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AIBU?

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Original poster

To consider giving away my dog because he STINKS.

80 replies

Honestbonniest · 25/08/2025 17:08

This upsets me to be writing this but this is where I'm at.

I have a gorgeous, in tact, nearly two years old small breed dog (a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel) who absolutely stinks of wee. I honestly think it's gotten worse over time.

He doesn't have particularly long fur, but does have feathers. When he wees, he shoots pretty horizontally all over his front legs and belly. I have to fully wash with shampoo (I use a mild puppy one) his front legs and belly after every walk, including if he has just done a wee in the garden. He marks constantly so he is constantly weeing.

If I don't do this religiously, he stinks and makes all the furniture and carpets he lies on stink as well. This really, really bothers me, but the constant washing multiple times a day is also really draining for me.

I could trim his legs and belly right down to the skin, but then I see so many other dogs with long hair or feathers - do they stink of wee too? Plus he sometimes wees straight onto the leg, not just the feathers, so trimming the feathers in those cases won't help.

I have tried baby wipes and deodorising sprays etc but nothing gets rid of the stench apart from a proper shampoo wash and rinse.

I'm so tired of constantly washing him that I'm considering giving him away. I didn't think having a dog would be like this. Doggy smell is fine, but wee smelly is just awful.

Am I terrible?

OP posts:
cava14una · 25/08/2025 17:18

Could be have a urine infection?

WiddlinDiddlin · 25/08/2025 17:18

No, not all long coated/feathered dogs do this - I have a Tibetan Terrier, who has either been in a full show coat or clipped like a schnauzer (body off, legs feathered) all his life (16 years).

Even now as a wobbly old fart, he does not wee up the back of his front legs or his belly.

Some dogs just do this - are you clipping the fur off the end of his sheath? It may be that doing this is actually altering his aim, sometimes that fur helps direct it downward rather than forward.

Is he any better when trying to pee on something vs just peeing to relieve himself?

I would speak to a vet about it - if he is at risk of losing his home, at risk of getting sore on his belly/legs, they CAN do surgery to alter the direction of his urine stream.

This may not be something your normal vet can do though, one of my vets was very familiar with the op, being involved in several small breeds that commonly have this issue, the other hadn't really heard of it until joining the local practice.

If I had a dog who was pissing all over their own stomach and legs and just clipping hair away did not resolve the issue, I would absolutely investigate this!

SoScarletItWas · 25/08/2025 17:17

Perhaps the problem is that he’s intact. Hence the spraying and marking. And the hormones will make his wee more potent.

Why wouldn’t you neuter him?

ScurryfungeSpuddle · 25/08/2025 17:16

What has the vet said and did you get a second opinion?

Munchyseeds2 · 25/08/2025 17:15

Non of my dogs, male or female have ever had this issue?
Take him to the groomers and get him trimmed?