How To Remove That Stinky Dog Smell Between Baths

If you love your German shepherd but not the occasional body odor, you’re not alone. A smelly dog is a common complaint and can be caused by many reasons. Most often, it’s solved by giving your dog a bath but occasionally it can be a sign of something more serious, like a health problem or infection.

Why Do Dogs Stink?

Dog body odor happens when bacteria and yeast on the skin start to break down surface oils. The oxidation of fat creates body odor that can transfer to your home, bedding, and car. This is what usually causes the doggy smell in your house or becomes worse when a dog gets wet.

Dogs with heavier sebaceous glands, such as basset hounds, cocker spaniels, and Labrador retrievers get body odor easier than others. However, German shepherds are not known to be a notoriously a stinky breed. Dogs that have hair rather than fur, such as Shih Tzu’s, can also get a funky smell, like a human that hasn’t washed their hair for days, if they haven’t been bathed in a while.

Ironically, bathing your dog too much can strip their skin of the oils that provide a natural barrier and keep their skin and coat healthy. It can also cause dry skin and make the problem worse, and set them up for infections.

Health Problems that can Cause a Dog to Stink

Most German shepherd owners give their dog a bath 3 or 4 times a year, unless they get into something smelly and need it sooner. If you find yourself needing to give your dog a bath more than once a month, or you think your dog needs more baths than normal (for no reason), you should talk to your vet. Some health problems that can cause your dog to stink include:

• Anal glands that are infected or need to be drained.
• Teeth problems, such as an infection or build of plaque and tarter.
• Bad breath caused by illness, such as a sinus or lung infection.
• Skin issues such as allergies, yeast, or bacterial infection.
• Ear problems such as a foreign object, infection, bacteria, yeast, or mites.
• Kidney or endocrine problems.

Once you’ve ruled out that your stinky pup doesn’t have a health problem, there are some things you can do to help get rid of that doggy smell in between baths.

How to Get Rid of Dog Odor Between Baths

Tip 1

Clean your house, clean or freshen the carpet, clean all dog bedding, furniture, and in extreme cases, replace the dog bed. You’ll want to kill bacteria safely and use products that won’t further irritate your dog’s skin and actually make the problem worse.

Tip 2

Freshen up your pup between baths with a no-rinse dog shampoo to help get rid of dog odor so that you can enjoy being close to your pup without drying out their skin and coat.

Tip 3

Clean your dog’s mouth and teeth by brushing. You can also us products such as ProDental Cleansing Pads in between brushes. By keeping their mouth clean, you help prevent bad breath and the odors that transfer to your dog and home.

Tip 4

Keep your pet dry. If your dog gets wet, a quick blow dry can help get rid of that stinky wet dog smell before it gets everywhere.

Tip 5

Keep ears clean to remove stinky wax build up, debris, and prevent infections. You can use cleaning pads such as ProEar Cleansing Pads.

Tip 6

Brush your dog weekly. By keeping your dog brushed out you’ll remove old fur and help remove dirt and debris that can contribute to dog smell.

Tip 7

Use deodorizing wipes to remove messes, stinky areas, to clean dirty paws, and wash your dog’s face.

We hope you enjoy these tips that give you everything you need to safely keep your German shepherd smelling fresh and clean all year long.

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