AIBU to ask how I can stop my living room smelling like dog?

[dogsdogsdogs1]

Shamelessly abusing AIBU traffic for this one, sorry!

I have 2 small dogs who predominantly spend their time in my living room. I have them groomed every 8 weeks and wash their bedding every fortnight or so, but honestly, my living room just smells of dog all of the time and it's getting me down!

They have a large cushion bed and a selection of blankets that they sleep in, but honestly, it all seems to smell within hours of washing it, and the dogs smell within a few days of being groomed.

I'm so tired of having to clean my carpet all the time to try and get the smell out, particularly when it's the same again a few days later.

I'm currently waiting for some lemon shake 'n' vac to sink it before I vacuum it back up, but I know it will only make a minimal difference.

Short of bathing the dogs and their bedding every few days (which isn't feasible as I have 2 toddlers, a job and doing a degree) does anyone have any suggestions of how I can reduce the smell, please?

Are there any magical dog shampoos that keep fresher for longer, or any magical washing detergent for their bedding?

I'm so tired of smelling dogs!

(I've attached a photo of the stinky rascals, just because)!

Thank you for any advice you might be able to give.

What made a big difference here was buying a Vax machine amd doing the carpets every few weeks - I always thought it was the sofa / blankets that smelt a bit doggy but I couldnt get rid of it no matter how much washing and wiping I did and I eventually worked out it was the carpet. It's grim how much dirt comes out of the it with the Vax even though it gets hoovered acouple of times a week!

I get you op! I use a doggy perfume spray, similar to the stuff groomers use. I use this a few times a week after brushing them. You can also get a doggy dry shampoo spray too. I also crack window open for a hour a day whilst I'm hoovering and cleaning, wash their beds twice a week, and use a pet friendly plug in air freshener. I do still smell dog and I don't think you'll ever get rid of the smell but there are ways to minimise it a bit. I've also found keeping my kitchen door open helps or just open a little bit at night to air the house a bit (my 2 sleep in living room). The carpet holds most smell from when they've been outside, so I use a bit of zoflora in a spray bottle tipped with water and spray it around my carpet.

I think it might be best not to have a carpet in the room where the dogs spend most of their time.
Instead, have something washable and non-porous (so, not wood) that can be thoroughly washed and disinfected frequently. Get a cheap rug if you want warmth underfoot - and replace it when it starts to smell.

And don't allow the dogs onto the sofa - ever.

This

Raw fed dogs don't smell. Research it, OP. The health benefits of raw feeding are astounding.

If the dog smell is continual bad breath, or endless foul farting, then you may need to address their diet.

Reduce the number of blankets and wash them more oftenl cheap fleece throws fron IKEA dry very fast.

Open the window for at least 10 mins every day.

Opening windows, washing bedding more and I have a wax melt on for around 6 hours per day.

Agree with others about Febreeze/ShakenVac/Zoflora etc. Really toxic to dogs (and not good for us either!) so not sure it's worth making them ill for.

We don't have any carpet downstairs at all and have leather sofas with throws. Dogs aren't allowed on the sofas anyway. Ours are raw fed and less smelly than when they were dry kibble fed.

Use the dettol fabric sanitizer in the rinse cycle and take them to the vet to get their anal glands checked

Thanks everyone. Lots of food for thought there. I'm going to give a few things a try and see how I get on. Thanks for your advice, I appreciate it. 🙏

Keep them outside in a heated shed. Dogs are animals and don't need to be in a house. The happiest dogs I've known were working dogs who lived in a heated barn and never set foot in the house.

All houses with dogs smell. It's one of the reasons we never book holiday accommodation which accepts them.

Diet doesn't necessarily make a difference-I have mother and son spaniels, fed identically. The mother is fart-free, whereas her son is a WMD. They get charcoal biscuits too, but it doesn't seem to help much.

I sprinkle bicarb on his beds/blankets. I also put white vinegar in the pre wash bit of washing machine, detergent but no fabric conditioner.

No carpets, no dogs on the sofas, windows open for at least an hour a day.

Any fake smell to hide it doesn’t work, it just mingles with the scent of dog and is even more disgusting

Why would OP do that? They are not working dogs, and have lived in a house all their lives.

How can I have my 20 fags a day and not smell of smoke.

Every person I’ve known with a dog has a house that smells like dog. The only exception is an in-law of my DSis who spends a considerable amount of time cleaning her ground floor to prevent her house smelling like dog after being nagged into getting two spaniels. She got rid of all carpets (sorry OP but this is likely a major factor in the smell never truly going away) downstairs, got leather sofas which can be easily sprayed and refreshed with cleaning fluid and puts rubber-backed bath mats on the sofa for the dogs to sit on. Those mats are then changed daily, but I suppose they take up a hell of a lot less space in the machine/cupboard than multiple beds/blankets.

You can definitely do it, but given your carpet and suedey sofa situation it would probably be £££ to get set up that you could noticeably reduce the smell.

Clean their paws, teeth, and ears.

I agree with a pp that you need to get some dog spray from the groomers . I use ultra ego on mine , he gets a couple of squirts every day after his walk as it seems to be exercise that makes him whiffy . He’s currently asleep on the bed with me and I’ve just had a sniff and he smells lovely .