Labrador With A Strong Doggy Smell

[Guest hankodie]

Hank the goldie has a very distinct doggy smell, whereas Odie the frenchie never usually smells at all. She has a single coat that doesn't really shed. That's interesting to read about the oils in their coat too, it makes perfect sense.

I've given up on the smell, my car has a permanent wet doggy odour and I've just decided to live with it. Every time we bathe Hank he smells lovely for about 2 hours, then it goes away :laugh: it doesn't help that he likes to roll in anything and everything stinky. Oooo dead bird? Better roll in it! Discarded fish and chips in the park? Better roll in that too!

[dotdashdot]

Now that I think of it, our lab has a doggy smell too and yes worse when wet! We lived next to a creek (salt water) and she had a swim nearly every single day while she lived there, including the day she whelped pups! (she was like Ew! Let me cleanse myself)

My dallies don't smell, the only time I smell anything is if I pat them if they haven't had a bath in a while and my hand gets oily - and that smells.

I probably bathe them more than some people (couple times a month) because they go yellowish instead of white after a few weeks - not that non dally people can really tell :laugh:

[HazyWal]

I think all dogs smell a bit, just like all people have a smell, it's not always bad... Granted some are stronger than others, labs are high on that list!

My greyhounds don't :) They have no doggy odour at all and I have only bathed them three times...in four years.

[OSoSwift]

I am yet to smell my Whippets and they have gone months without baths, I have also asked people who will tell me if they do and they have said no.

[aussielover]

Get her vet checked. She may have a mild yeast/bacteria build up, this can often give them a very doggy smell.

Bathe her in a medicated shampoo.

I don't notice my lab has a particularly bad smell but I guess I could just be used to it. My border collie smells more doggy to me, especially when wet.

My lab gets clipped for summer as well as we have a lot of ticks around

[Xyz]

I have a lab who doesn't smell, my neighbors lab suffers from yeasty ears and stinks!!

[Ivory & Beau]

Hmm just had a quick read up about yeast infections in dogs and feeding potatoes can spark it. She had been on a dry food that had potato in it since being with us. I asked about potato in dry food and realised it wasn't such a good thing. So I'm no longer feeding that brand of food. Plus the cat version was making my cats vomit

Hopefully with a diet change, her smell might lessen a little. I will ask the vet about it when she's booked in to be spayed.

[dee lee]

My Goldie usually only smells when she's in need of a bath. But we've been staying in a crappy rental place with carpet for the last few months & it smells strongly of dog. I've never had that with floorboards. I put it down to the flea infestation we've been battling there (thanks previous renters..) - she's been chewing herself & the wet skin & fur stink.

Thankfully we've just left the place & no longer have to deal with living with carpet. Carpet is evil.

Do you have carpet? That may be the culprit.

[Ivory & Beau]

Do you have carpet?

Yes but where the dogs are inside, it is floating floorboards.

[dogbesotted]

I would also have a full thyroid panel done ( one it will eliminate a possible thyroid cause and 2 provide a baseline for future tests.)

I have had three dogs with thyroid problems and they all had a very doggy smell.. even after a bath. Once their thyroid problem was addressed that smell disappeared.

h

[Erny]

I agree with Dogbesotted. That's one area to check. In my own personal opinion, no dog "smells" bad (save for wet coats that when drying can smell 'woolly', but that's not what I class as a bad smell, IYKWIM). A constant unpleasant odour normally indicates smell from the skin and that means the skin (which is an organ) is excreting excessive substance/s - quite often this is the body's way of getting rid of toxins from the body, toxins or bacteria that the liver or other organs were unable to filter efficiently.

That's why I do tend to look at diet; to what you wash your dog with normally (shampoos can send the skin pH into a bit of a spin, which doesn't help with any 'over-production' issues); and to medical conditions such as that which Dogbesotted has mentioned.

I don't agree that constant unpleasant smell is something to be accepted as a "breed" thing.

[Jed]

For a quick fix, try Eau de Canine - from good pet shops. Smell it in the shop first, in case you can't stand the smell of it. Does work, expensive to buy but a little goes a long way!!

[Ivory & Beau]

Her smell isn't something I am concerned about. Just curious. Only really notice it when she's in the back of the car.

[BlackJaq]

My Weimaraner has a slight smell. Some might call it houndy, but I like it (is that wierd?). Most of the time I can only smell it on her feet though, especially on hot days. Presumably they sweat a little on their feet?

Non dog people definitely notice it though haha

Edited January 23, 2014 by BlackJaq

[kelpiecuddles]

My basset has a bit of a smell but it's not a bad one, hound breeds commonly have a certain smell about them. I don't really notice it that much though.