If you have ever bathed your dog, enjoyed a day at the beach or pool with him, or just gone for a walk on a rainy day, surely you know the famous " wet dog smell". This peculiar and unattractive aroma that dogs emit when they are wet is so recognized in our culture that many use the expression "wet dog smell" to refer to something or someone that smells really bad.
If you're wondering how to avoid wet dog smell on your best friend, you've come to the right place. In this new article on our site, we explain why dogs smell bad when they get wet, and we offer you home remedies and infallible tips to prevent the smell of wet dog in your home. You can not lose this!
Why do dogs smell bad when they get wet?
Wondering what causes wet dog smell? How to remove the bad smell of the dog? So, you should know that this is something inherent to nature and to the organism of our furry ones. Although we can reduce the intensity of this smell, we should not try to neutralize or eliminate it. By attempting to reverse this natural feature of your body, we can severely harm your he alth. Therefore, remember that living with and loving your dog also means respecting their own nature
Numerous beneficial bacteria and yeasts live on the surface of our dogs' bodies. These microorganisms feed on skin and hair residues, producing organic acids as a result of their metabolism. These acids form a kind of "protective layer" that covers the entire body of animals. When we wet our dog, the organic acids evaporate and quickly spread through the air. This makes our sense of smell more intensely detect the acid molecules that are in suspension throughout the environment.
However, we must emphasize that the "bad smell" basically comes from our perception and not from the act of wetting the dog. The natural phenomenon of evaporation of organic acids only leads to the presence of a greater quantity of acid molecules in the air, but does not define an aroma as pleasant or stinky. It is our body that generates an "automatic" rejection by interpreting this concentration of molecules as a sour smell.
This natural rejection of bad odors in dogs is actually an evolutionary adaptation that humans developed to avoid consuming substances or spoiled food that can poison your body. If we pay attention, garbage and decomposing remains, for example, give off a very strong sour smell. Therefore, our self-preservation instinct makes us feel repelled by the smell of wet dog, which is, after all, a metabolic wasteof bacteria and yeasts.
Home remedies to avoid the smell of wet dog
But how to avoid the smell of wet dog? Or worse yet, what happens when a dog smells bad even if you give it a bath? Whether you want to clean the entire coat or just want to know how to avoid the bad smell of dog's paws, below we propose some home and natural remedies to combat bad odors:
- Apple cider vinegar: apple cider vinegar is one of the most used products in home treatments for dogs, thanks to its recognized antiseptic properties. To reduce the bad smell that your dog gives off when it gets wet, you can add apple cider vinegar to the shampoo that you usually use to bathe it. Another option is to make your own homemade shampoo and add a few tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. The recommended proportion is 1 cup of vinegar for every 1 liter of shampoo. Remember that by acidifying the dog's skin too much, we can cause allergic reactions and unbalance the population of beneficial bacteria and yeasts that help protect your dog's body, leaving it more vulnerable to numerous diseases. Do not bathe your dog excessively, let at least 7 days pass between baths.
- Romero: Rosemary is an aromatic herb that can be used as water or oil in natural treatments. Rosemary water is very beneficial to help heal wounds in dogs. Rosemary oil, in addition to its pleasant smell, can be used as a natural antibacterial and as a homemade mosquito repellent. If you prefer a more practical solution, you can also simply add a few drops of rosemary oil to your dog's shampoo.
- Coconut Oil: Coconut oil offers various he alth benefits for our dogs. On the one hand, it can be used as a natural supplement in the diet of our furry friends. On the other hand, it is an excellent natural moisturizer for your hair and skin, as well as helping to heal wounds and burns. To avoid the smell of wet dog, we recommend you make a homemade conditioner for dogs based on coconut oil and rosemary oil. To prepare it, we must mix well 50 ml. of coconut oil with 10 drops of rosemary oil. Then, we can apply the preparation as a conditioner, after sanitizing our dog with his usual shampoo. Remember to rinse the dog after the application and dry it very well at the end of the bath.
- Homemade mint perfume: if you want to improve your dog's scent, you should not use human or industrial perfumes. These products have alcohol in their formula, so they can cause allergic reactions and irritate the mucous membranes of our dogs. If you want your furry to smell good, you can learn our step-by-step guide to making a homemade mint-based perfume.
If you find yourself facing an emergency and you don't have time to bathe your dog so that it smells good again, also discover in our site 3 ways to remove dog odor without bathing. You'll be surprised!
Tips to prevent wet dog smell
Although we have previously mentioned some home and natural remedies to prevent odor in dogs, here are some extra tips also very useful to avoid bad odours:
- Don't go overboard in baths: Although baths are important for sanitizing your dog and controlling bad odor, excess baths is usually detrimental to your he alth. If you bathe your dog very frequently, you can eliminate the natural oiliness (the famous "sebum") that covers his body. Consequently, your furry loses its natural protection and is more exposed to various diseases and climatic adversities. The ideal is to bathe your dog only when it is really necessary and avoid doing it more than once a month.
- Remember to dry your dog well: the accumulation of moisture in the skin and hair of our furry ones not only gives off an odor unpleasant, but also favors the proliferation of pathogens. Therefore, do not forget to dry your dog very well after each bath or when returning from a walk on rainy days.
- Brush your dog periodically: a dog can smell bad due to the accumulation of impurities and dead hair on its fur. If you want to prevent this bad odor and make your best friend look he althy and shiny hair, you should provide weekly or daily brushing, depending on the type of fur of him
- Clean your dog's teeth regularly: halitosis is very common in dogs that do not receive adequate oral hygiene and accumulate many food residue on your teeth and gums. If you regularly brush your furry's teeth, you will notice that bad breath will be considerably reduced. However, if you notice that the bad smell persists or if you detect the presence of tartar in your dog's mouth, do not hesitate to consult a veterinarian you trust.
Don't forget that home care and hygiene are also important to avoid the smell of wet dog, therefore, if your house smells like dog, you can visit aHOWTO and find out how to remove the smell of dog from your house. Cool!
Does your dog constantly give off a bad smell?
Dogs can give off other unpleasant odors for different reasons, and it is very important not to confuse them with the natural "wet dog smell". Many times, an unpleasant odor on your skin, in your anus, in your paws or in your ears can appear as a symptom of imbalance in your body.
Remember that, sometimes, the bad smell in dogs can be due to a disease, therefore, if your dog continues to smell excessively bad after bathing, it may be advisable to go to a veterinarian and rule out that, in fact, the bad odor could be due to a pathology.
Dogs that suffer from flatulence in their digestive tract can give off foul-smelling gases as a symptom of some food intolerance or allergy, as well as some pathology. If your furry has a lot of gas, do not hesitate to quickly go to your trusted veterinarian to establish an appropriate treatment. In addition, you can count on our tips to prevent gas in dogs with natural remedies.
On the other hand, remember to provide adequate preventive medicine to your best friend throughout his life. For this, it is essential to visit the vet every 6 months, respect his vaccination and deworming card, provide a balanced diet and keep him physically and mentally stimulated.
