Why do some dogs smell and some don't?

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Patchworkpony

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Can anyone tell me why some dogs smell frankly awful all the time, while other dogs hardly smell if at all? Is it to do with different breeds or is it their diet?
 
I can't imagine breeds smell different. Surely it must be where they live, as in the house or farm etc. If you're talking about their breath then it's down to diet.
 
My little dog doesn't smell at all (obviously he does to other dogs!) that I can discern. He doesn't get bathed or brushed very often,
he is always complimented for his beautiful coat. He doesn't even get the wet cardigan pong when he's been out in the rain
 
Penny Less said:
My little dog doesn't smell at all (obviously he does to other dogs!) that I can discern. He doesn't get bathed or brushed very often,
he is always complimented for his beautiful coat. He doesn't even get the wet cardigan pong when he's been out in the rain
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How lovely - what breed is he?
 
JasonW said:
I can't imagine breeds smell different. Surely it must be where they live, as in the house or farm etc. If you're talking about their breath then it's down to diet.
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It's not their breath - it's general dog pong. We went to an office the other day where someone had a lab lying on a sofa and the whole room just stunk of dog - it was vile. I don't remember any of my dogs smelling like that in the past.
 
My Chi smells more than my whippet (who doesn't really smell at all) because her immune system isn't very strong and she gets bacterial skin infections. I wash her with Hibiscrub which helps but she is still a bit whiffy compared to my other girl.
 
I think some of it is breed specific - water retrievers and gun dog types have oilier, weatherproof coats and smell more than 'dry' coated breeds. My sibes don't smell of much at all but the cocker has a touch of dog whiff.

The rest can be poor dental hygiene (also link there to diet), poor skin hygiene (brachycephalic breeds with skin folds/nose rolls full of cheesy yuck, droopy eared breeds with hairy yeasty ears, lip fold pyoderma etc.)

Nothing on this earth smells like a lump of gack from a deep lip fold. :p
 
I think there is more to dog smell than meets the nose.

Neither of my two smell particularly strong - friends have often said this (unprompted) especially as they are big dogs and don't get bathed or brushed much. My bigger GSD did not smell particularly nice when he was younger, but within a week of losing my old GSD he smelled completely different, and has carried on smelling really quite nice in a dog way. You have to bury your nose in his fur to smell him.

My younger GSD doesn't smell much at all - even his breath doesn't smell. However, I left him in an equafleece for about a week, and the equafleece smelled rather unpleasant. Both smell when they get wet.

I think it might be hormonal myself; neither of mine have been neutered, but dogs belonging to friends which have been neutered pong something awful!
 
My gsp doesn't smell and I've actually had comments (including from my cleaning obsessed mother) that they were surprised that my house doesn't smell at all doggy. He is always towel dried when he comes in and sent to lay on his bed. If is is wet through, he has his Equafleece on

My boy is neutered btw

Although I think his feet smell of chocolate digestives.... Which my husband thinks is hysterical!
 
The worst smelling dog I have had was a neutered Border Terrier. He was hypothyroid and on medication for it. My intact short coated lurcher never smells bad but my long-haired neutered bitch has a slight doggy smell. The long-haired neutered terrier mutt never smells. I have no idea what conclusions to draw from all this!

And I love smelling their feet!
 
I think its the oils produced in their coat. I took one on that had been fed cheap dog food which not only gave her BO but awful wind. She is now on a better quality food and although she is a thick coated out doorsy dog most of the time she has no noticeable whiff.
 
Snowy Celandine said:
My Chi smells more than my whippet (who doesn't really smell at all) because her immune system isn't very strong and she gets bacterial skin infections. I wash her with Hibiscrub which helps but she is still a bit whiffy compared to my other girl.
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Whippets have no smell anyway.
I believe that diet has a lot to do with it, one of mine is lab cross, when he was fed on commercial tinned food and mixer biscuit (by council wardens in dog pound) he arrived with me and his coat was greasy and smelly, his breath smelt, his poo stank , he had dandruff and fleas.
Roll on 6 years of being on raw diet, no wheat either in the form of biscuits, plus DE and coconut oil, his coat is amazingly soft and clean smelling, his breath doesn't smell, nor does his poo, his teeth are pearly white and no fleas.
All of my 3 dogs are the same, people tell me the house does not smell doggy at all, these are people without dogs so would notice more if it did smell.
I am convinced their diet is the root of it.
 
I would have said breed and diet... However I have a black lab that absolutely STINKS of old greasy dog, and I have to bath him often. I have another black lab, fed the same diet, and he smells really nice! Doesn't even smell doggy when he is wet. So I would say it varies from dog to dog.
 
None of my GSPs have ever particularly smelled of anything much (again,as commented on by my very house proud mother and other non dog-owning and dog-owning visitors!),even when drying off in their crates in the utility room but my ESS was sometimes a bit whiffy.
I know someone with 2 black labs (related) one of which reeks and the other doesn't. After a long time trying to sort it/mask it/wash it away,a different vet told them the whiffy one had a yeast skin condition (not that you'd notice from looking at its lovely coat) and following topical treatment,it's now waaaaay less whiffy.;)
 
Their mouths can smell if they have bad teeth. I keep my dogs underneath clean by washing her there every week. Otherwise she would smell.
 
galaxy said:
Although I think his feet smell of chocolate digestives.... Which my husband thinks is hysterical!
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My terriers feet smell like cheesy wotsits!!
My BC doesn't smell of anything really and neither of my dogs have smelly breath (both on raw diet).
I've known patients at work who have dogs, and I can smell that traditional 'doggy smell' when they are in my clinic room - it can be overpowering sometimes!
 
Me and OH were having this conversation the other night. I have always had border collies and he has always had labradors. I have always found labradors to be quite strong smelling dogs, but not the BC's.
This is of course without various health problems that could result in a smelly dog!
 
Umbongo said:
Me and OH were having this conversation the other night. I have always had border collies and he has always had labradors. I have always found labradors to be quite strong smelling dogs, but not the BC's.
This is of course without various health problems that could result in a smelly dog!
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I have heard Labradors can be a bit smelly and I must admit I agree going on current experience.
 
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