her?

There's no reason why she should be in the house.

 

[Ricardodaforce]

Sorry, missed that.

Having been in the company of many an outdoor dog (assuming kennelled/shelter etc) I would be surprised if a vet came back with anything conclusive. Dogs that spend most of their time outdoors, will smell like dogs that live outdoors.

Obviously I don't know the level of stench which is why a vet would indeed be able to advise if there is a problem.

Yep she has a pretty large kennel where she sleeps and chills out. When she wants more sun she climbs up a set of spiral stairs and sunbathes on the roof terrace

 

[viv1969]

There's no reason why she should be in the house.

I honestly don't know why some people bother having pets :bang:

 

[Ian D J]

As Kirk in Coronation Street once said "Oh aye, you can't beat the smell of a wet dog's head, best smell in the world, that!".
However, I've never owned a dog of some sorts or other but do have a cat with bad breath (he has that from when I got him as a kitten, he's now ten years old. I did get him checked out for tooth-related issues but nothing showed up, so had to accept that he just has bad breath).
However, much higher up in the list is cat's fart. Man alive, if Saddam Hussein is still alive and is able to bottle what comes out of Chad's backside, he'd win the Middle East war hands down with it.