Wet Dog Smell, Remedies to Eliminate It

We know you love your dog with all your heart, but let's be honest, sometimes their body odors aren't exactly pleasant, right? After a bath or a walk on a rainy day, for example, comes that unavoidable wet dog smell that makes plenty of people uncomfortable.

If you're one of those people, you're probably wondering why this smell happens and what you can do to avoid it. At Soyunperro we'll show you the most effective tips for eliminating wet dog smell with natural remedies that won't harm your best friend's health. Let's get started!

Why does wet dog smell happen?

Before we start, you should know that wet dog smell is completely natural. The good news is it's not a sign of illness, a health problem, or poor hygiene. The bad news is it won't be easy to get rid of wet dog smell.

This scent is essential to dogs' bodies and nature, so trying to eliminate it completely would inevitably harm their health and wellbeing. What you can do, however, is reduce its intensity with some good practices and natural remedies.

The real cause of wet dog smell is that there are millions of good bacteria and yeasts that naturally live on the surface of our dogs' bodies, feeding on residue from their skin and coat.

As these microorganisms feed, they produce organic acids that form a kind of protective layer covering their whole body. When the dog is dry, the scent of these acids is imperceptible to the human nose. But when their coat gets wet, these acids evaporate and spread through the air very quickly.

Why does wet dog smell repel us?

When the dog is wet, we're able to detect these acidic molecules suspended in the air more easily and intensely. That's how wet dog smell happens — it actually comes from a change in our own sense of smell, not in the dog's body.

In other words, the dog being wet only makes us perceive acids that were always there, on the surface of their body. And since we tend to find sour smells unpleasant, wet dog smell automatically triggers an unpleasant sensation in us.

How to get rid of wet dog smell with natural remedies

It's not possible to completely eliminate wet dog smell, but we can reduce its intensity so we don't feel that sense of aversion. These are the best home remedies to prevent wet dog smell in your home.

Rosemary

Rosemary is an aromatic herb you can prepare in water or oil for many therapeutic purposes. For our furry friends, rosemary water can help wounds heal better, while rosemary oil has antibacterial properties and is an excellent homemade mosquito repellent.

You can add a few drops of rosemary oil to your dog's shampoo or use it to make homemade perfumes. Both solutions will help neutralize wet dog smell in the air.

Apple cider vinegar

Cheap and easy to find, apple cider vinegar is one of the best home remedies for dogs, thanks to its well-known antiseptic properties. To reduce the intensity of wet dog smell, just add a tablespoon of vinegar to your furry friend's shampoo.

Mint

Like rosemary, mint is a very aromatic herb we can include both in our furry friends' diet and in natural treatments. Mint tea, for example, is excellent for aiding digestion and relieving stomach discomfort or indigestion symptoms, and it also has calming properties.

Mint essential oil is also an ideal ingredient for making homemade perfumes, shampoos, and conditioners for dogs. And if you'd prefer a more practical solution, you can add a few drops of the oil to whatever shampoo you already use to bathe your furry friend.

Coconut oil

Coconut oil is a good supplement to add to your furry friend's diet. But you can also take advantage of its moisturizing, anti-inflammatory, healing, and antibacterial properties to boost their health.

For example, you can use it to moisturize your dog's coat, to help heal wounds or burns on their paw pads, or to clean their teeth and prevent bad breath, among other uses.

To fight wet dog smell, we recommend making a homemade conditioner with coconut oil and rosemary oil. It's super easy to prepare — just mix 50 ml of coconut oil with 10 drops of rosemary oil, and that's it! You can now apply it to your best friend's skin and coat. But careful! Remember to rinse and dry thoroughly at the end of the bath.

Good practices to prevent bad odor in dogs

Beyond applying the homemade solutions we covered above, there are some good practices that will help prevent bad odor in your dog and skin and coat problems.

• Moderate bathing frequency. Of course bathing your dog is important to ensure good hygiene, but doing it too often harms their health.
• Drying after a bath. Excess moisture on a dog's skin and fur causes bad odor and encourages the growth of harmful microorganisms. So remember to always dry your furry friend thoroughly after every bath.
• Frequent brushing to remove impurities. Bad odor in a dog can also be linked to a buildup of dead hair and impurities in their coat. That's why brushing your dog at least twice a week is highly recommended to remove this residue and improve the look and health of their skin and coat.

Last but not least, if you notice your dog constantly giving off a strange or unpleasant smell (and not just in specific situations, like when they're wet), it's best to take them to the vet. Certain health problems can alter a dog's usual scent.