The fastest way to get rid of dog smell in your house is to treat the source, not the symptom. That means washing all soft surfaces with an enzyme-based cleaner or laundry booster, running a HEPA air purifier in rooms your dogs use most, and grooming your dogs regularly to reduce the oils and dander they deposit on everything they touch.
Keep reading to learn exactly what you need to do to get rid of your stinky dog smell!
Table of contents
I hate to admit this, but my house smells like dog.
Not all the time. Not overwhelmingly. But if you walk in after being gone for a few hours and you don’t own dogs yourself, you will probably notice it. And that bothers me more than I’d like to admit.
Gus and Woodrow, our two 100-pound Labrador Retrievers, have lived with us their entire lives. They are the sweetest, most low-maintenance dogs I’ve ever had — spending their days sleeping side by side, lounging poolside on piles of cushiony dog beds, and being hand-fed snacks by a certain six-year-old who shall remain nameless. They are beloved members of this family.
But the smell? It’s something else entirely. Anyone who has ever owned a Labrador Retriever knows that it takes approximately four minutes after a bath for them to smell like a goat with a skunk-scented albatross hanging around its neck. The stink clings to their coats and transfers to everything they touch — which in our house is the carpet, the couches, the dog beds, the crates, and occasionally my pillow when someone sneaks up during the night.
After years of trial and error, I’ve found what actually works. Here’s everything, room by room.
Products That Actually Work — Shop My Favorites
(Affiliate links — I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you)
For Laundry and Dog Bedding:
- Active Enzyme Laundry Booster — add to every load of dog bedding and it actually breaks down the odor at the source instead of just washing around it
- Active Pet Laundry Detergent — formulated specifically for pet odors, pairs perfectly with the booster for seriously funky dog beds and crate pads
For Carpet and Upholstery:
- Aromasong Natural Carpet Freshener — comes in citrus and lavender, sprinkle on carpet, rugs, and dog beds, let sit, vacuum up. Non-toxic and smells like an actual home instead of a chemical factory
- Angry Orange Odor Eliminator + Blacklight Kit — the blacklight flashlight finds every stain you didn’t know existed and the enzyme spray eliminates it. This combo is genuinely satisfying to use even if what you discover is horrifying
- Bug MD Stain & Odor Eliminator — great spray to keep on hand for immediate spot treatment when accidents happen
My #1 recommendation if you only buy one thing to help with your stinky dog smell: the Angry Orange kit with the blacklight. Finding the hidden pee stains you didn’t know existed and eliminating them permanently is the single biggest impact move in this whole post. !
For Deep Cleaning:
- Shark Portable Carpet and Upholstery Cleaner — for the couch, the crate pad, the car seat, the spot on the stairs. A portable cleaner earns its keep in a dog household fast
- Shark Navigator Liftaway Upright Vacuum — a good vacuum that actually picks up pet hair and dander is the foundation of a less-smelly dog home. Run it more often than you think you need to
For Air Quality:
- Levoit Air Purifier — runs quietly in whatever room your dogs claim most and pulls dander and odor particles out of the air continuously. One of the most noticeable improvements I made
For the Breath Situation:
- Silver Teeth & Gum Spray for Pets — painless, no brushing required, just spray. Gus and Woodrow tolerate this one without staging a protest
- Devot Pet Dental Finger Wipes — for when you want to actually wipe their teeth without wrestling a toothbrush into a 100-pound dog’s mouth
- Oxyfresh Water Additive — add a capful to their water bowl daily. Genuinely helps with breath over time and they never notice it’s there
- Purina Dentalife Daily Dental Chews — the most realistic habit in this entire list. They think it’s a treat. Their breath is better. Everyone wins.
For Paws and Coat:
- Premium Dog Wipes 400-count value pack — keep a pack by every door. Wipe paws before they come inside and you’ll be amazed how much outdoor bacteria and funk stays out of your house
- Washable Oval Dog Bed — when you’re ready to retire the bed that’s past saving, look for one with a removable washable cover and a waterproof inner liner. This gray oval style is what we use and it holds up beautifully to weekly washing
Why Does My House Smell Like Dog?
