Is There Any Way To Cover Up The Smell Of A Dog In Heat To Another Dog?
Cuteness may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.
Klaus Vedfelt/DigitalVision/GettyImages
When your dog is in heat, walking her can make you feel a bit like the Pied Piper luring a pack of enthusiastic male dogs through the streets. Intact strays may literally come running when they smell your dog, while those safely fenced in their yard will try desperately to get out. It's her scent that makes them come running, and run they will from up to three miles away. You can never eliminate your female's heat scent completely, but you can reduce it so she attracts less attention.
Make sure you're not advertising
The simplest way to handle your dog's come-hither aroma is to make sure you're not spreading it around. Keep your dog inside as much as possible. When she is in the yard, make sure she is never there alone and always has supervision. Close the windows in your house when she is inside so that her scent stays as contained as possible.
Even if your dog normally toilets in your yard, take her for walks at potty break time while she is in heat. This will keep her from urinating all over your property and leaving behind a tempting aroma. The more contained and controlled you keep her scent, the fewer males will enjoy it and come over for a visit.
Keep her clean
Keeping your dog clean during her heat cycle minimizes her scent and keeps any discharge under control. Some owners achieve cleanliness by bathing their dog regularly using a mild shampoo that won't irritate her skin. Others prefer to spot clean, periodically dampening a clean cloth and wiping down their dog's rear end.
Ultimately, it may not be your choice at all. While you may favor a particular cleaning method, your dog may prefer the other. Females can get a little cranky when they're in heat, so go with the method with which your dog seems most comfortable.
Disposable dog grooming wipes are an easy-to-use solution. Earth Rated Dog Wipes have soothing ingredients such as all natural shea butter, aloe, and chamomile so they won't irritate your dog's tender areas.
Try a little perfume
Widely available and easy to use, female dog in heat sprays such as scented sprays and essential oils can help mask your dog's odor during her time. Menthol spray for dogs in heat emits a strong odor which helps to disguise your dog's smell. If you dislike the scent, you can also try products with scents of lavender, wintergreen, peppermint, eucalyptus, or clove.
Bodhi Dog Natural Pet Cologne Deodorant Spray comes in 10 different scents, so you can choose one that appeals to you. There's even a sugar cookie fragrance when you want an alternative to herbal scents.
No matter what scent you choose, know that it will likely seem fairly potent. You are, after all, attempting to cover a scent that you can never completely eliminate. If you're bothered by certain smells or prone to headaches, masking your dog's odor with another may not be the best choice for you and your dog.