Why Does My Dog Smell – And What Can I Do About It?
Labradors have quite a distinctive smell. Visitors from dog-free homes will notice it immediately they enter your house. Even if you are no longer aware of it.
“So what?” you may say. “What’s a bit of body odor between friends?”
And it is true that it is your home, and it’s up to you what it smells like. Indeed, regular visitors will also get used to the odor and may hardly notice it after a while.
But why is it that some Labs are a bit smellier than others, and can you actually do anything about it? Let’s have a look.
Your Labrador’s natural fur odor
Bred to work in and around water, Labradors have a dense double coat with an oily outer layer which offers almost perfect waterproofing. These oils in your dog’s fur are part of the source of his distinctive doggy smell.
You can reduce your dog’s body odour by bathing him with shampoo (just making him wet won’t really help), but this will interfere with your dog’s ability to keep himself warm whilst swimming, as it disrupts his oily waterproofing.
Bathing is therefore best confined to the summer, and to those occasions when your dog has decided to smear himself in something unpleasant.
Rolling
Labradors love rolling in strong smelling substances which people find disgusting. Dead animals, and fox poo are favourites.
If you walk in places with a lot of public access, your dog may also find discarded nappies and other sources of human faeces with which to decorate himself.
This is perfectly normal canine behaviour and you’ll need to get to work with the garden hose to get the worst off, when you get home. And then decide whether or not you need to bring out the shampoo.
Some Labs are more determined ‘rollers’ than others. And after a while you’ll be able to spot the signs. Very often the dog will sniff the ground intensely, then drop one shoulder just before they start to roll.
If you polish up your recall and take some good treats on your walks, you just might be able to intervene.
Sometimes.
Other times you’ll be too busy admiring the view or chatting to a friend. But hey, that’s life!
Dead hair
The hair that Labradors shed in small quantities all year around, and in large quantities whilst moulting is another source of odor. Both on the dog, and in your home.
Regular vacuuming and using a de-shedding tool on your dog will help to reduce the smell. We’ll talk a bit more about that below. You can also check out my article: Shedding again? How to cope with all that hair!
Anal glands
If you notice a strong and rather fishy smell coming from your Labrador, this is not part of his normal ‘Labrador’ smell, but is probably due to an anal gland problem.
The anal glands are located either side of your dogs anus, and are normally emptied regularly during defaecation.
If your dog’s stools are too soft, these glands can become overfull and even blocked. And you may notice the unpleasant fishy smell in addition to your dog’s attempts to relieve his discomfort by scooting around on his bottom.
A trip to your veterinarian is in order, and you’ll need to take a look at your dog’s diet to ensure that the problem doesn’t recur.
How to get rid of dog smell in your home
We’ll take a look at a few things you can do to keep your home smelling fresh and clean.
#1 Grooming
Once you have dealt with any medical issues that are causing your dog to smell, it’s time to tackle the basic causes of Labrador body odor. The first is dead hair. Labradors shed in small quantities of hair all year around, and a lot whilst moulting. This is a key source of odor – both on the dog and in your home – because shed dog hair is surprisingly smelly.
Daily grooming is a great way to help minimise this problem. Unless the weather is terrible, you’ll want to do this outside as it generates a lot of ‘floating’ hair around the dog. Using a de-shedding tool*(paid link) on your Lab when he is shedding will help to reduce the smell.
Check out our article on shedding for tools and tips. You need to be careful with these tools as they can damage your dog’s coat if used too enthusiastically.
Once you have removed the dead hair, a good quality dog shampoo will help get your dog smelling sweet again.
Many dog-owners are saying that applying coconut oil to your dog’s coat keeps it odor-free and shiny. Not much research has been done in this area and most of the reported benefits are from dog owners themselves.
There is some evidence that coconut oil has some action against germs when applied to the skin. And it can’t do any harm – so if you want to, give it a try to see if helps your dog. As you know, dog hair doesn’t stay on your dog. So the next step would be to rid your home of loose dog hair.
#2 Vacuuming
The next step is to vacuum your home very frequently to get rid of any hair that you miss during your daily grooming sessions. Remember to clean your vacuum regularly. If the air it blows out smells doggy, wash those parts that you can and replace the filter when necessary.
