Pet owners, almost exclusively dog owners, have a binary relationship themselves and their pet dog: they love them, but hate the fleas and especially the odor, which most term the "dog smell". When non dog-owning friends walk into a home, they'll never ask whether or not there's a dog around...they can usually smell it long before they meet the dog. Sometimes and very typically, the dog owner becomes so used to the odor, the owner eventually will not even notice it, until they're in the process of trying to sell their home.
The realtor might politely, yet jokingly suggest that the home owner wash the inside of his house with a fire hose before placing it on the market. If these are the types of experiences a pet owner has with his friends, realtors, etc, then there are some approaches with respect to odor removal that might be beneficial for people in this circumstance.
What Causes Dog Odor?
There are a host of reasons and circumstances that contribute to dog odor. The most obvious one is that dogs love to roll around in the dirt and on the grass. Other factors are diet, activity, weather conditions and the overall cleanliness of a pet. Unless a dog owner finds some way of placing the dog in a suit of armor or encasing him in a soapy water plastic cocoon, there's nothing that can be done about the rolling around phenomena. That's just what a dog does. However, other things can be done.
One of the most obvious things that will help control odor, to an extent, is giving a dog the best food that is available. Many of the common commercially available dog foods are made of things and animal byproducts that most owners would not approve of. Poor food quality contributes to dog odor. There are several good dog foods that are made from organic and plant based proteins that will help to combat this problem. Additionally, using natural or green products is always the best way to approach most home/pet problems. Also, there are additives that also help a dog with general hygiene that will obviously enhance overall health which usually translates into a decrease in dog odor.
Outdoor Activity Contributes to Dog Odor
When dogs run around on the outside, their skin excretes an oil that helps to keep the skin and fur supple. This also aids in protection against the elements. If a dog is a small lap dog, probably most owners would restrict outside activity, but the dog's body and skin will still excrete a certain amount of oil into the fur. In any event, the oil/weather/activity combination coupled with dirt will contribute to dog odor.
One of the first lines of defense is to bathe the dog. First, one will need to have the right shampoo. Never, never, never, use human shampoo on a dog. A dog's skin has a higher PH than does a human. Good quality dog shampoos will have a PH of about 7.5. While a human would require a much lower PH shampoo, well below 6.5. The more acidic (PH <7.0) human shampoo will dry out a dog's fur, causing the dog to frequently scratch. Also, if dog is bathed too frequently, even with a good dog shampoo, This will contributing to the odor problem. One should consult a veterinarian, but bathing more than twice a month for a dog is unnecessary, at best and does the dog a disservice, at worst. So the bottom line is to bathe the dog with a dog shampoo, but not too frequently.
If Pet Odor Persists, Other Natural Approaches for a Dog
There are commercially available natural, green dog deodorizers that have a neutral pH, but will kill the dog odor. The best are made from essential oils, like orange oil, lemon or grapefruit, but there are numerous others that are quite acceptable. These will chemically alter the oil in the dogs fur, neutralizing the unpleasant odors. Of course, as the dog's skin continuously excretes the oil, this will be a continuing process.
Additionally, there are deodorizing shampoos that also contain some of the essential oils, as well. After bathing, the dog odor will dissipate for a day or so, but the dog can be re-sprayed with the above mentioned prodcuts, whenever the odor returns. When it comes time for a bath, merely repeat the process. The combination of steps as mentioned above can radically eliminate all, if not most of the dog odor. There's also an added benefit to surfacted essential oil treatments: virtually all of the above named essential oils also act as flea prevention. In fact, orange oil, for instance with its d-limonine inherent in its make up, will actually dissolve an insect's carapace, immediately killing it and any of its eggs.
Nothing works all the time to totally eliminate dog odor. All of the steps mentioned above will keep it under control. It is an ongoing process of proper food and nutrition, frequent bathing and the use of natural supplements. Additionally, one can use the proper essential oils to keep the odors at bay
Nick Schklair - Nick Schklair, author, writer and business consultant has published a work on business startups in today's economy.
