Labrador Retriever

　　Many dog owners immediately think of giving their dog a bath when they notice a strong odor. However, some dogs return to their original smell just a few days after bathing. This shows that blindly giving dogs a bath cannot fundamentally solve the problem; only by finding the real culprit can the dog's odor be eliminated and restore a fresh and beautiful appearance. So, what are the causes of strong dog odor?

　　1. Ears

　　Many people have the habit of cleaning their dog's ears with cotton swabs during bath time. However, the ear cleaning may not be done carefully during bathing, and a dog's ears are the organ that most easily "harbor dirt and grime," bar none.

　　Clean ears should be dry and clean. During normal metabolism, a dog's ear canal secretes a large amount of oil, and dust easily accumulates there. Together with the oil, earwax forms and absorbs a lot of moisture, making the ear canal environment damp. If not cleaned regularly, accumulated earwax causes the ear canal to become increasingly moist, attracting parasites or bacteria, which then cause inflammation and a noticeable odor. Some dogs have large ear flaps that hide the ear canal, so the problem may not be very obvious. But when the dog frequently scratches or rubs its ears or shakes its head, the owner should pay close attention. Also, some dogs with smaller ears but long ear hair can easily hide the condition of the ears.

　　Therefore, it is very important to clean a dog's ears regularly. Bath time is a good opportunity because the moisture softens the earwax and makes cleaning easier. However, ear cleaning frequency can be higher than bathing frequency, because the ear canal gets dirty more easily than the fur. Especially for dogs that already have inflammation or parasites like fleas or lice, cleaning twice daily with appropriate medicated drops or oils to inhibit illness or remove parasites is recommended.

　　Cleaning a dog's ears mainly involves cleaning the ear flaps and the ear canal. Cleaning the ear flaps is simple—you just need to gently wipe and massage them with dog-specific wet wipes or damp towels to remove accumulated earwax. The ear canal requires more caution. It's best to clean during daytime with good lighting and when the dog is calm. Hold the ear flap with one hand, use a cotton swab dipped in olive oil or special ear cleaner to gently wipe along the outer ear canal. For stubborn earwax, apply dog ear cleaning solution first, wait for softening, then remove with tweezers. The whole process must be done carefully. Avoid inserting tweezers or cotton swabs too deep to prevent damaging the eardrum or mucosa, and always watch the dog's mood. If the dog resists strongly, pause to avoid injury.

　　2. Bad Breath

　　Dogs do not floss or brush their teeth by themselves, so food stuck between teeth can rot and cause bad breath, or worse, cavities and periodontal disease, which eventually cause persistent bad breath.

　　If bad breath is caused by this, brushing your dog's teeth can help. If you have a toothbrush at home, just buy special dog toothpaste, preferably with meat flavor to minimize resistance. Owners too busy to clean their dog's mouth regularly can also let the dog "eat grass" as a lazy method. There are also relatively inexpensive fresh breath chew tablets made from mint and various ingredients that remove bad mouth odor while chewing. These chews are suitable mainly for large dogs.

　　Dental chews can remove plaque, prevent periodontal disease, and eliminate bad breath with many flavor options such as milk, mint, and peanut, all effectively cleaning the mouth and preventing oral disease. If you don't want your dog to develop a snacking habit, consider uniquely shaped rubber toothpaste toys that clean teeth while the dog plays and chews.

　　Another issue is poor digestion. If a dog has a weak stomach and can't digest well, bad breath can easily result. This requires proper gut care with easily digestible food. The best prevention is to avoid feeding dogs human food. Dry kibble can effectively scrape food residue off teeth, cleaning the mouth. Also giving dogs probiotics like Guden Probiotics helps balance gut flora, protecting the intestines and aiding digestion and absorption. A healthy gut naturally eliminates bad breath.

　　If a dog eats a lot of meat or snacks, this can also cause bad breath. In this case, giving MAG multivitamins to supplement vitamins and trace elements can slowly cure the bad breath problem.

Samoyed

　　3. Tear Stains

　　For dogs with pure white fur, the hardest area to care for is probably around the eyes, especially for breeds with longer fur like Maltese and white Poodles. Normal metabolic secretions around the eyes can stain the fur and leave two “tear lines,” emitting a foul odor. Some dogs do not have the staining issue, but due to large, protruding eyes and well-developed tear glands, their eyes are easily irritated and produce more discharge, causing the whole face to emit a strong odor that makes owners reluctant to get close. These dogs should have their eye area cleaned daily to maintain freshness and eye hygiene.

　　When cleaning a dog's eyes, use a special dog eye-cleaning solution, drip directly into the eyes to clean dust. To clean discharge around the eyes, use a cotton swab dipped in water or special cleanser to wipe gently; avoid dry cotton swabs to prevent cotton residue irritating the eyes. Be careful and patient while cleaning eyes and surrounding area to avoid harming the eyes or causing the dog to resist cleaning. Both eye and ear cleaning should be encouraging experiences, offering praise or rewards when the dog cooperates, and never forcibly cleaning or scolding when the dog resists.

　　4. Body

　　The bacteria on a dog’s skin decompose skin oils which produce the odor. Most dog body odor is caused by secretions from sebaceous and apocrine sweat glands being broken down by microorganisms. Dogs do not have eccrine sweat glands like humans and cannot sweat to wash away microbes and dirt.

　　The sebaceous and sweat glands produce strong odors. Dog odor increases with high temperature and humidity because the microbes producing the odor become more active. Therefore, dog smell is stronger in hot, humid summer and rainy seasons. Regular baths using suitable shampoo for dogs are very important!

　　5. Anal Glands

　　The largest “odor emitter” on a dog is the anal glands, which are deeply hidden. Located on both sides of the dog’s anus, one on each side, these pear-shaped glands contain anal gland fluid. The fluid is secreted during defecation to lubricate the anus and facilitate bowel movements. It is also a dog’s “business card.” When two dogs meet, they first smell each other’s behind to recognize one another through the anal glands. Although some fluid is discharged during defecation, much accumulates in the glands. Without regular cleaning, the fluid darkens and turns black, emitting a strong fishy smell. If your dog smells fishy despite baths, consider when you last cleaned its anal glands. Besides odor, dogs also signal the need for gland cleaning by dragging their behind on the floor, spinning in circles, biting their tail, or reacting sensitively when the owner touches their rear.

　　Owners should take protective measures when cleaning anal glands because the odor is extremely strong and lingers on hands, requiring long washing times to remove. It’s best to wear gloves. During cleaning, press the anus’s sides with thumb and forefinger to locate the firm glands, then squeeze upwards and outwards to expel the fluid. If not cleaned during bath time, place a tissue outside the anus to catch spraying fluid. Different dogs have different gland fluid thicknesses; some thick like paste, some watery, but both smell extremely fishy.

　　The above suggestions for ear cleaning, tooth brushing, and anal gland cleaning are best performed by professionals. Inexperienced people may easily harm the dog. It is recommended to clean the anal glands before bathing. Regular dog bathing and grooming not only make dogs more confident and beautiful but also prevent potential diseases. Why not do it happily?