Why Your Dog Still Smells After a Bath And How to Fix It

And you have had your pup a good, soapy bath, or to be sure, two baths, but that rank air is refusing to leave the place. Frustrating, right? You are not the only one. I can still recall when I was trying to wash my own dog Rumi only to have the same wet dog odor hit me a few hours later. It caused me to doubt everything, was I using the wrong shampoo? Did I forget somewhere? The thing is that most pet parents have this very problem. This time round we are going to be decomposing the issue of why that persistence smell remains after the end of bath and what one could do practically to address it. You will end up knowing how to clean your dog in a way that is not only clean but fresh too.

What Causes Dog Smell Bad Also After a Bath?

If your dog still smells bad after a bath, it’s usually because something deeper is going on beneath the surface of their fur The smell may be left by bacteria that are not eliminated, or skin issues, or even the food that your dog consumes. So what could actually be the cause of that odiferous stink and how do we finally get on top of it?

Not Only Do Bacteria and Natural Oils Not Vanish in Water

The bacteria and the oils may still be retained within your dog skin and fur even after a rigorous scrubbing. The dogs are naturally designed to secrete oils in order to maintain the health of the coat. However, such oils stick to both dirt and smells also. When the skin is not sufficiently washed, or in worst cases remaining wet after the process, it then transpires to be the ideal habitat to generate odor causing bacteria in rapid growth.

I discovered this through sheer experience with Rumi my retriever. She did not lose the wet dog smell after each bath. Everything seemed to be going in the right way, gentle shampoo, warm water, and even allowed more time to rinse. But her thick double coat was retaining damp close to the skin. It turns out that I was not drying her fully. That remaining wetness provided a favorable place for bacteria.

Wet Skin Issues May Smell Dreadful Sweeter

Yeast infections, allergies, skin tumors on the skin, or dermatitis as one of the skin conditions with dogs might not improve the smell after bathing. When you wash an irritated spot, the odor may become more pronounced when water causes surface oils to wash away and helps inflamed skin reveal itself.

Some reddish spots that started appearing on the belly and around her ears with Rumi alerted me that there was something wrong with her. It was a mild yeast infection, that the vet confirmed later. Regular bathing did not win over that musty smell no matter how much I bathed her until we addressed the skin problem itself.

Shoddy Diet May Increase the Smelliness

The food you put into the body of your dog may influence the way they smell outside. Bad diet or food sensitivity may play around with the skin wellness of your dog and give off a foul smell. Their smell can be transmitted by way of skin though they have a bath or their system is not digesting well, or they are allergic to something in the food.

It took us several attempts of replacing Rumi with different food before we could find that she was comfortable with. After she had recovered in digesting, she was good to smell. I did not know her kibble was having so many impacts on her skin and coat until we did that change.

That is Just The Way that Some Breeds Smell More Than Others do

Different breeds also possess a very strong smell, particularly those dogs, which have oily skin or long fur. Dogs such as retrievers, basset hounds and bulldogs have a higher probability in retaining the smell due to their body design. A bath has a more difficult time reaching where the odor actually lies: deep folds and thick coats are always a problem; more so when fur, water-repellent.

Rumi as a retriever certainly fits in this category. Her coat is thick and waterproof and therefore was excellent when she was swimming, yet hard to scrub; worse than that, when taking a bath. I needed to find out that what is good on a short hair dog may not work with her as well.

Hidden odor activates throughout the Home

It is very possible that sometimes the smell is not necessarily all about your dog, it is where your dog has been. After a bath a roll in the grass, a waltz on a mouldy carpet, or a nap on the wet crate, may all cancel out the effect of the bath. In the event that the spots where your dog relaxes are not hygienic or dry, they will be exposed to those smells quickly.

During baths I observed Rumi would curl up on a favorite blanket. One day I statistically sniffed that blanket– and yep, it was an offender. Routine wash of beddings would include an easy solution to make her fresh in between fashion.

