How to Treat a Dog's Body Odor

The wrinkles in a bulldog's face can cause some yeasty odor.

He may be man's best friend, but sometimes it's hard to give him the hugs he deserves because he smells like yesterday's garbage. A dog's body odor results from a number of things and getting rid of it takes some know-how and patience. Your dog is worth the effort.

Instructions

1. 

   Do not bathe your dog more often than once every two weeks.

   Lather up the suds. Bathing is the first line of defense in presenting a sweeter side of your dog to the world. Let him sit in a tub of lukewarm water while you soap him up with dog shampoo. Massage him with a odor-fighting bubble bath.

2. Rinse the soap thoroughly from your dog. Leaving even a little shampoo can irritate his skin causing it to produce more oils, resulting in body odor returning sooner. Spritz him with an after-bath scented spritz, or a leave-in conditioner.

3. 

   Dogs with floppy ears are susceptible to ear yeast infections.

   Inspect your dog's ears. Dirty ears are a leading cause of odor on a dog. You can purchase commercial ear cleaning solutions or mix a tablespoon of vinegar with ¼-cup warm water and flush out his ears. Put the solution in a bottle with a nozzle top, place the nozzle in his ear and squeeze firmly. This will flush out impurities in his ears. Wipe out his ears with cotton balls until they are dry and clean.

4. 

   A dog's mouth is a frequent source of odor.

   Brush your dog's teeth. Purchase dog toothbrushes and toothpaste from your pet supply store and brush the stuck-on plaque and food from his teeth. Unlike the minty human-variety toothpaste, dog flavors are chicken and beef. Your dog will think his dental cleaning is a treat. Alternatively, you can use products such as Greenies to clean his teeth.

Tips & Warnings

• Switch to a tar-based dog shampoo if the smell is still offensive. Available from pet supply stores, tar shampoos cut through all the grime and get your dog his cleanest.

• If all your hard work does not remove your dog's odor, see a veterinarian. The smell could indicate an infection or skin allergy.

References

• Dog Channel: Smelly Dog Ears
• Puppy Training Solutions: Guide to Dog Teeth Cleaning

Resources

• The Doctors Book of Home Remedies for Dogs and Cats: Over 1,000 Solutions to Your Pet's Problems - From Top Vets, Trainers, Breeders, and Other Animal Experts