Home Remedies For Dog Odor

If you find yourself saying, "My dog stinks no matter what I do," getting the smell under control may seem hopeless. There's nothing worse than a stinky dog in the home or car, but you don't have to send your pet off to his own room in the house. There are some home remedies for stinky dog smells, but first, you may have to identify the cause of the dog odor before you can eliminate it.

There are a few reasons for bad smells emanating from your dog, above and beyond her liking to roll around in things that we think are gross. Whether it's "Frito feet," bad breath, or something else, the cause of it will be the first thing to figure out before developing your dog odor remedies.

Believe it or not, a dog's paws can smell like Fritos or corn chips from a bacterial infection. A dog's sweat glands are in their paws, and this creates a moist environment where bacteria love to breed. Most of the time, our dog's bodies keep these bacterial levels in check but occasionally they might get out of balance. The bacteria pseudomonas is said to smell like popcorn, while the bacteria proteus is said to smell like corn tortillas, or a popular snack chip.

If you think Frito feet is contributing to your dog odor, eliminate it with a homemade paw soak. You can buy commercial paw soaks, but a stinky dog cure that Waunakee Vet Clinic uses is one gallon of water mixed with with 1 cup of apple cider vinegar and 1 cup of hydrogen peroxide.

Dogs can't brush their teeth, so it's no surprise that their breath doesn't smell as fresh as we would like. But a really overpowering odor could mean that your dog has some kind of dental or other mouth issue. According to ASPCA Pet Insurance, causes of bad pet breath could include having food particles stuck in their teeth, a tooth infection, or a condition such as diabetes.

Home remedies for stinky dog breath include more frequent brushing or commercial products such as chews, treats, and even drops that can be added to your pet's water bowl. Being able to chew on crunchy things like toys can help keep their teeth clean and keep bad breath at bay.

All dogs have anal sacs, which are are two small glands that produce a smelly fluid. This fluid is what dogs use to mark their territory or otherwise communicate with other dogs through scent. VCA Hospitals says it is common for anal sacs to become plugged. When this happens, the anal sacs need to be "expressed," or in other words squeezed out, to remove the plug.

The Mobile Pet Clinic of Texas gives deodorant as a sticky dog cure for anal sacs. Swipe a deodorant stick with a paper towel or gauze pad and then wipe the anal region with it. Once the sacs are expressed, this eliminates the odor.

The Animal Medical Center of Appleton suggests some easy home remedies for a stinky dog. Sometimes, simply bathing every three months may be all that is needed (more than that could exacerbate a dry skin problem). Also, don't shy away from giving your dog regular hair brushing, which reduces shedding. Sprinkling baking soda or corn starch on your dog's fur is a quick and easy stinky dog cure.

Don't forget to wash your pet's bedding! If your clean pet is wallowing in a sticky dog bed, that won't help matters. If your pet's bed is the source of dog odor, eliminate it with a homemade spray of 1/4 witch hazel and 3/4 water in a spray bottle.