Before we talk solutions, it helps to understand where the smell actually comes from — because it’s not just one thing.
Dogs produce natural oils in their skin and coat that have a distinct odor, and Labs in particular are notorious for this. Add in moisture from drool, outdoor adventures, and the occasional roll in something unspeakable, and those odor molecules get deposited on every surface your dog contacts. Carpet, upholstery, and bedding trap those molecules and keep releasing them into the air long after your dog has moved on to the next nap spot.
The other culprit is bacteria. Warm, moist environments — like a dog crate, a dog bed, or your dog’s ears and paws — are breeding grounds for the bacteria that cause that distinctive funky smell. No amount of air freshener covers this up for long. You have to actually eliminate the source.
How to Get Dog Smell Out of Carpet
Carpet is the biggest offender in most homes because it acts like a giant sponge for odor molecules. Here’s my two-step approach:
Step 1: Dry deodorizer first. Sprinkle a carpet deodorizer powder generously over the affected area, let it sit for at least 15-30 minutes, then vacuum thoroughly. I use Diamond Life Carpet Deodorizer — it works on rugs, carpet, couches, and pet beds, smells genuinely good rather than that fake flowery chemical smell, and it’s made by a small business which always feels good. She has multiple scents too so you can find one that doesn’t make your house smell like a plug-in air freshener exploded.
Step 2: Enzyme cleaner for any urine spots. If dogs have had accidents on your carpet — or if you suspect they have — a standard carpet cleaner will not fix it. You need an enzymatic cleaner that actually breaks down the urine proteins rather than just masking the smell. Angry Orange Pet Odor Eliminator is what I use and it genuinely works. It comes in a kit with a blacklight flashlight so you can detective your way around your house finding every stain you didn’t know existed. Fair warning: this is both satisfying and deeply disturbing.
For serious odor that has soaked into carpet padding, professional steam cleaning once or twice a year makes a noticeable difference. No product fully substitutes for that on heavily saturated carpet.
How to Get Dog Smell Out of Furniture and Upholstery
Couches, armchairs, and upholstered ottomans absorb dog smell fast — especially if your dogs are allowed on the furniture. Here’s the honest approach:
Washable slipcovers or covers are your best friend. If you’re buying new furniture and you own dogs, choose pieces with removable washable covers. If you already have a couch your dogs have claimed, invest in a washable couch cover that you can pull off and launder weekly.
Fabric spray for between washes. A good fabric odor eliminator sprayed on cushions and left to dry completely helps between deeper cleans. Look for enzyme-based sprays rather than fragrance maskers — the enzyme formulas actually neutralize odor rather than just covering it.
Baking soda treatment for deep odor. Sprinkle baking soda liberally over upholstered surfaces, let sit for several hours or overnight, then vacuum thoroughly. This pulls moisture and odor out of fabric and is completely non-toxic for pets.
How to Get Dog Smell Out of Dog Beds
Dog beds are ground zero for the smell situation and they need attention more often than most people realize.
Wash them weekly if possible. Most dog bed covers are machine washable — check the tag and wash on the hottest setting the fabric allows. Add a cup of white vinegar to the wash cycle along with your regular detergent. The vinegar neutralizes odor at the source rather than just laundering around it.
Sprinkle and vacuum between washes. The same carpet deodorizer powder that works on your carpet works beautifully on dog beds between laundry days. Sprinkle, wait, vacuum.
Replace beds that are past saving. If a dog bed has been soaked through repeatedly or is several years old, no amount of washing will fully eliminate the odor embedded in the foam. Sometimes the most effective thing is a fresh start. Look for beds with waterproof inner liners — they make a significant difference in how long a bed stays manageable.
How to Get Dog Smell Out of a Dog Crate
Crates trap heat, moisture, and odor in a small enclosed space, which is why they can get particularly ripe. Here’s the routine that works:
Wipe down the crate itself weekly. Use a pet-safe disinfectant spray or a simple solution of white vinegar and water on the crate walls, tray, and door. Let it air dry completely before putting bedding back in — moisture is the enemy here.
Wash crate bedding as often as the dog beds. Crate pads and blankets need the same weekly wash treatment.
