I was having a conversation with Thelma and Rocky’s mama about how her beautiful white German Shepherd is, well, stinky. Thelma has a lot of fur and a thick undercoat that she likes to leave a trail of everywhere she goes. And apparently it smells bad. But not only does miss Thelma have a less than pleasurable smelling coat, her breath also leaves something to be desired. And her little bro Rocky has the same problem with his mouth.
If you are a dog parent you are probably are also no stranger to the “doggie smell” and “doggie breath”. It’s not the most glamorous part of having a dog, but it happens to the best of ‘em. So I was asked to share any advice I have on this stinky subject.
Ares and Chaos have very short hair and generally don’t develop the “doggie smell” too often. But when they do our first preference is to give them a bath. We are lucky that we can bathe them both in our bathtub. Chris installed a detachable shower head to spray them off and make doggie bath time easier. We also used treats and praise to try and convince them that bath time is fun. So far this has worked very well with Chaos but Ares is yet to be won over.
Of course sometimes they do start to smell and a bath isn’t the most convenient option. I also realize many other people aren’t able to bath their dogs in their home. So a temporary solution until they can be bathed at home or taken to the groomer is waterless shampoo.
This is the equivalent of dry shampoo for humans. Ladies, you probably know and love this product. I certainly own a bottle I use between washes for that extra lift and scent boost. I don’t recommend using human products not okayed for use on pets so Ares and Chaos have their very own products. We found this bottle of Pet Head waterless shampoo for dogs at Target and also a mitt for application. It’s very simple to just squirt some of the solution onto the dogs’ fur and use the bristle side of the mit to rub it in. Since our dogs have short fur we use the towel side to soak up any excess but for dogs with long hair like Thelma, this step probably isn’t necessary.
Waterless shampoo isn’t a substitute for a bath since you aren’t actually washing the dog but, it helps to freshen them up if you have company on the way and no time for baths. Or maybe your week is hectic and the groomer appointment has to wait until next week but you can’t stand the smell yourself. Some dogs won’t like the fresh scent and immediately try to rub it off but it’s already soaked into the skin so you can let them roll away.
As far as “doggie breath” is concerned, we are often told our dogs don’t have it. While they may not be minty fresh, an up close encounter from them won’t leave you gagging from the smell of an open mouth kiss. What’s the secret? Yogurt.
We learned a while ago that both our dogs have fairly sensitive tummies. To help with digestion our vet recommended adding some yogurt to their meals. It worked like a charm and we also realized it has the added bonus of the active cultures neutralizing bad breath. This goes for humans too! But make sure to keep it plain nonfat yogurt and stay away from the fruity flavors for your pups.
Our dogs actually love the yogurt mixed in with their dry food, but to their dismay they only get it with their dinner meal. While yogurt is good for their breath, the soft, wet consistency isn’t great for their teeth if they have too much. We eyeball the amount but it’s no more than a regular spoonful.
There are products out there made specifically for canine dental health, like Dentastix and Greenies. We do also give these to our dogs on occasion but the yogurt seems to do the trick for the “doggie breath”. Ares and Chaos also have had their teeth brushed but they like to try and chomp on the toothbrush or just lick off the bacon flavored toothpaste. We haven’t given up on it yet but the yogurt in the food combined with their constant chewing on hard toys and buffalo horns has kept their mouths pretty healthy and “doggie breath” free so far.
Anyone else have other good tips for minimizing the “doggie smell” and “doggie breath”?
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