6 Reasons Your Dog Smells Bad

By Lynne Miller

No matter how much you love your dog, it is hard to love a dog’s stinky scent, especially if she enjoys rolling in dead animal remains or munching on excrement.

Of course, many odors are not so easily explained or managed.

Whether putrid or pungent, dog smells should be taken seriously since a bad odor may be a sign of a serious disease.

Don’t just wrinkle your nose the next time you get a whiff of your dog.

Here are six reasons why your furry friend smells bad.

Have you ever wondered why your dog stinks right after a bath? Microorganisms like yeast and bacteria quietly live in your dog’s fur, and as long as the fur stays dry, there’s little odor, the American Chemical Society explains in this video. When your dog takes a bath or goes for a swim, the water causes the release of stinky compounds. 

“The water molecules have displaced the smaller volatile compounds which are odoriferous,” explains George Preti, a scientist and expert on body odor, based at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia. 

If you have a Spaniel, Pekingese, Pug, Bulldog, or Shar-Pei, you need to keep an eye on your pet’s skin folds. These dogs are prone to skin fold dermatitis, a stinky skin disorder.

To avoid infection and a foul odor, cleanse your pet’s skin folds on a regular basis.

“Skin fold cleaning is really important in those dogs,” says Coger, who recommends using skin fold cleansers or baby wipes to gently clean the folds.

Any dog can get a skin infection that smells bad if the skin’s normal barriers are broken down by prolonged dampness, allergies, hormonal disorders, etc. Red, inflamed skin could indicate an infection, Coger says. 

If your dog’s ears smell like yeast, she probably has—you guessed it—a yeast infection, which is very common in canines. Bacterial ear infections are also a frequent problem for dogs, and they tend to smell worse than yeast infections

Dogs with long, droopy ears are prone to ear problems, which often go hand in hand with allergies. Dogs with allergies tend to have more ear infections, Hohenhaus says.

“You have to treat the ears and you may have to treat the whole dog for an allergy issue,” she says.

You and your dog’s doctor should explore what’s causing the allergy—whether it’s something in your pet’s food, pollen outside or dust mites in the home. 

If your dog’s gas is powerful enough to clear a room, she probably ate something she shouldn’t have. If she’s also having diarrhea and vomiting, she may have eaten something really nasty, like a rotten carcass or something in the trash.

Controlling gas is not always as simple as keeping your dog from scavenging. Sometimes increased flatulence is a sign of a serious health problem, Hohenhaus says.

But assuming your dog’s gas is not related to an underlying health issue, Hohenhaus says a change in diet could cut down on flatulence. The best diet will meet your dog’s individual needs.

Coger believes grain-free diets can make a difference.

“Switching to grain-free diets often improves digestion, leading to less flatulence, smaller and less smelly stools, and fewer ear and skin infections,” she says. 

Also known as anal glands, anal sacs are located on either side of the animal’s anus. The walls of the sacs are lined with glands, and the sacs fill up with a foul-smelling substance. Normally, the dog secretes some of it when she poops.

Dogs with impacted or infected anal sacs will lick their backsides excessively or slide their bottoms on the ground to relieve itchiness, Hohenhaus says. The animals may expel a brown substance that smells far worse than feces.

Your pet’s anal sacs can be manually expressed at the vet’s office, Hohenhaus says. Failing to address impacted anal sacs can lead to abscesses and ruptures.

If your dog suffers from chronic anal sac problems, it could be related to allergies.

“In spring time, when the pollen comes out, you’ll see more animals sliding their butts along the ground,” Hohenhaus says. “It’s a manifestation of allergies. Talk to your veterinarian about allergy management.” 

Regular bathing and grooming can minimize normal funky odors not related to health problems.

Most dogs should be bathed about once a month, Coger says. Dogs with longer coats may require more frequent baths, while pups with short coats may go longer between baths.

Make sure to brush or comb your dog when she’s shedding, since dead hair and skin cells can lead to odor, Coger says.

Waterless shampoos can be helpful between baths, particularly for “spot cleaning,” Coger says. “Breeds with facial folds or long hair that may get food on it can benefit from these products.” 

Used lightly, baby powder, or simple cornstarch, can help absorb odors. “You need to avoid using large amounts that will cake up,” Coger says.