Baking soda in the tray. A thin layer of baking soda under the crate liner absorbs moisture and odor between cleanings. Just shake out and replace weekly.
Air it out. If weather allows, move the crate outside for a few hours on a sunny day. UV light and fresh air do more for odor than most products.
How to Make Your Whole House Smell Less Like Dog
Beyond treating specific surfaces, these habits make a meaningful difference in the overall smell of your home:
Groom your dogs regularly. Brushing your dog two to three times a week removes the loose hair and skin cells that carry odor and deposit on your surfaces. Regular baths — every 4-6 weeks for most dogs — keep the coat oils from building up. Don’t overbath though, as stripping their natural oils too frequently can actually cause their skin to produce more oil to compensate.
Clean their paws when they come inside. A simple paw wipe station by your back door removes outdoor bacteria and debris before your dog tracks it through the house. Paw wipes or a small tub of water and a towel both work.
Wash their collar and leash. These get funky fast and most people forget about them entirely. Fabric collars and leashes can go in a mesh laundry bag in the washing machine. Rinse leather collars by hand.
Run an air purifier. A good HEPA air purifier makes a noticeable difference in a dog home, especially in rooms where your dogs spend the most time. It captures pet dander and odor particles from the air rather than just circulating them.
Change your HVAC filter more often. Pet dander clogs filters fast and a clogged filter recirculates odor through your whole house. In a two-dog household I change mine every 30-45 days rather than the standard 90.
What About Dog Breath?
I saved the worst for last. Gus and Woodrow’s breath is truly something. If you have tips, please leave them in the comments because I am still working on this one.
What I do know: dental chews help more than I expected, and a water additive for dental health has made a noticeable difference over time. Regular teeth brushing is the gold standard but I will not pretend that’s happening consistently in this house. Dental chews it is.
Follow all these steps so you can be reminded of the days when they were sweet puppies and not their stanky old fish breath.
How Often Should You Clean Your Home to Control Dog Smell?
The secret to a house that doesn’t smell like dog isn’t one big deep clean every few months. It’s small consistent habits done regularly. Here’s the schedule that works in our house with two 100-pound Labs:
Daily
- Wipe paws before dogs come inside
- Add water additive to dog bowls
- Give dental chews after dinner
Every 2-3 Days
- Vacuum all carpet, rugs, and upholstered furniture — pet dander and hair build up fast and the smell compounds with every day you skip it
- Spot treat any accidents or stains immediately with enzyme spray before they set
Weekly
- Wash all dog beds and crate pads on the hottest setting with enzyme laundry booster
- Wipe down crates with a pet-safe disinfectant and let air dry completely
- Sprinkle carpet deodorizer on rugs and high-traffic areas, let sit, vacuum up
- Wash dog bowls and water dishes — these get slimy and smelly faster than you’d think
- Wipe down baseboards and walls at dog height with a damp cloth — oils from their coat transfer to walls constantly and nobody ever thinks to clean this
Monthly
- Wash couch covers, throw blankets, and any other fabric your dogs contact regularly
- Clean out the air purifier filter or replace as needed
- Wash dog collar, leash, and any fabric toys
Every 4-6 Weeks
- Bathe your dogs — more frequently than this strips their natural oils and can actually cause their skin to produce more oil to compensate, which makes the smell worse
- Brush out their undercoat thoroughly before the bath for maximum effect
Every 30-45 Days
- Change your HVAC filter — in a two-dog household the standard 90-day filter replacement timeline is too long. A clogged filter full of pet dander recirculates odor through every room in your house
Twice a Year
- Professional carpet steam cleaning — no product fully substitutes for this on carpet that gets heavy dog traffic
- Clean upholstered furniture professionally or with a deep-cleaning machine if you have one
The weekly routine sounds like a lot written out like this but most of it takes under 10 minutes. The laundry is the biggest time investment and once it becomes habit you stop thinking about it. The alternative is a house that smells like a kennel and I’ve been there — the routine wins every time.
FAQ — Getting Rid of Dog Smell
Because odor molecules from dog skin oils, dander, and bacteria embed deeply in soft surfaces like carpet, upholstery, and bedding. Standard cleaning products mask the smell temporarily but don’t break down the odor source. You need enzyme-based cleaners for urine odors and regular deodorizing treatments on all soft surfaces to actually eliminate it.
