When we go to the beach or the pool with our furry beloved, or when we bathe him, we will surely know the famous "wet dog smell". This peculiar aroma that the dog's coat emits when wet can be very unpleasant. Can anything be done to avoid it?
The truth is that yes. There are several things we can do. So if you wonder how to avoid the smell of wet dog, do not stop reading 🙂.
What Causes Bad Odor?
Going to the beach or the pool with the dog is always a very fun experience, except for the smell that our nose perceives when the animal gets wet. And is that beneficial bacteria and yeasts live on the surface of the dog's body, as they protect you from any harmful virus or microorganism. They produce organic acids which form a protective coating throughout the body. When the dog gets wet, these acids evaporate and spread through the air ... which is what our nose will perceive as unpleasant.
But beware: the bad smell does not come from the act of wetting the dog, but from our perception. As humans, as we evolved, we have learned that the sour smell or taste (such as that emitted by organic waste, for example) is not good for us.
What home remedies are there to remove or reduce the smell of a wet dog?
If we want to remove the smell of a wet dog with home remedies we can use the following:
- Coconut oil: You have to mix 50ml of coconut oil with 10 drops of rosemary oil, and then apply the mixture as a conditioner after you have bathed it with your shampoo. When finished, you have to rinse it well and dry it.
- Rosemary: it is an aromatic plant that you can use so that the dog does not smell so bad. To achieve your goal you simply have to add a few drops of rosemary oil in the dog's usual shampoo.
- Apple vinager: apple cider vinegar is a very interesting natural product for caring for the dog's hair and skin, as it has antiseptic properties. And it is also very easy to use since you only have to add a few drops to the shampoo.
How to prevent it?
To prevent the dog from smelling bad we can do the following:
- Give him a quality diet: the dog, being a carnivorous animal, must be fed basically with meat. There is no point in giving him cereals since he will not be able to digest them well. In addition, giving him a quality feed or homemade food following the advice of a canine nutritionist, will help him have better health, and that includes that of his hair.
- Bathe the dog once a month: no more. When you bathe too often, the layer that protects your skin is removed, thus exposing it to various diseases. Also, you have to use specific shampoo for dogs.
- Brush it daily: if it smells bad, another thing to do is brush it daily to remove impurities and dead hair.
- Clean teethHalitosis is a very common cause of poor oral hygiene. To avoid this, you have to brush your teeth every day with a toothbrush and a specific toothpaste for dogs.
What if it smells bad all the time?
When you have a dog that always smells bad, you have to take him to the vet since it is most likely that he is ill. Either because it has a food allergy, digestive tract disease, or for any other reason, it is important to go to the professional so that the animal can return to a normal life.