A dog communicates with other dogs in many ways. One of the means is through the odor, which their body makes by releasing pheromones and glandular secretion. These are normal and natural things every dog does, and it’s called the “Doggy odor.” It’s crucial for dog-to-dog communication.

But people have a problem when the odor is too strong and unpleasant. Why a dog has a strong and unpleasant smell can range from a simple reason, such as it needs a bath, to a more serious problem related to its health. To make it more understandable, we’ll divide the odor into healthy and unhealthy dog odor.

Healthy Dog Odor

As mentioned, every dog produces a certain odor. It is a normal way a dog’s body functions. This odor comes from a couple of sources:

• Apocrine glands
• Eccrine glands
• Ceruminous glands
• Sebaceous glands
• Anal sacs (scent glands)
• Dogs rolling in dirt, feces, animal products, etc.

Apocrine glands

These glands are often called sweat glands in dogs, although their function is not to cool down the dog’s body temperature but to produce pheromones. These pheromones are unique to each dog and give a wide range of information to other dogs, from how old the dog is to its social status, where it lives, whether it has a pack, etc. All of this is possible because of the incredible sense of smell dogs have.

However, as mentioned, these pheromones can become much stronger and easily scented by people as well. This often happens during mating season or if a dog doesn’t have a bath for a long time. Once again, it smells bad to us, but it is great for other dogs.

Eccrine glands

These sweat glands are present only in places that are not covered in hair. So, they are present on the dog’s paw pads and nose. Eccrine glands are fundamental for the proper function of the paws, pads and noses – they keep these areas moist.

Some dogs have a stronger odor coming from their paw pads. This happens when the paws are moist. The odor is less noticeable when the paws are dry. Microorganisms that naturally live on dog paw pads prefer a moist environment. They make that specific “Cheetos” odor of dogs’ paw pads.

Ceruminous And Sebaceous Glands

These two types of glands are responsible for producing ear wax and are located in the external ear canal of a dog. This is a natural process and is something a lot of mammals have (even a blue whale!). Wax is important because it plays a role in protecting the external and consequently the internal ear canal from infections. The wax traps the microorganisms and prevents them from causing damage in the dermal and subdermal parts of the ear canal.

However, the microorganisms trapped in the wax can have a slightly yeasty odor even if everything is alright. 

Anal Sacs

Dogs have anal glands located on both sides of the anus filled with oily, brownish fluid. This fluid is used for scent marking. This is how dogs identify each other and mark their territory, together with uring marking. If you are new to the dog world and you wonder why dogs sniff each other’s behinds – this is why, anal glands.

The glands naturally release a small amount of fluid when a dog defecates. It can also be released when a dog is too frightened or too excited. It is a natural process in a lot of carnivores, not just dogs. Other animals, such as cats and bears, also have these anal glands.

This fluid is smelly and unpleasant to people, but it is like a Facebook page for dogs.

Dog Behavior

There are so many things our dogs do that we find yucky. Some eat poop, their own or of other animals, some roll in the poop, and in some cases, they are happy to roll in an animal carcass. All of these things lead to a dog having an unpleasant odor. We might not even notice when they roll in something dirty, but we surely can smell it.

And for a reason why they do it, it’s all part of their residual instinctual behavior from a long time ago when they lived as wild dogs/wolves and had to hunt for food. They would eat feces as an extra source of proteins, roll in carcasses as a scent camouflage, and everything else that would help them survive.

Unhealthy Dog Odor

In some cases, the dog odor is not natural and it indicates that a dog has a health problem. Of course, we can’t make a guess and say “Yes, a dog has a problem” if the dog smells weird. But we can check our dog’s body, ears, eyes, etc. to determine if the dog is healthy or if there is something odd about it. These are some things that might cause the unhealthy dog odor:

• Teeth problems
• Ear problems
• Anal sacks problems
• Skin disease
• Medication
• Diet change
• Lack of proper grooming

Teeth Problems

Halitosis or bad breath can appear for numerous reasons. From calculus (tartar) and cavities to gum diseases or injuries inside the mouth. All of these things can cause the microorganisms to flourish and lead to bad breath. 

What to do: Check the dog’s oral cavity. If you can’t stand your dog’s breath and have to turn around, it is worth taking your dog to a vet for a teeth checkup. Maybe it’s just calculus or it might be something that requires more serious attention. To keep the dog’s teeth and whole oral cavity healthy, brush your dog’s teeth with special toothpaste for dogs.

