Why Do Dogs Stink When Wet?

Published A Few Days Ago
ADVERTISEMENT

There’s always a distinctive smell coming from your pooch after he gets wet. Have you ever wondered why dogs stink when they get wet?

You’ve just come in from the rain after having walked your now sopping-wet pooch. You enter the house, remove your boots, and stand back as he rigorously shakes all that wet away, and begins to wag his tail. While he’s a happy boy, you’re thinking “whoa, what on earth is that funky smell?” Well, that’s the smell of wet dog and until he has been thoroughly dried, he’s going to spread that dank scent throughout the house and onto any soft surfaces he cares to rub himself against.

Related:Best Dog Wipes

So, what causes that distinctive “wet dog” odor? It’s actually as bad as you’d think. It’s a stinky combo of microorganisms such as yeasts and bacteria that naturally occur deep down, on your dog’s skin and just settle in for the long haul. And, like most natural organism, they excrete volatile compounds (AKA poop). Just add a little water and what you have is the answer to why wet dogs stink. Yes, that odor is in fact a cocktail of reconstituted feces from those millions of microorganisms.

Now that you know what causes the smell, how do you prevent it from infiltrating your home, your car, and clothes? I mean, dogs will continue to jump in lakes, pools, get caught in rainstorms, run under hoses, and have baths, right?

There are a few tricks you can use to banish doggy smell, such as:

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

You May Like

Ask the Hairy Dogfathers: Why Did She Shop, Instead of Adopt?

A shelter dog advocate is up in arms when a family member ""rescues"" a dog from a breeder. The Hairy Dogfathers have some ideas on keeping the peace.

Gen Y Dogma – Compromising Pet Parenting Styles

Raising a dog in a two-parent household, you need to come to some agreement on what style pet parenting you’re going to employ. If you don’t work…

Shire Horse

The Shire Horse is massive, with an appearance that would make it perfect for a medieval setting. They are popular because they aim to please.

Affen Tzu

The fearless little Affen Tzu brings the sweet-natured personality of the Shih Tzu together with the spunky spirit of the Affenpinscher.

Swedish Vallhund

The Swedish Vallhund is energetic and eager to make friends. This breed comes with 3 different types of tail: bobtail, a stub tail or a full curl tail.

7 Illuminating Facts About Black Cats

Don''t be superstitious - Black Cats are anything but bad luck. Come out of the dark as we shed light on seven cool black cat facts.

Blue Ridge Beef Recalls Frozen Turkey With Bone Dog Food

Blue Ridge Beef is voluntarily recalling one of its frozen products due to the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

Golden Shepherd

The devoted Golden Shepherd brings the gentle nature of the Golden Retriever and the loyalty of the German Shepherd Dog together for a great family pet.

Product Review: The Green Pet Shop Cool Pet Pad

The COOLest pet on the block this summer is Lola B. Boston. It may have something to do with The Green Pet Shop Self-Cooling Pet Pad.

Norwegian Lundehund

The Norwegian Lundehund is an interesting breed. One of the coolest things about this dog is that it has six toes - not dew claws - on each foot.

Study: Cats’ Personalities May Be Mirrors Of Their Human Parents’

Pets are family, so it stands to reason our furry family members are a lot like us, right? A new study from the United Kingdom suggests that’s true for…

Cadoodle

The Cadoodle is a cross between a collie and a standard poodle. They are also known as Colliedoodles or Colliepoos, they are sweet, smart and energetic.

Upside Down Dog Of The Week – Lou

Meet Lou, the winner of our Upside Down Dog of the Week from Upsidedowndogs.com. Lou is a 6-year-old male Dogues de Bordeaux (French Mastiff) from Little Sai…

Jealous Great Dane Doesn’t Want To Share The Love [Video]

Science has recently proven that dogs get jealous, too (tell us pet parents something we don’t already know!). This Great Dane hilariously shares his d…

Peek-A-Pom

The sweet Peek-A-Pom is also known as Peekapom and Pominese. This designer toy dog breed was developed by crossing the Pekingese and Pomeranian.