Here’s the nightmarish scenario: Your dog has had a terrible odor for weeks; you’ve tried four different shampoos, and none of them have helped. What are you going to do?

* The first thing to consider is the obvious; did your dog roll in something (decaying matter, feces) or get sprayed by a skunk? Usually either one of these scenarios is fairly easy to diagnose, and your vet can offer advice on what shampoo would be the best for either situation.

* It could also be canine halitosis. Some diseases, like kidney failure and diabetes, can cause a change in breath. Dental disease and infected gums can produce a very foul odor. Additionally, a sore mouth may cause increased drooling. The malodorous saliva can coat the fur, furniture and so on, and you may not recognize that this is originating in the mouth.

* Bacterially infected ears are often extremely odious. A vet can usually smell these ones while they are still in the waiting room. Your dog will usually be scratching or shaking the head, but not always. A bath may make ears worse if water is trapped in the ear canal.

* Flatulence is the odor on your dog, or from your dog? Flatulence or "gas" may indicate a dietary or intestinal problem. Some flatulence is normal, but if this is regularly occurring, you should consult your veterinarian.

* Anal glands/sacs are perhaps the most common cause of dog odor that won’t go away. Anal sacs are two small scent-sacs in the area of the anus. These are a type of "marking" glands. When a dog has a bowel movement, these sacs are normally squeezed, and a very smelly, oily secretion is released with the feces.

If these sacs become infected or impacted (thicker secretion than normal, can’t empty properly), problems result. This can be a very painful situation when they become infected! If a dog (or cat) is scared or overly excited, these glands can secrete the smelly, oily substance on the surrounding fur, causing bad odor.

Dog Smell Removal

* If your dog smells, get some dog shampoo and bathe the dog. Perhaps it’s your selection of pet shampoos that stop them from being effective; there’s a list below for dog shampoos that may work on your pet.

* If you’re comfortable enough around the pooch, strip down and get in the shower to bathe your pet; it can’t escape and you don’t get your clothes soaked. Don’t bathe a dog too often as you’ll damage the hair by washing away the waterproof oil dogs produce naturally. If your dog still smells, it might have a medical problem, so it might be worthwhile taking it to a vet.

* Try experimenting with different blow dryers to see if there is one your dog can tolerate. Also, grooming sprays will freshen them up between baths so you won’t need a clothespin on your nose when your furry friend needs nuzzling.

* Don’t use just any chemical wipe on a dog unless stated it’s safe by a vet. Safe for humans doesn’t mean safe for a dog (Example: chocolate can easily kill a dog because it contains theobromine and other strong stimulants toxic to canines).

* If the smell came from a skunk attack or an excrement romp, then bathe your dog immediately. The faster you get that smelly mutt (or purebred, whichever) in the wash, the better the chance that the bad skunk/excrement odor will actually wash off.

In addition, everyone’s heard of the old foolproof skunk standby: tomato juice. The basic premise, of course, is that the acids in the tomato juice will dissolve and counteract the oils in the skunk spray. If you want to try this method out, then you should add a can (or two or three) of tomato paste to the dog’s bath. If that’s still not enough, then take your pet to the vet for a prescription-strength bath.

* In every way, whatever you put into your dog, will come back out. That goes with training, time, care and especially… food. Cutting out excessive treats, table scraps and maybe even a total diet change might be what is needed. Watch the ingredients on your dog’s main source of food and try to get food with no soy or corn.

* The smell might be coming from bad breath. If that’s the case, then brushing your dog’s teeth weekly or more may be the answer. There are dozens of specially formulated toothpastes for dogs on the market now, as well as a number of toothbrush styles.

The finger brush is particularly effective; like an infant finger-brush, this is a rubber hood that’s placed over your finger, with soft rubber bristles attached to one side. Dogs are less inclines to chew the invading object when they know it’s their owner’s finger, and they all know their owner’s finger is not edible, no matter how tasty the toothpaste is.

* If all else fails, hire a professional. Yes, you just can’t beat veterinarian care, especially if the cause of your dog’s bad odor is of a medical nature, like the anal glands or infected ears. Just let your vet handle the rest in regards to his strong smelling pelt.

