He's a four month old pointer mix. He gets a bath about every ten days, and I shake his loose hair out with a rubber brush. Since I've gotten him, he's eaten either Fromm, Now Fresh, or Acana. He's on Acana now.
His poop, surprisingly, doesn't smell that much.
But I'd like to be able to bury my face in his fur when we cuddle, and I just can't. He's stinky! In fact, he's probably more stinky after his bath.
Should I just accept that he's a naturally stinky dog? Or are there steps I can take?
Try coconut oil! Specifically, add a teaspoon of organic virgin coconut oil to each meal that you feed your pup. You can also rub it into your dog's coat. It promotes healthy, hydrated skin and makes them smell much better.
I would introduce the coconut oil into your dog's diet slowly, though. Just like a new food they have to get used to digesting the oil in small amounts before you give him the whole teaspoonful
Hounds just smell. My foxhound always smells and when wet or damp he smells worse. You just have to get used to it. Fortunately they are so sweet tempered it balances it out.
@Dawnben: I'm beginning to think you're right @mydogdrew: It's worth giving a shot. I use coconut oil for my own hair. Worst case scenario is that his coat starts to look shinier
They also sell pet "Perfumes" I know Top paw has a couple, one being strawberry banana. They usually have a good scent to them and help in between baths(Plus sometimes act as a coat conditioner.) So even if you can't change his smell, you can always mask it!
PS I don't know if anyone has this problem, but since I started this thread I washed him with a hypoallergenic shampoo and his smell cleared up right away. I even switched to a different one after that (Cloud Star) and he still smells good.
So I guess it was the shampoo I was using that wasn't helping him out (Viva La Dog Spa). Either that or I adopted him from the shelter with something stinky on him and somehow Viva La Dog Spa wasn't ever able to clean it out with multiple baths.
PS I don't know if anyone has this problem, but since I started this thread I washed him with a hypoallergenic shampoo and his smell cleared up right away.
That's interesting cause I had better results when I switched from the more expensive pet store shampoos to cheap generic baby shampoo (at the suggestion of the vet).
Ditto on the teeth brushing. Also ear cleaning.
Not sure if diet has anything to do with it but keeping track of what my dogs ate and making sure they didn't ingest anything they weren't supposed to might have contributed to improved smell.
Unless there is a medical reason, or he got into something you probably don't want to bath him so often. It dries their skin out and can make problems worse. My dogs are raw fed so they don't have a doggy smell(even my hound) and they don't need baths often. I normally bath them twice a year.
I'll bet you could make a big difference with some diet changes. Talk to a Vet regarding possible diet changes you can make to help. You may not be able to eliminate the odor, but I would guess diet could improve it.
Are you sure this is not just the typical dog smell? Bathing a dog every ten days takes the natural oils out of a dogs fur which can lead to dry and irritated skin.
I've found a huge difference in my dogs' odors since adding a vinegar rinse to their monthly bath. It's a 60/40 water/vinegar mix, and I dip feet and then pour over them at the end of their bath, from the neck down. Keeps them super fresh without adding a fake smell, and they seem to enjoy it. As a bonus, it will repel any yeast if your dog is prone to that.
*of course don't use vinegar if your dog has any cuts/wounds
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