Sometimes, you bathe your dog, and they shake their wet fur everywhere — or they don’t dry right away. Sometimes, your furry friend gets caught in the rain, and they bring in mud and the smell of wet dogs everywhere. Not sure how that wet dog smell happens or how to eliminate that odor? You’d be surprised by the tools you can use, like pet hair remover tools and even apple cider vinegar at home to help eliminate the wet dog smell. Let’s look at how that smell happens in the first place, and we’ll look at 10 practical tips for getting rid of that wet dog smell.
1. What Causes Wet Dog Smell?
According to British chemistry teacher Andy Brunning, whenever you take your dog for a walk, yeasts and bacteria end up taking residence on your pup. The result is moisture evaporation that carries some of the compounds on it, leading to that strange odorous mixture of almond, fruit, sulfur and, even, well, feces. That’s the unpleasant wet dog smell.
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2. Wet Dog Smell Basics
There are a whole bunch of other reasons your dog may smell. It all comes down to moisture. If your dog has especially wrinkly skin, chances are that moisture-like sweat is getting trapped under their wrinkly flaps. Drool and slobber smell when it’s fresh and wet. Drool and slobber also smell when it’s dry and crusty. When Fido spends a lot of time outside, chances are they might be rolling in wet grass or stepping into puddles. All that moisture is bound to give them the inevitable dog smell.
3. Ways to Get Rid of Wet Dog Smell
The best smelling dog is a clean and dry dog. If your dog is wet after a bath, dry them with a microfiber dog towel. If you have any designated towels just to dry your dog, use those. Natural enzyme cleaners or a diluted vinegar mixture can help remove tough pet odors like wet dog smell from the rest of your home.
4. Removing the Wet Dog Smell from Your Home
If you don’t already routinely bathe your pup, make sure you do so. Once you towel them off, be sure to blow dry their fur on low heat or a cool setting. Baking soda on furniture and carpet helps remove wet dog smell, too. Simply sprinkle over any area where the wet dog smell lingers. Allow it to sit overnight.
5. Cleaning Dog Bedding and Accessories
Need help cleaning dog bedding and accessories other than just throwing them in the wash? Before you even put them in the laundry to get them nice and clean, remove any excess dog fur with the best pet hair remover.
6. Cleaning Your Car
You can clean your car with a DIY deodorizer solution. Mix water and apple cider vinegar together in a spray bottle. Be sure to spot test first before spraying it onto all the upholstery in your car to make sure it won’t stain or damage your interior. Alternatively, just use baking soda in your car.
7. Regularly Groom Your Dog
It’s important to regularly groom and brush your dog for their health and to help get rid of the wet dog smell. Use a pet hair remover brush that will not only groom your dog’s fur coat but can also remove fur from furniture, carpets, your car and any of your non-knit clothing.
8. Regularly Bathe Your Dog
How often you bathe or don’t bathe your dog can affect how much of a wet dog smell they have. As you can guess, the more you groom and bathe your dog, the likelier they’ll smell better. Just remember to dry them with a microfiber towel or a towel specifically for them. Then, use a blow dryer to get them nice and dry to ensure they won’t have wet hair because wet hair means wet dog smell.
9. Take Fido for a Haircut
If your dog has thick and curly hair, such as a poodle, they will need regular haircuts. Routine haircuts will help your dog’s fur stay fresh and avoid bad smells. If you’re not sure how to trim your own dog’s hair, it may be best to bring them to an experienced groomer.
10. Home Remedies That Can Be Used for Wet Dog Smell
Apple cider vinegar and water can mix together as a 50/50 solution as a natural home remedy for getting rid of that wet dog smell. Just put the solution in a spray bottle. If you have any baking soda at home, you can also sprinkle baking soda on surfaces to help get rid of the smell.
