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

What To Do When Making A Dog Insurance Claim

You may have been happily paying your dog insurance premiums for years. However, the confusion comes for many people when they need to make a claim.

Adoptable Pet of the Week – Thelma

Meet Thelma, our Adoptable Dog of the Week. She''s a black Shepherd mix from Seattle, Washington with the ability to make anyone fall in love with her.

How to Solve the 7 Most Common Kitty Litter Problems

From peeing in miscellaneous places to suddenly refusing to use the litter box: here''s what your cat is trying to tell you.

Rub-A-Dub-Dub – A Pug In A Tub Is This Week’s Wet Wednesday Winner

Chillin’ out in the tub – that’s how Nacho the Pug rolls. Livin’ the Pug Life in Seattle, WA, Nacho is our fourth Wet Wednesday Weekl…

Burmilla

Burmilla cats are intelligent, figuring things out, such as how to get a door open, and learning tricks. And they also enjoy playing with toys and people.

Ask the Animal Communicator: My Bearded Dragon Won't Snuggle With Me

Bearded dragons regularly top the lists of “most popular reptile pet.” What’s not to love? They look like tiny, well, dragons. They are notoriously clingy and c…

SuperZoo 2016 Day 2: KATRIS Lynks Modular Cat Scratchers

The claws came out at SuperZoo when KATRIS unveiled its Lynks Modular Cat Scratchers. These cat scratchers are the cat''s meow!

Kickstarter Gloves Keep You Warm While You Scoop The Poop

Walkease winter gloves for dog owners promise to make long walks in the cold easier to bear. Can''t say the same from picking up poop, though.

Plus-Sized Fashions For Large Breed Dogs

If you can''t bark with the big dogs, get off the runway. Dog fashion isn''t just for petite Poodles - large dog breeds can play dress up, too!

Ding Dong! Delicious Doggie Dinner is Now Delivered to Your Door

Just about anything you can imagine is delivered to your house. Spot & Tango offers excellent nutritional meals that are delivered directly to your door.

Toxirn

The confident little Toxirn brings the sassy but devoted nature of the Chihuahua together with the spirited, playful personality of the Cairn Terrier.

Cheagle

Imagine a small dog with the floppy ears and markings of a Beagle but the body of a Chihuahua and you have the Cheagle, a new companion designer dog.

Gen Y Dogma: And Puppy Makes Three

When you meet “the one,” you just know… that you need to bring a dog into the mix. That’s what it was like when writer Christina Ped…

Adoptable Dog of the Week- Gucci

Our Adoptable Dog of the Week is Gucci, a 2 years old Texas Heeler mix from Seattle, Washington. She is spayed, vaccinated, housebroken, and crate-trained.

Study: Top 10 Most Common Dog and Cat Illnesses

Would it shock you to learn that pet parents spend more than $15 billion a year on vet care? But most of these dollars are spent treating the minor illnesses.