You love your canine friend but you don’t love the way he smells sometimes. Believe me, I can totally relate. With two big breed dogs of my own, I feel like I am constantly trying to eliminate odor. Especially when my rescue, Lucy rolls in any and everything smelly she can find in the backyard. She is definitely thinking, the smellier the better.
So, believe me when I say I get it. Dog odors can be overwhelming at times, especially since indoor dogs tend to lie on furniture and bedding throughout the day.
While not dangerous or indicative of any major problem, bad odor can be frustrating for pet owners since the usual method of trying to eliminate the odor is by bathing away the smell.
Bathing your pup every time he is smelly is not always practical or possible. You may be short on time or it may be too cold outside or maybe your pup just seriously hates baths so you limit how often just to save yourself the frustration.
So what if I shared with you some “tried and true” simple, natural ways of conquering the odor quickly and easily and without having to deal with the dreaded bath?
- Baking Soda – We all have this sitting around somewhere. Think of it as a dry shampoo for your pup. Sprinkle it on your dog’s coat and leave for a few minutes and then brush out.
- Pine Needles – Yep! You read that right. Pine needles straight out of your yard or from a landscaper. All you need to do is simply lay a thin layer of pine needles in your dog’s crate, bed or doghouse and cover with a favorite blanket or towel for comfort. A thin layer is all that is needed so no need to go overboard. Change out for fresh needles every couple of days to maximize freshness and effectiveness. As an added bonus – fresh pine needles are an excellent means of naturally and inexpensively keeping the dreaded fleas at bay.
- Vinegar – So what to do when your dog really gets into something smelly like a run-in with a skunk?Sometimes the odor is so bad there is simply no way your furry friend can come back inside until it has been dealt with. Instead of scrambling for an appointment at the groomers and avoiding having to put your smelly pup in the car, try this instead. Take an equal amount of vinegar and water and thoroughly wash your dog with this solution. Then follow-up with a shampoo lather and finally rinse with plain water. Repeat if there is still a slight odor.
So there really are easy and natural solutions that can get rid of your dog’s bad odor and leave him smelling fresher if not exactly rose-scented. Before you know it, you and your dog will totally forget that he ever smelled less than spring-fresh. That is until his next visit to the mud in the backyard.
Let me know in the comments if you have a “tried and true” method. I would love to know!
I LOVE my fur babies, but they are outside dogs, so having a way to keep them smelling nice when it comes to play time, especially with the kids. Thanks for sharing!
I have a dog who absolutely hates baths; it’s always a two-man job trying to get him to stay in the tub. I will have to try baking soda next time. I just need to convince him to sit still for the brushing part. 🙂
Oh my gosh! Baking soda! Genius and simple and very easily accessible! I love your “about me” by the way! I, too LOVE and thrive on laughter! It’s the best!
Good advice for my smelly pup. She rolls in everything, especially goose poop when we take her up North to my dad’s cabin. I will definitely be using some of these all natural options between baths! Thank you!
I run a pet sitting business out of my home. Most of the dogs come well bathed, but the last dog I had smelled badly. The reason is that his parents were camping. If I had read your post, I would have known to direct them to bring along some pine needles from the campground.