why is my dog smelly??

[Hullygully]

She is a great big furry thing who gets covered in mud and/or fox/badger etc poo every day so needs showering off with or without (dog) shampoo depending if just mud or poo too.

Her anal glands are empty (vet checked). It isn't her breath or her ears. The smell isn't permanent but comes and goes and is really unpleasant.

Any ideas/ suggestions?

[Hullygully]

She doesn't really have any mouth folds, I think its sebborhea (sp)

[Noitsnotteatimeyet]

My friend's spaniel had this and it turned out to be an infection in the skin folds around her mouth - took ages to narrow down the source of the smell but once treated it went away pretty quickly and hasn't come back

[wallywobbles]

I discovered last year at aged 6 the reason my cocker stinks is his mouth folds. Basically it was rotting. We'd been to the vets endlessly. Sniffed him all over and never found it. 4 months of antibiotics and an operation now he's just a stinky dog fur ball not something that makes you leave the room and retch.

[BagelSuffragette]

Raw Feeding Uk FB group are really helpful. Loads of info, files and suppliers on there.

Info at www.dogsdinner2.webs.com/

[Hullygully]

She does get a lot of fish and veg added to the nasty kibble, but reading BARF makes me realise its really bloody obvious and I just don't know why we've fed her kibble for nine years...grrr

[Readysteadyknit]

rawfeddogs.org/rawguide.html

This is probably a better feeding guide. You do need to make sure you get the right balance in their diet - bone is important for instance and a certain amount of oily fish and some vegetables. There a lots of people on MN who are really knowledgeable and will give you better advice.

[Hullygully]

I cant believe I didn't know it existed..ill have a look, thank you

[Readysteadyknit]

I order from here rawtogo.co.uk/ or here landywoods.co.uk/

Both deliver anywhere in the uk and have a feeding guide. There are lots of other suppliers if you google.

The downsides are you really need a separate freezer if you are buying in bulk and it is not a cheap alternative.

[Hullygully]

Can you tell me about the raw food diet? Ie how to do it easily...

[Warmworm]

Well if you find a solution do please let me know!

Doodles rock.

[Hullygully]

I'll look at raw food too, shed be delighted, she hates her kibble, she goes and stares at the fridge willing me to add something tasty.

[Hullygully]

Yes, she's a golden doodle, a very old smelly one, but very lovely too.

[Hatethis22]

I think it's the coats mine have. You put muddy dogs into a clean kitchen and an hour later clean dogs come out of a dirty kitchen. The mud works its way off.

[Warmworm]

Am I right in thinking he's a golden doodle Hully? I think I remember a picture you posted yonks ago. My smelly one is also a golden doodle....

Leaving the mud to fall off is not an option here either - it's dark, fine, coal based Welsh mud. I long for coastal, sandy, Scottish mud of my youth that just fell off my dogs after 10 mins!

[Readysteadyknit]

I've no idea why raw feeding helps - except presumably it's all natural so very little waste- an extra benefit is they now produce much smaller poos. My little dog used to have a really oily patch above her tail and was also very smelly. Since I've changed her diet, the oily patch has disappeared and she smells better. The other dog used to do farts that would clear a room, that has also improved since the change in diet.

[redpriestandmozart]

Have you checked around her mouth? There is a fold of skin on the lower jaw just where the canine teeth rest, sometimes it can really stink, it can get infected too.

[Hullygully]

I think I need to go back to the vet and look at yeasts.

Another million pounds.

Thanks all.

[Madbengalmum]

Could be a skin infection causing smell, is it a bit yeasty?
My dog started with this at nine, an anti bacterial shampoo and course of anti biotics will sort if it is.

[CMOTDibbler]

It could be that when you wash her she is getting wet to the skin, and then her thick coat means she takes a long time to get dry skin again. Which would be a lovely breeding ground for yeasts.

I'd try not washing her unless she goes to the groomers and gets blow dried, and using a dry shampoo for fox poo removal and see if that helps

[Hatethis22]

Some dogs just smell nicer than others. My girl dog smells of vanilla candles. Seriously. Even when she's not had a bath for weeks and has been rolling in mud. My boy dog has a very doggy whiff that is apparent even when he's freshly washed. They're both neutered so I don't think it's hormonal. He's just smelly. I think she's disappointed by her lack of whiff as she'll try to roll in anything dead or decaying to scent herself

[Hullygully]

This is an outsize dog, hatethis, completely covered in mud...

I'm thinking it's the oil thing. Why does raw feeding help? Do you know?

[Readysteadyknit]

Producing excess oil can cause a rank smell IME - raw feeding sorted out my dog's odour problem. I rather like her doggy smell now

[Hatethis22]

You could try using medicated shampoo on her and try to avoid washing her every day? Mud should fall all over your floor brush out once she's dry.

[Hullygully]

Yes clipping gets rid of it for a while. What do you mean by a proper bath?

[Warmworm]

My furry dog gets smelly and I'm sure it's because she gets wet every day (rain, river swimming, rinsing mud off). It's a sort of cheesy smell. I think it's because, even though she does dry eventually, it takes a while and her coat must harbour some fungus/ bacteria or something that likes the damp environment. She has a dense, curly coat.

Only having her clipped solves the smell. A bath works for a day or two but the cheese returns. It can be quite vile! I'm contemplating buying one of those dog drying bags, but they're not cheap.