# Why do some dogs smell worse than others?



## Patchworkpony (23 June 2016)

Now I love dogs but have never enjoyed the smell of them like I LOVE the smell of horses. What I don't quite get is that some dogs hardly smell at all while others are so bad that even washing your hands after stroking them doesn't eliminate the smell. Are some breeds more prone to being pongy or is it the way they are kept?


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## CorvusCorax (23 June 2016)

Feeding, grooming, breed, environment, husbandry. 

Kennel smell is horrible!


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## PucciNPoni (23 June 2016)

CorvusCorax said:



			Feeding, grooming, breed, environment, husbandry. 

Kennel smell is horrible!
		
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All of that, plus the type of coat they have


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## Bellasophia (23 June 2016)

Stanley says you are welcome to bury your nose in his top knot...Pantene,,floral,delightful..ahhhh






 On a Serious note a wool coat needs more frequent washing ..

The other wash and wear coats( eg hounds etc) are more waterproof but do have that doggy smell. if you wish to cut the smell,use water with vinegar and  sponge the coat...the smell will be gone and a chamois will bring the coat to a great shine.


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## Patchworkpony (23 June 2016)

CorvusCorax said:



			Feeding, grooming, breed, environment, husbandry. 

Kennel smell is horrible!
		
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 Which breeds in particular?


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## Patchworkpony (23 June 2016)

PucciNPoni said:



			All of that, plus the type of coat they have
		
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 Which type of coat?


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## peanut (23 June 2016)

A friend of mine brings her two border terriers when she visits and I find the smell of them almost over powering.  It's not a nasty smell just a very strong doggy smell - they seriously need a bath.


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## Patchworkpony (23 June 2016)

peanut said:



			A friend of mine brings her two border terriers when she visits and I find the smell of them almost over powering.  It's not a nasty smell just a very strong doggy smell - they seriously need a bath.
		
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 I know what you mean - I think some people are totally immune to the smell of their dogs!


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## Patchworkpony (23 June 2016)

Bellasophia said:



			if you wish to cut the smell,use water with vinegar and  sponge the coat...the smell will be gone and a chamois will bring the coat to a great shine.
		
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 Useful tip thank you.


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## satinbaze (23 June 2016)

Some breeds have an oily coat and consequently smell different. I'm particularly thinking of the Chesapeake Bay Retriever, the coat feels greasy too.


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## blackcob (23 June 2016)

I have 'dry', fluffy, double-coated nordic dogs that barely smell of anything whereas the oily, waterproof gundog smells of cheesy spaniel.


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## PucciNPoni (23 June 2016)

Patchworkpony said:



			Which type of coat?
		
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Well, in my own experience I find that terriers often can whiff of wee - particular Borders which don't often get a bath.  Males often wee on their front legs so that stinks.  

Cockers drag their ears thru everything so the ears can be foul, even if they aren't greasy inside (and some cockers have nasty ears if they aren't looked after - plus they can get lip fold dermatitis, which stinks).

Schnauzers, it's the beard!

I find that giant double coats can smell bad, even aFTER a bath. 

So it really does depend, I find that many breeds of dogs will have their own unique pong depending on lifestyle and breed, what coat they have.  

Some breeds often aren't that smelly - bichons, cavvies, poodles.


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## Patchworkpony (23 June 2016)

Do Jack Russells smell much?


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## Clodagh (23 June 2016)

I always think Border terriers smell a bit seasidey, they definately have a different smell to the other dogs. The labradors smell lovely if they haven't been rolling in anything gross.


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## Fiona (23 June 2016)

I've never noticed a smell of my lakeland/fox terrier but she gets bathed more often than the jrts did. Love her non shedding coat though 

Fiona


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## Leo Walker (23 June 2016)

Raw fed dogs dont tend to smell. Dogs fed on cheap dry food always seen to stink! Mine are whippets, very clean dogs generally with short, flat coats, and raw fed. They dont really get bathed, just a hose off if they roll in something nasty! They have no smell, even when they are wet. Literally nothing.


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## EllenJay (23 June 2016)

FrankieCob said:



			Raw fed dogs dont tend to smell.
		
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I have 2 cross breeds terriers (rescue dogs), both fed the same raw diet, one smells like roses, the other stinks.  Lovely smelling one has a spaniel type coat and the smelly one is rough coated.


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## Kylara (23 June 2016)

Our airedale doesn't smell much (unless he gets wet, but even that's not overwhelming). He's very clean and doesn't roll in much at all. He also has a non shedding coat which I think helps. He only smells after he eats a fishstick and that's just bad fish breath!


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## Leo Walker (23 June 2016)

EllenJay said:



			I have 2 cross breeds terriers (rescue dogs), both fed the same raw diet, one smells like roses, the other stinks.  Lovely smelling one has a spaniel type coat and the smelly one is rough coated.
		
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Well its something I've heard a lot and is very noticeable with mine, there is just no smell. Both smelt very doggy when I got them, and with both it slowly disappeared. I guess dogs are all different


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## dappyness (23 June 2016)

FrankieCob said:



			Raw fed dogs dont tend to smell. Dogs fed on cheap dry food always seen to stink! Mine are whippets, very clean dogs generally with short, flat coats, and raw fed. They dont really get bathed, just a hose off if they roll in something nasty! They have no smell, even when they are wet. Literally nothing.
		
