Dogs can’t meet the same standards of personal hygiene as humans can, and so all owners are used to living with a degree of doggy smell day to day. These smells aren’t always bad. Many dogs naturally start to pick up the scent of where they spend the majority of their time. For example, dogs who spend a lot of time out in grassy yards can often have a grassy smell of their own. If your furbaby spends a lot of time with you in a workshop, they could end up smelling of wood, smoke or oil. However, there can be occasions where the smell coming off your dog becomes too unpleasant to handle.
Why does my dog’s coat smell so bad?
There can be a number of reasons why your dog’s coat smells stomach-churningly bad.
Skin infections
Skin infections are one of the most common reasons why a dog’s coat can smell unpleasant. Skin infections can occur when a dog has an open wound that they persistently lick and scratch. These infections can be yeast-based or bacterial – both can cause a foul odour that can only be addressed with medical treatment from your vet.
Ear infections
Ear infections are a common problem in canines, particularly those which have floppy ears. They are most often caused by allergies but can also be caused by mites. You can reduce the risk of ear infections in your dog by making sure you dry their ears properly after baths and swimming.
Impacted anal glands
All dogs have two small scent sacs that are located on their bottom. These act as marking glands and are the main reason why your dog will sniff the bottom of another dog they come into contact with. Sometimes these sacs can become impacted. If this happens, not only is it very painful for your furbaby, but it also causes a smelly secretion to be released that remains on the fur, causing a pungent odour.
Periodontal disease
Although this form of advanced dental disease means that your dog will have bad breath, in some cases the odor can cling to the coat around their face and head, meaning that a horrible smell follows them wherever they go.
Rolling in something smelly
By far the most common reason why your dog may smell bad is simply that they have walked in or rolled in something smelly. Despite their much more developed sense of smell, dogs don’t smell things in the same way that we do. Something that is stinky to us can easily be interesting or even smell appealing to our canine pals. All too often, dogs will come home from a walk having rolled in mud, rubbish or animal poop that causes their coat to be stinky.
What is the best dog shampoo for smelly coats?
If your dog has a particularly smelly coat, regular dog shampoo might not be sufficient to get rid of really strong and pungent odours. Fortunately, there are some specialist canine shampoos that contain odour neutralisers that are designed specifically to eliminate even the most eyewatering smells after just a single wash rather than just masking them – something which could make your dog smell even worse as the scent of the shampoo starts to wear off. They also tend to contain more concentrated fragrance to ensure that your four-legged friend is left smelling fresh, and looking clean with a healthy, shiny coat.
Shampoos such is the and the are particularly good at cleaning dirty or smelly dogs. and also have specialty deodorising shampoo. It is important to have a very frothy wash to help with this so you may also like to view our guide on How to Froth Nature's Specialties. Lastly a spritz of cologne never goes a miss in helping your dog smell fantastic and you can see our full range here.
As with other dog shampoos, you should always follow the instructions with your specific shampoo to ensure that it is diluted to the right concentration, so that it doesn’t irritate your dog’s skin. If you usually use a professional groomer, feel free to ask them what brand of shampoo they use for particularly whiffy woofy friends! You can also check out our range of shampoos for smelly coats in our online store!
