It is an absolute joy to have a dog for a pet. They make loving, affectionate companions that make our lives more cheerful. After all, what can compare to those countless hours of cuddle sessions on the couch with your best buddy?
But this fun can become less enjoyable when your adorable pooch starts smelling or even outright stinking.
If you have a pet dog, you are surely familiar with that ever-present distinct smell associated with dogs.
Come summer, after countless hours of play dates in the dog park, walks on wooded trails, rolling in dirt and mud, and cool swimming sessions in the pool your dog is bound to turn smelly, making your favorite cuddling sessions impossible for you to bear.
When your regular dog shampoo fails to help you deal with your pet’s pungent odor and leave you looking for a pet safe product that will leave your pooch smelling fresh and clean longer, the numerous options available in the market can make the picking the right one difficult and challenging.
In this article, we will help you understand why your dog smells and how you can combat it. We will guide you on how to choose the best smelling dog shampoo for your furry friend and what you should consider when making the choice.
We will also give you tips on what makes a great smelling long lasting dog shampoo along with our recommendations for some of the top options available that you can choose for your pooch.
Why Your Dog Smells
Like us, our dogs sweat. Unlike us, they primarily perspire through their paws and not their skin. Dogs instead secrete skin oils from their skin that emits a distinct scent specific to each dog.
These oils essentially help to maintain the health of their skin and coat. These oil secretions are accompanied by small amounts of perspiration from their fur follicles.
Additionally, all dogs have a build-up of yeast in the dark and moist parts of their bodies like their ears, under their tails, in the folds of their skins, and their mouth.
All these things together are the reason that dogs develop that distinctive odor. The combination of skin oils, sweat, and yeast are what you are smelling from your dog.
This smell is natural and can be easily maintained by regularly grooming and bathing your pooch.
An issue arises when the intensity of your dog’s odor becomes high despite frequent bathing. This usually is an indication of some underlying condition affecting your pooch, resulting in his strong pungent smell.
These issues can include dental issues, skin or ear infections, food allergies, other dietary problems.
We recommend you get your dog checked by a veterinarian for any medical conditions that might be causing his body odor.
If your dog has been cleared by the vet and is found to be perfectly healthy and fit, then thankfully all you need to do is just deal with that smell. Luckily, eliminating your dog’s smells and keeping him smelling great does not take too much effort.
Regular bathing and grooming with a product that not only eliminates dog odor but also leaves your pooch smelling clean and fresh longer should get the job done.
Then you can happily enjoy your couch cuddling sessions with them.
To learn how to properly bathe your dog, watch the following dog grooming video.
What Makes a Good Smelling Dog Shampoo?
There is a variety of products that promise to leave your trusted companion smelling great. But the task of picking the right one for your pooch should not be taken lightly and must be done with careful consideration and thought.
So, what should you consider when looking for a good smelling dog shampoo?
To start with, you need to understand that the shampoo that you choose has to not only leave your dog clean and fragrant but must also eliminate his natural smell.
The shampoo should be long lasting, making sure your dog and your home are free of any kind of unwanted smell until your pooch’s next bath day.
While smelling great is a good thing, the right shampoo should also be safe for your dog. Ensure that you pick a pet approved natural product, one that is free of chemicals and additives and will not have any harmful effects on your pet’s coat or skin.
Due to your dog’s sensitive nose, you must make sure that the fragrance is gentle and mild so as not to irritate your dog’s nose or respiratory tract.
Some of the basic factors that you should bear in mind while choosing your dog’s scented shampoo are your dog’s:
- Age
- Size
- Breed
- Coat Type
- Color of Fur
- Natural Scent
Another consideration to keep in mind while choosing a good smelling shampoo is the kind of scent added to the product.
While artificial scents should be a definite no due to their likely harmful effects on your pup’s skin and fur, even among natural aromatic products some can be harmful to your dog and lead to allergic reactions or other health issues.
So, make sure you pick a safe, pet approved aromatic scent. Some common long-lasting natural aromatic scents that are safe for dogs are:
- Lavender
- Peppermint
- Eucalyptus
- Chamomile
- Aloe Vera
- Vanilla
- Mint
- Oatmeal
- Fruity Extracts
In addition to that long lasting sweet fragrance, many natural aromatic products also have properties that can help maintain your pooch’s general health and well-being.
If your dog has any other requirements, you can keep those in mind while picking a shampoo for him.
Some additional benefits of natural oils and other such aromatic ingredients are:
- Skin and coat moisturizing
- Tick and flea repellant
- Antibacterial and antimicrobial
- Soothing effect on itchy skin
- Management of rashes and skin allergies.
The Best Smelling Dog Shampoo That Lasts
Now that you are armed with the information on what you need to know about choosing the best smelling dog shampoo, you can now make an informed decision on what is the safest and best option for your furry friend.
Even then, you probably do not want to spend hours scouring the internet to look at the numerous options available there to finally come down to the right one. So, we are here to make the process simpler and faster for you.
Here are our top three recommendations for the best smelling dog shampoo that lasts. All of these products are highly rated and used by thousands of happy and content dog parents.
Read on and learn the unique properties that make them among the best.
Wahl Odor Control Shampoo for Dogs & Pets
This great smelling, long-lasting dog shampoo will not only leave your pooch fragrant with the smell of fresh coconut and eucalyptus after an easy bath session but will also clean their coat without all the harsh chemicals like alcohol and paraben.
The formula is pet safe, pH balanced and made from plant-based ingredients.
Whether your dog has dry and sensitive skin or a coat that sheds and is so light in color, it shows all the muck and dirt it collects! That’s why professionals stick to Wahl’s.
Pro Pet Works All-Natural Oatmeal Dog Shampoo
Designed as hypoallergenic dog shampoo, this product is designed to be safe for use even if your pooch has sensitive, itchy or dry skin or has any kind of allergies.
Enriched with aloe vera and almond oil, the shampoo soothes your dog’s skin, with the additional benefits of vitamins and amino acids helping in skin and fur regeneration and an overall healthy coat.
The absence of any alcohol or artificial chemicals, additives and fragrances and the use of only natural and organic ingredients gives you a fantastic mild fruity smelling shampoo that is great for your beloved pooch.
TropiClean Shampoos for Pets
This aromatic shampoo for dogs is naturally made of plants and minerals to smell like oatmeal and tea tree! And we all know how beneficial these ingredients are to our dogs’ skin.
They can relieve itching by exfoliating, killing the bacteria, and moisturizing your pooch’s fur.
The shampoo is also soap-free, paraben-free, and dye-free so as not to cause dryness and irritation to their sensitive skin.
Have a Pawsome-Smelling Dog!
Having a stinky dog can be a nightmare for many of us. If the smell persists and spreads to all your belongings, your whole house will smell like dogs.
Finding a great smelling long-lasting dog shampoo that leaves your pooch smelling clean and fresh can be a great relief.
Follow our tips and product recommendations to keep your dog smelling fresh. Now you can cuddle up with your beloved furry companion on the couch or in the bed without any concern for that awful doggy smell.