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I have two whippets and I can second that.  One of them has such a thin coat his belly is bare and he never smells even when wet.. The other one has got a better coat since living with me, he also never smells.


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## C1airey (23 June 2016)

My JRXs (also raw fed, incidentally), don't smell either. 

Except for their paws, but if I could bottle that smell, I would.


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## CrazyMare (24 June 2016)

My greyhound doesn't smell unless she plays lots with smelly dogs, same with dad's Parsons. Dad's terrier has a weekly shower at least though as he sleeps under the duvet and you don't want a stinky dog in bed!!


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## cremedemonthe (24 June 2016)

My 3 (JRT, staffie x lab and saluki x whippet lurcher) don't smell at all, all been few on raw meat for years. I ask people who come into the house and who don't own dogs if the house or dogs smell doggy and the answer is always no.


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## CorvusCorax (24 June 2016)

I've also been told my house doesn't smell of dog! 
When mine was on raw he retained that new puppy smell and it was remarked upon. He's a bit earthier now back on dry but certainly not that 'catches the back of your throat' aroma.


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## Alec Swan (24 June 2016)

I met a girl in a pub once,  fell in to conversation and we found that we had a mutual interest in lurchers.  She asked if I'd like to see her dogs and I said that I would.  She invited me round for 'tea' on a Sunday,  and I duly turned up.  I was genuinely staggered;  she had 5 that all lived indoors,  she had a vast kitchen and each dog had its own armchair.

The strange thing was,  and at the time I'd been 6 years non-smoking,  there wasn't even the slightest whiff of woofer.  Nothing at all.  Stranger still,  out of the 5 dogs,  2 were elderly and 2 middle aged.  They were all beautifully mannered and welcoming.  It was the lack of doggie aroma that struck me though.  Generally,  once past the age of about 3 years,  most of our house living dogs acquire a bit of a 'nose',  so how the girl above managed as she did,  remains one of life's mysteries! 

Alec.


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## Clodagh (24 June 2016)

The breeder our pup came from has 5 adult labrador bitches in a very small house. They live in and her house doesn't smell at all. People I ask say ours doesn't but most of them have dogs so I remain unconvinced! Certainly on these wet days we have had the back of the house where they are shut during the day gets a bit whiffy, but the three dog towels drying don't help, added to the dogs drying too.


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## Nudibranch (24 June 2016)

There must be something breed or gene specific. Both of ours have the same diet (raw), the same bathing routine, beds washed at the same time, etc, etc. Both have long ear hair and feathers. However the longhaired dachshund has no smell at all, while the saluki is usually a bit smelly.


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## Peter7917 (24 June 2016)

My whippet seems odourless.
The elderly Labrador absolutely stinks. 

Just get whippets


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## Crugeran Celt (24 June 2016)

I have two dogs,  one a springer x collie and a springer, the cross breed really smells awful while the springer doesn't smell at all unless she has rolled in fox poo. I always thought it was because the springer moults terribly but the cross breed doesn't moult at all.


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## Leo Walker (24 June 2016)

Peter7917 said:



			Just get whippets 

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My sentiments exactly, and the no smell is just a bonus :lol: Saying that, I've puppy sat C1aireys hairy little bog snorkling terrier and he had no smell either. He was also utterly charming and very nearly converted me!


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## BentleyBelly (30 June 2016)

PucciNPoni said:



			Well, in my own experience I find that terriers often can whiff of wee - particular Borders which don't often get a bath.  Males often wee on their front legs so that stinks.  

Cockers drag their ears thru everything so the ears can be foul, even if they aren't greasy inside (and some cockers have nasty ears if they aren't looked after - plus they can get lip fold dermatitis, which stinks).

Schnauzers, it's the beard!

I find that giant double coats can smell bad, even aFTER a bath. 

So it really does depend, I find that many breeds of dogs will have their own unique pong depending on lifestyle and breed, what coat they have.  

Some breeds often aren't that smelly - bichons, cavvies, poodles.
		
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We've a Standard Schnauzer....her beard is disgusting and filthy again within hours of washing!


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## twiggy2 (9 July 2016)

Almost all of the digs described on here as 'smelly' are breeds that are likely to have ear infections, skin fold infections or allergies.
Cheesy or yeasty smells are a sign of allergies. Raw fed dogs are mire likely to have a grain free diet therefore be on a diet that suits them.
Unless like me you have a dog that is allergic to all meat proteins 'sigh'


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## C1airey (9 July 2016)

FrankieCob said:



			My sentiments exactly, and the no smell is just a bonus :lol: Saying that, I've puppy sat C1aireys hairy little bog snorkling terrier and he had no smell either. He was also utterly charming and very nearly converted me!
		
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Everyone should have a hairy bog-snorkelling terrier


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## The wife (10 July 2016)

Our lab smells earthy, it's not an unpleasant smell but he does smell of, well, earth! He smelt of puppy until he was 18 months old and was such a delicious smelling dog, I could have eaten him! Funnily enough our house doesn't smell though thankfully but he is towelled dry when wet before he is allowed to come inside.

Dog runs around the farm constantly though, all through the long grass and regularly jumps in water troughs, rolls in muddy muddles etc so it's no surprise he does smell a bit


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