Then, in case your dog does not smell after a batch, do not feel discouraged. Not that you are doing it wrong just that it is more complicated than shampoo and rinse. It could be skin, food, or drying method; in most cases there is something to cause the stank. The following section will be examining how to select the appropriate shampoo that would really combat the cause, not merely treating the smell.

How to Get Rid of Wet Dog Smell After a Bath

There are several things you can do to remove the wet dog smell caused by a bath.
In case your dog does not stop to smell after a bath, then the most frequent cause is that the coat is not drying adequately. The wet left in the fur is the ideal breeding ground of bacteria and the cause of odour to begin with.

It was something that I learned with Rumi, my golden retriever. I had considered that I was patting her dry adequately with a towel but a few hours after she still had that musty and nasty odour. I never knew how much water was being held down her thick undercoat. The smell only began to clear when I moved her drying system.

Prioritize on Drying

Make it so that you do not merely wipe down your pet and be done with it. You should ensure that the fur and particularly the near skin is dry. The use of a towel can only do so much. I began to press and blot out Rumi with a towel and not rub. Then I proceeded with a blow dryer on lowest heating intensity. It was time consuming mostly behind the neck, belly and aboard legs but the smell finally cleared.

No longer do I consider drying as an after night to the bathing process. And Rumi does like the hot air now,–do you know? She even turns over to me so that I can massage the hard to reach areas.

Make use of a Dog-woeful Deodorizing Spray

After your dog is dry, go ahead and use a deodorizing spray to add a clean, fresh smell to your dog. These sprays do not irritate the skin since they are made of dogs and are delicate. I have discovered that this has really been effective since I apply one after drying Rumi and she will last days without any smell. It is not a matter of covering up most odor. It is regarding extending that fresh fragrance by a little bit.

Shampoo in Between Washes

A dry shampoo will be useful in case your dog becomes stinky between bathing. It soaks off the oils which cause odor and dries the coat without using water. I began applying it to Rumi, when we had taken long walks or in rainy days, when she did not require an entire bath. I sprinkle a little, rub it in, and brush through. She keeps clean and the odor does not have a chance to resurface.

When it came to Rumi, the combination of all these three steps including proper drying, spray and dry shampoo did the magic. It required a little longer and uniformity, but ever since she has a bath she does not smell so soon or feel dirty. And to be honest it has helped us in our cuddle time a lot.

What Is the Best Shampoo for Smelly Dogs?

The best shampoo for smelly dogs is one that targets the source of the odor, not just covers it up. If your dog still smells bad even after a bath, it’s likely the shampoo you’re using isn’t strong enough for the job or isn’t right for your dog’s skin.

I tricked this out about Rumi after trying a half dozen or so shampoos. Others would make her smell like coconuts till a few hours, but later on in the day, the musty smell would find its way in. This was aggravating. I would alternate from one product to another, hoping that this time around I would find the one.

Why Enzyme Shampoos Are Effective to Deep Odors

The enzymatic shampoos revolutionized us. These dissolve the proteins and the oils that hold the odors in both the coat and the skin. Rumi also had a sense of staying fresh even after having to wash with enzymatic formula, only once. Immediately I was able to distinguish one from another. Her coat smelled fresher and that smell did not come back after the next day anymore the way it did before. Not only did it clean the surface, but it also killed the bacteria which emitted the smell.

Use of Shampoos Applicable on Sensitive Skin

Sensitive skin shampoo is something to consider in case your dog has itching or dry patch problems. These are soft yet clean to some extent such that they eliminate smell. We tried one briefly when Rumi came up with a bit of flakiness on her belly. It was gentle and calm and it made her skin balance without irritation. This type of shampoo is safer when it comes to dogs that are allergic or dry.

Strong-Order Medicinal Shampoos and Infections

In other instances, the odor is caused by something more serious such as skin infection or yeast overgrowth. Regular shampoo will not do any good in those cases. When Rumi had a small yeast problem on her feet, then I needed to give her a medicated shampoo. The one recommended by the vet is antifungal. Out of the bottle it did not smell so good, but it worked. In a couple of baths, the smell was gone.

