Question from Miko
Hi Debra,
I have dogs and I hate their smell ,and it seems to be a constant struggle to keep them clean/ not stinking with their weekly bath; I use ONLY organic ,human shampoos and that only lasts a couple of days,smell-wise
any ideas about organic alternatives for their bathing? Enzymes ?
anything ,also organic,and non toxic ( the catch words ) to freshen up the air until the next weekly bath? diffusers? incences?
I have a giant and powerful airfilter,which helps with the dust and hairs,etc but the dogs still stink pretty badly
Thanks.
Debra’s Answer
I don’t have dogs, so readers, any suggestions?
This is a topic I’ve studied, personally experienced and professionally consulted for over 17 years. Our animals need organic real FOOD, clean water, and less chemicals. ALL dry food has little to no nutritional value and the animal must constantly detox out the chemicals in the food. It’s all about choosing to truly care for the animal instead of the convenience of dumping kibble in the bowl. Having an animal is a huge responsibility. If you feed only real human organic food, they will thrive, not smell, and have no need to ever go to the vet. Most of the things Debra teaches about humans applies to our animal companions. I could go on and on.
I agree. It’s the same for humans and pets. We’re both mammals and the same factors help or harm our bodies.
I agree that diet is a huge factor. I feed my dogs raw meat of high quality, with a raw powdered nutritional mixture, Dr. Schulze’s Superfood, a little coconut oil and a sprinkle of grain-free kibble to add crunch, like croutons.
One of my dogs smells good. She has no stink. The other has improved over a period of several years. She was malnourished and over-vaccinated, and was a bit of a runt. So, she has come along slowly, first responding by getting happy, then by growth over 4 years (catch-up I guess–she keeps growing!) and by gradual improvement of her smell.
She cannot be mistaken for a rose, but her smell now is much milder. I ought to bathe her now and then just to help the smell along, but she is a white and brindle pit bull who loves to roll in dirt when she’s been washed, so I skip it.
My other dog, a pit/lab mix, responded fast to good nutrition and is the one who smells good.
Too much bathing is simply not good for the dog or their skin/hair. Human shampoo is not made for dogs, the Ph is different. What happens is the skin and hair are stripped and the body must make up the oils that are gone, essentially this process of over washing is creating an assault in the dogs system. That is assaulting ypur nose.
What kind of dogs do you have?
What they eat will indeed impact their odor, as will their lifestyle.
These are very good and I have used them for years for quick clean ups.
https://www.chewy.com/earthbath-hypo-allergenic-grooming/dp/40505?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=hg&utm_content=Earthbath&utm_term=&gclid=CP_at4yTsNECFQt_fgodkboC7A&gclsrc=aw.ds
I like the Green Tea one and so does my dog.
This is what I feed my dog, https://acana.com/?lang=usa. He can have all the organic green beans he wants for treats.
Dogs shouldn’t really stink. What are you feeding them? That might be the cause of it. Change to better quality, grain free food or home feed.
Weekly bathing is likely too much. Bathing strips the needed oils from their skin.
The truth is, dogs stink. They just do. But you could try researching different breeds for your next dog (if there is to be one). For instance, I know first hand that Basset Hounds have a strong odor, more so than many other breeds. It may help to have small breeds. Smaller dog, less smell. You could also erect partitions in the home and keep them limited to certain areas.
I’m not sure weekly washing is such a good idea. You may be disrupting the natural protective qualities of their skin. You know what happens when YOU take too many showers- dry and irritable skin! This can set them up for skin allergies or irritations. And any skin inflammation IS going to smell. If they are getting water trapped in their ears this can lead to fungal ear infections- which does smell.
After you’ve had them outdoors you might try a good brief brushing to get rid of any debris. And keep those brushes good and clean.