Dog Smell Removing Products

For the dog:

* Honey & Oats Dog Shampoo, a soothing oatmeal dog shampoo bar recipe, developed using finely ground oats, aloe vera, honey, an extra dose of Vitamin E, and cornstarch to help soothe and heal itchy, irritated, inflamed and dry skin.

The natural emollient oils, cocoa butter and coat-conditioning jojoba oil add shine as they moisturize your canine. This product is best for dogs that have sensitive skin or skin-related problems like dog scabies.

* Simple Solution 5 ½" x 9" Flushable Wipes are ideal for quick pick up of urine, feces and hairball stains. It also removes stains and odors from your pets and leaves fresh citrus scent. Don’t worry, it won’t damage plumbing.

In addition, it’s safe for synthetic fiber and use around children and pets (but just in case, double check with your dog’s vet if these wipes are safe to use on your specific breed of dog).

* The Cedarwood & Lavender Dog Shampoo is an all-natural shampoo blend for dogs, enriched with moisturizing sunflower oil and shea butter; it’s excellent for producing healthy, shiny coats.

This dog cleaner is made with extra castor and jojoba oil to penetrate the dense, coarse fur of your pooch. It also contains comfrey root powder for a soft, silky feel, plus skin-loving essential oils specifically chosen to repel bugs and reduce pet odor.

For the house:

* Use Fresh Wave for Stinky Pets. Fresh Wave has an array of all natural, non-toxic and earth-friendly products for the laundry, upholstery, floors and the general atmosphere of your home that are designed to attract, capture and neutralize pet odors.

* Try Simple Green. This usually can be found at your local supermarket. This household cleaning sprays is a good organic alternative and can be effective against dog smell (and dog urine) on fabrics and furniture.

* Nature’s Miracle truly is a miracle when it comes to bad odor removal, especially dog smell removal. Cat urine is the worst and hardest smell to get rid of, but it easily folded against the power and ability of Nature’s Miracle; what more dog odor? You just need to saturate the affected area with the product and the natural enzymes will work to rid the smell.

* Simple Solution Products for Cats isn’t just for cats! This effective cleaner makes short work of pet clean-up. With its professional strength bacterial/enzymes, Simple Solution Cleaner removes organic stains and odors permanently. It’s particularly ideal for “recurrent territorial marking”!

* DooDoo VooDoo will get rid of pet smell, among other smells. Its pet-friendly formulation works where other products usually fail. It’s a stain remover for most animal bodily fluids, but it also doubles as a deodorant of sorts.

Invented by the founders of two federally licensed animal charities & a nonprofit spay/neuter clinic, DooDoo VooDoo proprietary chemistry neutralizes pet smells differently and more effectively compared to other odor-removing products you may be familiar with.

Smelly Dog FAQ

* What are the most common causes of dog odor?

A dog bad smell can stem from a variety of causes. Some dogs, especially the hound breeds, exude more coat oil than others, causing doggy odor. Retrievers love to roll in any awful-smelling organic material they come across in their daily romps. Bad odors may also have a medical cause such as mange, ear infections or periodontal disease. Anal glands that need to be emptied also smell pretty funky.

* Why do dogs roll in smelly stuff, anyway?

Animal behaviorists think it is a way to "scent camouflage" themselves. By rolling in something smelly and perhaps of their intended prey, they won’t be detected.

* Why do wet dogs smell so much worse than dry ones?

The essence is that from the wet dog hair emit following volatile compounds: dimethyl trisulfide, phenol, p-cresol, mushroom (1-octen-3-ol), fruity (2-nonanone), floral (â-damascenone), and earthy smelling (2,3-diethyl-5-methylpyrazine) odors, and branched or complex aldehydes (2, and 3-methyl butanal, isobutanal, 2E-octenal, acetaldehyde, benzaldehyde, phenylacetaldehyde, 2E-nonanal).

There are many odoriferous compounds which individually do not have odors associated with "dog smell." However, in combination, these compounds produce the typical "dog smell" that many people describe as unpleasant. There is a complex pattern of changes in the volatile compounds associated with wetting of brushed dog hair.

This pattern appears to manifest as "wet dog" odor. While some amount of change in odor would be expected due to the different partition coefficients when water is added to the hair, the variety of differences indicates a probable chemical or biochemical reaction on the hair. Simply put, wet dog hair stinks because of the chemical reaction of the dog hair to water.