Natural Shampoos of Daily, Mild Use

In case you only require something light on your otherwise healthy skin, natural shampoos containing such components as oatmeal, aloe, or chamomile, will work. They do not remove oils and they are suitable for regular baths. Sometimes I switch between heavier formula and natural one depending on the season or the activity level of Rumi. All you need to do is read the label attentively- some natural products might still have the essential oils or additives that your dog will find irritating.

With the right shampoo, the bath time became much less stressful both to me and Rumi. After realizing this fact that shampoos do not necessarily act in the same way, I have ceased wasting my money and observed actual improvements. In the following segment I will tell how I implemented an easy after bathtime regime to maintain Rumi odour free even after several days after a bath.

How to Prevent Bad Dog Smell in the Future

The best way to stop your dog from smelling bad after a bath is to prevent the odor from starting in the first place. A mix of regular grooming, proper care, and a little awareness can make a big difference.
It was with Rumi I learned after months of struggling with that musty smell. I would just respond to her when she was already stinking. After I began to be consistent with her care, however, the difference between night and a day.

Every Day, not only Bath-time

Brushing sessions are more useful than I would think. It eliminates dirt, loose hair, and distributes natural oils, which make Rumi coat healthy. I have started doing it every alternate day and it has enabled her to feel fresher between baths without sprays or any other extra work.

Feed Smarter To A Healthier Coat

Diet matters. When I changed the food of Rumi to a better one, her coat was more gleaming and she did not tend to have that doggy smell as much. The fact that they are what they eat, therefore, is an indication that it would be important to check what the food might be the culprit.

Ask the Vet when Something Doesn’t Feel Right

There is also another thing that smell sometimes signifies. Once Rumi got a skin yeast infection that I did not notice. The vet was the only one who noticed this. I do not forego checkups since that time. When the smell reoccurs, then it is advisable to become sure that it is not a medical condition.

Last Word: Maintaining Dog and Bath Smell Fresh

It does not mean that keeping your dog smelling pleasant has to be a continuous battle. Now you know how all you need is the right shampoo, decent drying, and relatively easy routines to give the dream hair as its result. What is more important, you understand now that that offensive smell is not your fault anymore, you only need to take the necessary steps and be rather consistent.In our case and in the case of Rumi, we understood what was happening and can now view the bath time no more as a battle but more as a nurturing experience. That is the win there. Since when your dog is happy, you are happy also. Therefore, go at it one bath at a time, have confidence in your method, and have more of those clean and cuddly states. You can do it.

The Frequently Asked Questions About Dog Smell after a Bath

Why does my dog begin to stink after only a couple of hours of having a bath?

This normally occurs when the coat of your dog has not been dried completely or when the bacteria and oils have not been thoroughly eliminated during bathing. Odor may also come back soon due to skin infections.

May I apply human shampoo to eliminate the odor of my pet?

No. You should never use human shampoo, because it may get your dog out of balance with his/her skin pH and turn into irritation, dry skin or even more odor. Always donate a dog specific shampoo.

Is the bedding of my dog also part of the smell?

Yes. Even after bathing, your dog may still absorb odor back into its body through dirty beddings, carpets or furniture. Make sure you wash the bed and favorite places where your dog sleeps and spend a lot of time in a dog.

Do allergies bring about bad smells in the dog?

Yes. Allergies may cause irritations to the skin, oily surface or even infection which results in emitting a smell that is described as musty or sour. In case your dog scratches too much or has red spots, visit the vets.

Is the smell of ears of the dog related to the smell of the body?

Sometimes. Services of ear infections produce high smells, which are emitted. When your dog has a bad smell and it does not go away even after a bath, make sure you look at its ears to see any infection such as redness or fluid coming out of ears.

After shampooing my dog should I apply conditioner?

A conditioner made of ingredients that are safe to dogs can be used in moisturizing the skin to ensure less dryness or peeling, which may cause bad odors. It also makes the coat less stiff and dirt repellent.

Are some breeds of dogs odoriferous in nature?

Yes. Dogs that are oily skinned or with long hair, or skins that have crevices, such as retriever, bulldog, or basset hounds dogs would be more likely to have a high smell and should be groomed more often.