#3 Air fresheners and filters
Once the hair problem is under control you should see a big improvement in general Labrador body odor in your home. If you’re still unhappy then you can try out a doggy deodorant*(paid link) that you spray on your dog’s fur (though arguably your dog won’t approve).
Less offensive to your dog are natural charcoal air purifying bags*(paid link). You simply place these in the room and they help to absorb unpleasant smells.
Another option is to purchase a free-standing automatic release air freshener*(paid link). Or an air freshener that you plug into a socket* (paid link)in the rooms that your dog spends the most time in.
And a final option, is an electric air filter*(paid link). I own one – not for dog smells but because it helps to reduce dust and I have a dust mite allergy. But it leaves a room smelling very clean too.
Please note: there are affiliate links in this article, and we may receive a small commission if you make a purchase after clicking on them. This does not affect the price you pay.
(paid link)The bottom line
While you can treat anal gland problems, and go to battle with shed hair, if you keep any breed of gun dog, you cannot ever completely eradicate the doggy smell from your home. Visitors from dog-free homes will always be able to tell that you have a Labrador. A certain amount of odor is simply par for the course.
However, there is no need to put up with a really stinky dog, and an occasional bath when he gets really smelly, together with daily attention to clearing up hair, will go a long way to keeping your home from smelling like a kennels.
How about you?
Do you love or hate your dog’s smell? And what are your tips for keeping your home smelling fresh? Share in the comments box below
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Believe it or not, I accidentally found a “cure” for our beautiful, stinky, yellow lab!
We started feeding him and our Golden, and our Boxer, Purina One for sensitive skin and stomach formula… and after just 3 days it was working! He had a nasty, sharp stink… our house stinks from him, and we keep all his bedding and blankets washed, and we have a HEPA filter for each room.
What type of coconut oil is being used,? could someone be specific. Thanks yellow lab mom.
Organic coconut oil, solid in a jar. Take a small amount, rub it in my hands and run my hands along the sides of her back fur. It does help a lot, use a small amount, you don’t want oil on your rugs or furniture. Good luck.
My 2.5 year lab has a beautiful shiny non odour coat. I love to give him cuddles and kisses. Bathing is limited to 2-3 times a year, unless he has done something really yuck. Mine is on a raw diet and I think it comes down to the food as that would secrete through their skin. Love my lab and proud to be a lab mommy.
Is he in or out most? Mine is on raw food but he does smell and his chocolate coat is not as shiny as other dogs I’ve seen. But we work long ours and he is outside most of the time when we are not home
I find my vacuum cleaner will smell very doggy and it blows the smell back into the house.
I wash the bits you can wash with mild washing powder and clean/change the air filters frequently.
Problem sorted!
I never had any odour problem with my black lab after I switched his food so his poo was much firmer, stopping the dreaded visits to the vet to have his anal glands sorted (always only one side). I hosed him down outside after a walk if his legs were dirty or after a swim (in all weathers). He had a lovely thick, shiny double coat, and I used to love to bury my face in his fur and smell him – sweet and clean. Yes, he found it hard to resist fox poo, so that had to be shampooed out, but that was the only time I used shampoo on him. I washed his bedding, rugs and towels every week, and hoovered frequently. He always waited inside the door when he came in so that I could towel dry/wipe his paws. Perhaps he made my job easy?!
Many thanks for tip of coconut oil, I will give it a try on my lab/spaniel cross who has all the disobedience of a spaniel, and all the smell of a lab, worst of both worlds or what! why do we do it?
If your Lab smells no matter what you do, and the vet has declared him healthy, try putting 1/3 cup of organic apple cider vinegar, and 2/3 cup of water in a spray bottle to keep in the fridge. Spray your pup well, and brush, as needed. It will help with dry skin and dull coat, too!
Happy pup though! Why not. Lol
I only use vet bed and definitely no blankets. The vet bed gets washed regularly and it dries really fast. Our dogs don’t regularly frequent the lounge where it is too warm for them. They prefer the kitchen with a tiled floor and non slip vet bed. They don’t like to get too warm. They sleep in an outside utility room with no heating except when it’s very cold outside. They also have easy access to the outdoor area all day. I consider this to be a natural environment. All of this helps to minimize inevitable smells! My chocolate labradors are mother and daughter and aged 15 and 13 respectively.
