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

False Map Turtle

The False Map Turtle is one of several breeds of Map Turtles. They can also be a good choice if you are new to keeping turtles as pets.

Colorado Ranger Horse

The Colorado Ranger Horse is also known as the Rangerbred. These horses are bold, clever, and intelligent, and are able to perform a variety of tasks.

Cats Photoshopped in Soccer Pictures Score All The Goals

Do you have some free time and nothing to do with it, right? BoredPanda is sponsoring a unique photoshop challenge that has fur flying on soccer fields!

Adoptable Dog Of The Week – Etienne

There’s a lot of love in this little fella! Meet Etienne, our Adoptable Dog of the Week. He’s an adult Chihuahua from San Francisco, CA. Etienne…

Standard Chinchilla Rabbit

The Standard Chinchilla Rabbit is known to be sweet, docile creature who have no problem being picked up by their owners or strangers.

How to Treat Your Dog’s Wounds at Any Stage

To ensure your dog''s injury heals properly, there are steps to follow. Know from the get-go how to take care of your dog''s wound at every stage.

New Forest Pony

The New Forest Pony has a friendly and docile temperament. It is such a popular breed because of its friendly and docile temperament.

How to Help a Semi-Feral Cat Get Used to Life Indoors

Stray cats aren''t an uncommon sight. If you''re thinking about asking one to move in, here are some tips on how to help make the transition easier.

‘Famous’ Instagram Dogs Don PJs to Support (RED)

Instagram has launched the careers of some famous dogs. Now, they''re snuggling together to fight against AIDS while modeling some snazzy pooch pajamas.

Casper Dog Bed Review: Sweet Dreams For Dogs

We reviewed the Casper Dog Bed and here''s our honest, tested opinion. Is the Casper Dog Bed worth the money - read our review and find out!

8 Tips To Improve Your Dog’s Dental Health

Dogs deserve pearly white teeth, so make sure they have a healthy smile You want to keep your dog smiling… and proper dental care is an important fact…

Product Review: Neato XV Signature Pro

Does the Neato XV Signature Pro leave other robot vacuums in the dust? We test it out to see how well this robot vac picks up fur, dust, dirt and hair.

The Best Parrot Paraphernalia You’ll Squawk Over

We''re wild about birds. Their beauty, intelligence?and knack for pooping on everything you love. Here are some products you''ll go Cuckoo for!

TailsUp! App Helps Kids Get To The Bottom Of Animal Awareness

No “If’s, And’s or Butt’s” about it, your kids are gonna love this app! Not since “Pin the Tail on the Donkey” has…

This Pawesome Portable Bed Is A Dream Come True for Furry Adventurers

Designed to enable you to bring comfort with you everywhere you go, Spruce bed doubles as a storage for your pet''s stuff, too.