Do dogs smell?

[settingss]

I’m mid 20s and thinking about getting a dog, but I’m not sure if it fits my lifestyle.

When I was a child, my brother got a dog and then took it with him a few years later when he moved out. So I didn’t really spend that much time with the dog myself nor as a caregiver. I remembered the dog smelled, would make the house smell, would have bad breath etc. the dog bed would smell, rooms would smell when he would even just walk through, and my brother opening his bedroom door (with the dog bed) would stink out the entire house. to be honest it was a bit of a relief when my brother moved out! People would comment on it and I’d be embarrassed to have friends over.

I don’t know if the terrible smell was just due to how my brother looked after it, or whether this is normal for dogs to have unpleasant odours?

I’m mid 20s and thinking about getting a dog, but I’m not sure if it fits my lifestyle.

Do you mean a bad smell is at odds with your lifestyle? Its probably best you remain dogless.

Yes. Large dogs particularly. Short haired small dogs are less smelly

I have a cousin who preaches and posts about all her Mrs Hinch and Spanish products yet the minute you open her front door the whiff of dog hits you it’s grim

Yes. And are normally more smelly the older they get.

We've got rid of all carpet in my house now and it does smell less doggy. I like my dogs smell though so it doesn't bother me a jot.

It's important to groom the dog regularly and wash their bedding. One other thing people don't think about doing is washing the dog's toys - they definitely stink when they've been slobbered over.

Yes, and so will your house, no matter how much you clean.

Some dogs do smell worse than others; our little chihuahua smells very doggy but we keep it under control by regular baths, washing his bedding/putting fresh down every other day, thoroughly hoovering carpets and shampooing them plus an occasional shaking of fresh n vac, a few plugs in don't hurt either in critical places like top the stairs so it wafts round the house, we don't have a hall so it does make the whole house nice being open plan
our other dog is a chihuahua x jack russell we think and he never smells you can bury your nose in his fur and all he smells of is my perfume! not even when wet so its got to be breeds

sorry meant to put photos first is moo my chihuahua
second is paddy patch my chi x

Our smoothie haired standard dachshunds didn't smell nearly as much as most other dogs.

This!

As above but the smell of warm poo as you pick it up is urge making. If you don’t think you can hack that, let it cool first. 😊

All dogs smell. All dog owning houses smell. Anywhere with spaniels reeks.

And I like dogs.

Yes. The worst are golden retrievers, labradors, spaniels and Bassets. And anything with grotty ears or rotten teeth.
Least smelly include Poms, poodles, Italian greyhounds: fine-coated dogs.
Most dogs need a proper bath with dog shampoo about every 4-6 weeks and not enough of them get it. Also you really need to keep an eye on dental hygiene.
The disastrous move wrt smelly houses is letting dogs on furniture. Essentially it turns every soft furnishing into a reeking unwashable dog bed.
Once the dog is not one of the stinky breeds, is kept clean and sleeps on a regularly washed bed, it's harmless enough.

My BIL has a clean home and laminate floors.

It still smells of dog

Yes they definitely do smell.

Yes very much and houses with dogs smell too.

Some worse than others.

They smell nice! (mine does anyway, of well fed greyhound who doesn't fart and has his teeth looked after)

My dog smells like dog, farts and bad breath.
I love her dearly and she’s bought so much happiness to my life so I don’t mind too much.

Yes. Dog owners are normally nose blind to the smell though.

@HappiestSleeping - rolling in fox poo is not the worst a dog can do. One of ours found half a very dead, runny seal on Stevenston beach, and rolled liberally in it. She smelled so bad that even our Labrador wouldn’t sit near her!

Dh wanted to bring her into our en suite to shower her, but I put my foot down and she got two baths with the hose in the garden, and even that didn’t get rid of the smell completely - but she was sufficiently clean to go upstairs and have a shower. We had run out of dog shampoo, so used the cheapest shower gel available - we had teenagers, so it was Lynx Africa! But it was better for her to smell like a teenage boy than like long dead seal.

I realise this may not be encouraging @settingss to get a dog.

Yeah, I've heard of such things. I have had dogs on and off for 30 years and never had that. This may mean my time is running out as my Shithead adorable boy is very capable of forgetting about recall when it comes to smelly things. 🤦‍♂️

It truly was the worst thing I have ever smelt, @HappiestSleeping - but she was so proud of herself!

Obligatory picture of said stink hound.

The expression on their faces is priceless isn't it?

This is mine having been to the groomer the previous day. We were going to see my aunt and this was a quick walk before we got in the car.

They all smell.
I've sat in many a home where I can smell dog before I see or hear one.

Yes all pets smell.Their owners don't notice it because they are used to it.

Golden retriever owner here.
My answer would YES eye wateringly so at times!
But smaller short haired breeds much less stinky for the most part.