I wash my 14 month old yellow lab only when he ends up covered on mud or something not so appealing, so not very often as too much bathing can dry their skin & coat out & also removes those very important oils.
When he has a bath (which he absolutely loves) i use a lovely smelling shampoo and also conditioner on him then once he’s rubbed dry with the towel, which can take some time when he decides he would rather play tug with the towel, I rub some coconut oil into his fur & he smells lovely for at least a couple of weeks if not a bit longer & also makes his coat so soft its as smooth as a baby’s bum.
I definitely cannot recommend coconut oil enough, whether you add it in with their food or only use it externally on his fur.
My Toby doesn’t smell at all & neither does my house & I have a lab, 3 cats & 2 budgies. As long as you Hoover and clean your house then it’s not going to stink.
I hardly ever groom my Tobes only because he absolutely hates being brushed & yes I have tried all different combs & even that grooming glove & he still tries his hardest to bite my hand off & even me not brushing him doesn’t make him a stinky lab.
Hi
Could you please advise which coconut oil you use?
Thanks
My lab is 3 years old now and I’ve never used any shampoo on him. I asked friends, family and even occasional visitors if they notice a “doggy smell” in my apartment and they all say no. He swims in the ocean and in lakes, he jumps into muddy puddles and rolls in sand/snow/grass on a daily basis but that only seems to keep him cleaner. Labs have such an amazing coat!
I have found that adding a tablespoon of coconut oil to my lab’s food 2x a day has cut down on the doggy odor. An added bonus is a beautiful, shiny coat.
I have a year old lab and she is pungent, she gets washed often at home and at the doggy salon. When she’s washed it lasts around 2-3 days and the smell is back. this smell is not just dog smell which is normal, you really cant be in the same room as the dog. Once washed her coat is shiny and looks great only to dull within the two days.
She is on specialised food which is hypoallergenic which cuts down on yeast and other factors that could affect the dogs glands. Vet says she’s healthy but I am at my wits end at this stage at this point.
I am having the exact same problem except his coat is not dull at all. It’s a tangy sharp unpleasant smell and it’s not anything he’s rolled in because we’ve been watching him like a hawk.
My mom had a labrador guide dog. And their advise was to never bath your dog unless you really had to!!! He was regularly brushed and never smelt or looked dirty……yes he did find water on his walks sometimes. He’s still alive……an old man now. But everyone comments what a lovely shiny coat he has…..and no smell either.
I agree more than I’d like to! My Labrador Retriever stiiinks! He rarely goes in the water, his butt glands are fine and he never rolls in smelly stuff! We bathe him weekly but it only takes a few days for the strong doggy scent to come back and smack you in the face!
I love my dogs they are part of the family. I endeavour to keep my home sweet but to all visitors who come here, it’s fairly simple, if you don’t like the smell stay away, my boys live here.
Totally agree. Our Trapper (black lab) is a very nice dog, but just smelly, musky..bleh. Just two days post bath/brushing, and the smell is back. He’s healthy, has always smelled this way.
My daughter says that our black lab’s paws smell like popcorn! I adore the smell of my Emma, I bathe her once a month, unless she decides to go muddy-puddling 🙂
Not sure I agree. I have a black lab and even non “doggy” friends say they cannot smell dog! Some of the smelliest homes are from non animal owners! Nothing worse than sports gear, male odour etc etc
I have a nine month old yellow pure bred lab. She is 62 lbs. But she gets 1 1/2 cups twice daily. Her parents are huge. She gets exercised. any suggestions. I like her to lose 5 to 10 lbs.
Increase exercise, no table scraps
I have two eight week old puppies; they still smell sweet!
There is nothing better than the smell of hot, sleepy dog, paws – my son and I think they smell like hot biscuits straight from the oven ……. weird or what? But generally our labs don’t really smell and they are in the water most days. They don’t have smelly breath either. Is diet a big factor in all of that then?
Although we have 5 spaniels in the house, visitors often comment how ‘they don’t smell doggy though’ which is always nice to hear! They are in the river pretty much every day, and usually once a week/fortnight, all 5 are popped in the bath for a good shampoo & condition! There’s nothing I love more than having a mutt for cuddles on the sofa, and the delicious smell of their ears and paw pads! Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it!
Dead Seal. Half a dead seal.
After this we actively sought out horse poo.
Oh dear!