Why does my dog smell even after a bath?

When we happily take our dogs home from the pet store, or bathe them at home, we expect to smell the fresh "dog scent", but find that the odor is still with us. This is so frustrating. After all, our love for dogs is largely hidden in these daily cares. Who doesn't want their baby to be fragrant and soft, and be a "sweetheart"? Don't get angry. There may be many reasons behind the odor of dogs after bathing. ​

Let's start with the bathing itself. Bathing dogs seems simple, but it actually hides mysteries. Take the frequency of bathing as an example. Some owners think that dogs love to go out and play crazy, and they get dirty quickly, so they want to bathe them every two or three days. But in fact, dogs' skin is different from humans. There is a layer of oil on their skin surface, which plays a role in protecting the skin and resisting external germs. Excessive bathing will wash away this precious layer of oil, and the skin will lose its protection, and it will become dry, itchy, and cause inflammation, which will then produce odor. On the contrary, if the interval between bathing is too long, the dirt, dust, and microorganisms accumulated on the dog will increase, and the odor will naturally come. Generally speaking, it is more appropriate to bathe small dogs once every 1-2 months, medium-sized dogs once every 1.5-2 months, and large dogs once every 2-3 months, but this also needs to be flexibly adjusted according to the dog's living environment and activity level. ​

Let's take a look at the products used for bathing. There are a wide variety of pet shower gels on the market. If you choose the wrong one, you will be in big trouble. The pH of some shower gels is not suitable for dog skin. Long-term use will destroy the acid-base balance of the skin and cause frequent skin problems. For example, a shower gel that is too alkaline will make the dog's skin dry and flaky, and bacteria and fungi love to take advantage of the opportunity to "set up camp" on the skin, producing unpleasant odors. When choosing shower gel for dogs, you should be as careful as choosing skin care products for yourself. It is best to choose products specially designed for dogs, with natural and mild ingredients and suitable pH. If the dog's skin is sensitive, you should also choose a shower gel with a hypoallergenic formula. ​

The small details in the bathing process should not be ignored. When bathing a dog, make sure that the whole body is wet, especially the parts with dense hair, such as golden retrievers and Alaskans. If the hair inside is not wet, the dirt cannot be washed clean. After applying the shower gel, you should rub and massage it fully to allow the shower gel to play a cleaning role, but the force should not be too strong to avoid hurting the dog's skin. When rinsing, you must be careful and rinse off the shower gel residue thoroughly. The shower gel residue will not only irritate the dog's skin, but also absorb dust and become a "catalyst" for odor. Some owners are in a hurry and end the battle with just two rinses. The dog still has shower gel bubbles on his body, so it is not surprising that there is a peculiar smell after taking a bath. ​

But if the bathing process is done well and the dog still has a peculiar smell, you have to find the reason from the dog itself. Ears are an easily overlooked "source of odor". Dogs have a special structure of ears, and the ear canal is L-shaped, which is easy to hide dirt. If it is not cleaned regularly, earwax will accumulate, breeding bacteria and mites, and it will emit a sour smell. Usually, we can use pet-specific ear wash to clean the dog's ears 1-2 times a week. First, drop the ear wash into the ear canal, gently rub the ear base, let the ear wash fully dissolve the earwax, then let the dog shake its head to shake out the dirt, and finally use a cotton ball to gently wipe the external ear canal. If you find that the dog scratches its ears frequently, the ears are red and swollen, and there are secretions, you must take it to the veterinarian immediately, because the ears may be inflamed. Oral hygiene is also a big problem. Dogs eat and drink every day, and food residues are easily left in the teeth and gums. If they are not cleaned in time, bacteria will multiply and cause bad breath, which is the "hardest hit area" of dog odor. Imagine that the dog comes over happily for a kiss, but as soon as it opens its mouth, the smell instantly "gets you high", which affects the relationship. In order to avoid this embarrassment, we have to cultivate the habit of brushing teeth in dogs from an early age. You can use pet-specific toothpaste and toothbrushes. At the beginning, dogs may not be used to it, so we have to be patient and take it slowly. First let the dog smell the toothpaste to get familiar with the smell, then gently pry open its mouth, dip the toothbrush in toothpaste, start from the outside of the teeth, and slowly brush them. If the dog really doesn't cooperate, you can also use products such as tooth cleaning spray and tooth cleaning bones to help clean the mouth. ​

There are also anal glands, which are also a part that many owners don't know much about. There is an anal gland on each side of the dog's anus, which stores special secretions. Under normal circumstances, the dog will discharge some anal gland fluid when defecating. But if the anal glands are blocked, the secretions cannot be discharged, and they will accumulate more and more, producing a strong odor. Generally speaking, dogs need to squeeze their anal glands once every 3-4 months. If you find that your dog always rubs his butt on the ground and there is a peculiar smell at the base of his tail, it is likely that the anal glands need to be squeezed. However, it is best to have professionals squeeze the anal glands. If the technique is not correct, it is easy to hurt the dog. ​

Of course, some diseases may also cause the dog to emit peculiar smell. For example, skin diseases, whether it is fungal, bacterial infection, or skin diseases caused by allergies, the dog's skin will have symptoms such as itching, erythema, hair loss, scabs, etc.and will also be accompanied by peculiar smell. There are also ear infections, oral diseases, gastrointestinal problems, etc., which may make the dog's smell become wrong. If the dog's odor persists and is accompanied by abnormal symptoms such as lack of energy, loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, etc., be sure to take it to the pet hospital for examination in time to find out the cause and prescribe the right medicine. ​

If the dog still has peculiar smell after taking a bath, it is not the dog's fault, nor is it our poor care, but there are many complex reasons behind it. As dog owners, we should learn more about pet care knowledge and take good care of every aspect of bathing and every part of the dog's body.