Ear Problems

As mentioned in the part where we talked about the ear canal glands that produce wax, microorganisms are a normal part of a dog’s external ear canal. However, when there is a problem, such as low immunity, injury, or if we don’t clean the dog’s ears for too long, microorganisms can rapidly multiply causing inflammation. The inflammation is usually followed by signs such as redness, swollen ears, discharge from the ear canal, and bad smell. This usually happens with dogs that have droopy and long ears, such as Basset Hound or Afghan Hound. But, other dog breeds can have ear problems too. 

What to do: It is important to keep your dog’s ears clean and dry! Always make sure to dry the ears properly after every cleaning. And, when you come back home from a walk or a hike, always check your dog’s ears. If there is something wrong, take your dog to the vet. They can see what the problem is and give proper treatment. 

Anal Sacks Problems

Dog odor problems can come from anal sacks in two cases: too much secretion and too little or no secretion from the glands. 

The reason for the second problem can vary. The anal glands can be impacted, inflamed, or infected. All of these reasons lead to obstruction of the canal through which anal glands release their products. The openings of these canals are on the skin on both sides of the anus. All three mentioned problems (obstruction, inflammation, or infection) can be painful.

What to do: Take your dog to the vet. Depending on the problem, they can prescribe antibiotics to help with the infection. And, definitely, express the glands to relieve the pressure on the nerve endings which causes pain in dogs.

Skin Diseases

A lot of skin diseases can lead to bad or unhealthy dog odor. Some of them are:

• Allergies
• Yeast infection
• Bacterial infection
• Parasite infestations

Oftentimes, a dog with a skin disease will show signs of discomfort. They will scratch themselves, use their teeth to relieve the itchiness, or roll around on the floor or hard surfaces. We can check the skin to see if there are any signs of health problems. The signs could be:

• Loss of hair
• Redness of skin
• Flaky skin
• Open wounds
• Scratches 

Apart from these signs, we have to check to see if our dog has flea infestation. If you part the fur you can find small black dots. This is flea dirt. You can also check your dog’s whole body to see if there is a tick somewhere latching onto your dog’s skin. 

What to do: Depending on the cause, the treatment varies. You have to take your dog to the vet. Only the vet can determine what is the real cause of your dog’s bad odor and if it is a skin problem in the first place.

Medication And Diet Change

Some antibiotics and other types of medication (Chlorhexidine, DMSO, etc.) as well as a change in diet, can lead to your dog developing a strange odor. If you notice a sudden change in how your dog smells, think about whether the dog has any prescribed medication at the moment.

Some food, such as fish or even fish oil added to the diet as a supplement can change the way your dog smells. As you might have guessed, a dog gets a fishy odor.

What to do: Don’t stop with the medication if the vet prescribed it, especially if it’s the antibiotics. They need to be given in a certain period otherwise they won’t do any help. You can note down the noticed change and notify your vet about it. The same goes for food. Before you change your dog’s diet, consult a veterinarian. Often changing food can lead to diarrhea in dogs.

Lack Of Proper Grooming

Sometimes, the answer is very simple and benign. If we don’t groom our dogs often and properly, especially if we have a medium-haired or a long-haired dog, a lot of dirt and bad smells can get stuck in our dog’s fur. This can lead to bad dog odor.

There are many dog brushes on the market. See which one suits your dog the best and use it often. If you wonder how often you should brush your dog, ask someone who has a similar dog, ask your vet, or a breeder, or go online and ask fellow dog owners. 

A quick recommendation: pin brushes with longer wire pins are good for long-haired dogs with double coats. Hound gloves and a bristle brush are good for short-haired dogs with smooth coats. 

Summary

Dogs have a natural “Doggy odor”. It is a natural way for dogs to communicate with other dogs. They make their unique smell through various glands spread throughout a dog’s body, from nose to paws. However, there are some cases when a certain health problem can lead to bad dog odor.

These health problems can be related to dental diseases, ear, skin, or anal gland diseases. Diet changes, medication, and poor grooming can also lead to an unpleasant smell in a dog. The best thing is to check your dog to see if there are any changes in the body, in the mouth, in the ear canal, etc. After that, the second thing is to take the dog to the vet. They can do a full check-up and say what needs to be done.

Read Next: A Healthy Dog – What Is Normal?