Remedies for a smelly dog?

[Dace]

He doesn't smell that bad but he does have a pretty distinct doggy odor.

I bathe him every few to several weeks, but even after a bath he smells like a smelly dog . Is there anything I can use to freshen him up? He lives inside by the way.

I was actually thinking about rubbing a washcloth full of my natural fabric softener on him...LOL, I won't because I know that the vinegar will irritate his skin...but that is what got me thinking that maybe someone here has a clever idea!

 

[sylvie]

My vet has me use baby wipes on my dog instead of baths to protect the natural oils. I'm allowed to use as often as I want. It has made a difference with my golden retriever with all those strong water dog oils.

If your dog is really suddenly stinky, it could be anal glands expressing.

 

[k0xxx]

He doesn't smell that bad but he does have a pretty distinct doggy odor.

I bathe him every few to several weeks, but even after a bath he smells like a smelly dog . Is there anything I can use to freshen him up? He lives inside by the way.

I was actually thinking about rubbing a washcloth full of my natural fabric softener on him...LOL, I won't because I know that the vinegar will irritate his skin...but that is what got me thinking that maybe someone here has a clever idea!

We wash our four about once per week. The three Lab mixes stay pretty much ok, but he Pyr starts to smell a day or two after bathing. Some breeds are more prone to the dog odor than others, I guess.

However, all four are "inside" dogs . When we let them play outside in the heat, or if they are out in the rain doing their business, they start to reek sooner. If there is anything out in the yard that is smelly for them to roll in, all bets are off and wy wife usually will end up chasing them around the house with the "Fresh Care". THEY HATE THAT, but it is sorta funny to watch (don't mention that to the ASPCA ).

Baby wipes do certainly help, as Sylvie stated.

 

[Dace]

Hmmm...baby wipes huh? I don't want to have to buy something and then throw it out though, you know? I wonder about making a homemade baby wipe recipe though and just using a wash cloth to apply?

Not a sudden smell...more of a chronic lingering one

 

[freemotion]

You could put a few drops of lavender and tea tree essential oils in your baby wipe mixture. Both are disinfecting and non-irritating, just keep it away from his eyes and nostrils. If you use eo's, I would put it in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid, as the eo's will evaporate into the air rather quickly.

Maybe a tsp of natural liquid castile soap, like Dr. Bronner's or Dessert Essence, a few drops of the above eo's, and a cup of water in a wide-mouth pint jar with a few cloth napkins......?

 

[big brown horse]

I was told once to give a dry bath with baking soda. Dont do it over your grass though, it will turn it brown.

Now that we live near salt water, when the Saints get stinky, we take them for a dip in the Sound. It has really helped our youngest pup with her itchy skin. We have been here over 8 months now and they don't stink. No baths since we left Houston. They swim about 3 times a month in the Sound. Also, salt water kills fleas too.


ETA TYPOS!!

 

[SKR8PN]

We have two Chocolate Labs and a Golden Retriever,all inside dogs.....they only get a bath once every 6 months and NONE of them ever smell like "dog". All three of ours are females and ALL of them are fixed.
First thing is to check the anal glands to see if they are impacted. If you have a male dog and he isn't fixed, clean his "junk" with baby wipes or a cotton cloth soaked in Hydrogen Peroxide.
Next....CHECK THE EARS!!! If the ears smell then you have a yeast infection brewing! CLEAN THEM and keep them clean!!

 

[Beekissed]

My GP/Lab mix has a doggy smell also. I think its the breed, seriously. You can bathe her and she smells like the soap....but underneath all the good smell you can still smell the dog. My Lab/BC mix has never had a doggy odor and could go all the time without bathing. He smells good...like warm sun and grass. Both are outside dogs.

 

[FarmerDenise]

BO can also be due to the food they eat. You might want to consider changing the diet. Try adding more vegies, especially parsley, it controls BO

 

[breconbcs]

As FM said, you can use some EOs. I like to use lavender, peppermint and tea tree as my base EOs and I add lemongrass, bergamot and a drop or two of citronella - they help repel fleas/ticks/mosquitoes while making the dogs smell nice. I'm sure you can use baby wipes mixed that way, I mix them with some almond oil but you can use olive or what ever oil you have. I mix them in a small container with a squirt opening and then just "massage" it in daily between baths (I also bath them with soap made from most of these EOs). My customers love it and find it helps with BO - one lady has her hubby use it as she says his BO is worse than the dog's...lol.
I have 4 females and a male, all intact and raw/homemade treat fed and I don't have problems with BO.