Dogs Odour

by Royce
(Malaysia)

I have an American cocker spaniel and we live in Malaysia. Although I shower my dog with best shower soap possible or the best as recommended by pet shops, the smell returns after 1-2 days.

Shortly, it will be really hard to spare the time to shower him this regularly as I'm going to be working soon.

Can anyone advise me what to do, I need a cure for this - even though he smells, he is my first dog and I love him.

Reply from Pauline (Web Owner)

I think you need to work out exactly what's causing your cocker spaniel to smell because I suspect it may not be your Cocker Spaniel's coat that is the problem.

If you're sure he's not rolling in anything nasty each day, then you may be able to rule out his coat.

Have you checked his 'lips'?

Check the folds at the edges of his mouth to see if the fur around them is clean. My Cocker needs to have his mouth wiped every day (baby wipes are great for this) to wipe away food debris before it has a chance to solidify and mat onto his fur.

If not wiped clean, the build-up of food debris can cause bacteria and a VERY disgusting smell.

Sometimes you can treat it yourself by cleaning the area thoroughly, and keeping it clean.

However, if it has been left for too long, you may need to take your dog to the vet for treatment. (Usually anti-biotic wipes and/or anti-biotic tablets.) However, once the condition is remedied, I recommend using wipes after each meal to ensure this doesn't happen again. (It works out much cheaper this way too!)

If it's not his mouth that's smelling, it may be his bottom - his anal glands to be precise! Read the following articles to understand the problem and what you can do about it:

Anal Sacs Explained

How To Express Your Dog's Anal Glands

If it's none of these things, perhaps our visitors can help?

If none of these suggestions help, to be on the safe side, perhaps a visit to your vet would be advisable?

PS: Buying the best soap possible is not always the answer. The shampoo or soap you use on your dog should always be specially formulated to use on dogs, ie a very mild shampoo.

Personally, I use baby shampoo because it's so gentle and mild, and I know it won't harm my dog.