The fastest combination is opening windows for ventilation, sprinkling baking soda or a carpet deodorizer on all fabric surfaces and vacuuming after 30 minutes, washing all dog bedding, and wiping down hard surfaces with a white vinegar solution. This won’t solve a deep odor problem but it makes an immediate noticeable difference.
Febreze and similar fabric sprays mask dog smell temporarily but don’t eliminate it. For lasting results you need enzyme-based products that break down the odor molecules, combined with regular washing of bedding and grooming of your dog.
Baking soda is the most effective natural odor absorber for dog smell on soft surfaces. Activated charcoal odor absorbers work well in enclosed spaces like crates and closets. HEPA air purifiers absorb airborne odor particles continuously.
Weekly washing is ideal for dogs with heavy coat oils like Labrador Retrievers. For dogs that are less oily or bathed more frequently, every two weeks may be sufficient. Between washes, sprinkling with a dry deodorizer and vacuuming helps maintain freshness.
White vinegar, baking soda, and activated charcoal are the most effective natural odor neutralizers for dog smell. Enzyme-based cleaners are technically not “natural” but are non-toxic and the most effective option for urine-based odors specifically.
The same approach works in a car: baking soda on fabric seats and carpet left overnight then vacuumed, enzyme cleaner for any urine spots, and a small activated charcoal odor absorber left in the car between uses. A car HEPA filter or cabin air filter change also helps.
PS- I just ran across these tips on how to get rid of skunk smell if your dog gets sprayed by an actual skunk! I’m including it in case you need to know!
This just cracked me up. Probably because I relate so well, too well, to stinky dog smell.
I have NEVER left a negative comment on any blog. But, this post has brought me to tears–very angry tears! I always enjoy your wry humor, Beth, but there is nothing funny about the neglect of animals. Not bathing outside dogs in over seven months is CRUEL. They don’t need a bath just for your olfactory pleasure–they also need dirt & pests airborne irritants removed from their skin. Bathing & hands-on grooming also provides the opportunity to check for ticks, wounds, tumors, etc. I’m not easily angered, but neglect and cruelty to those who can’t speak up for themselves, such as children, and animals makes me very angry and very sad. Having outside pets is possible–but routinely caring for them in a timely and responsible manner is NOT optional, it’s required of caring pet owners. I find using the neglected condition of your dogs to market a product inconceivably shameful!
Thanks for this article! We very rarely bathe our dogs, either….and they are indoors alot. However, our youngest ~ a Golden named Buddy ~ likes to roll around outside in their toilet (you know, the lawn) and he will eventually smell like pee. We run them through the woods and through the meadows and at the beach. So, they have ample opportunity to pick up ticks and other equally unpleasant travelers. We brush and pet them, we always check them out after an adventure because one or both of them can get hurt and we won’t know it until we see the blood, otherwise. I never thought to use my essential oils as stink-eraser! But I’m going to try it. Thanks again.
P.S. I let the dogs have a spoonful of plain Greek Yogurt now and again to help them with their stinky breath. If you haven’t tried it, you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how well it works.
Hooray for Beth!
Years ago an older vet told me the least you bathe them, the better. It dries out the skin if done too often. Several times I have seen owners bathe their dogs all the time in things from Dawn to Baby Shampoo and wonder why the dog is so itchy.
I just listened to a dog groomer talk about this on the Happy Healthy Dog Summit. He said to remember that the gentlest human shampoo is way stronger than the strongest dog shampoo. They need very gentle cleansing so it doesn’t remove the protective oils from their coat. It was a very good informational summit. They even had a Vet speaking about using essential oils on dogs.
Bathing a dog too often DOES cause problems and since their skin has a different pH, you should never use human shampoo.
Merri Jo ,
I have INDOOR dogs that don’t get baths for SEVERAL months. Of course they’re your pets, but you have to remember that they are animals… Example, I have a husky and live in Canada, if I bathed that dog over the winter season I would be removing his undercoat and he would freeze outside. being a pet owner is sort of your duty to routinely check for mites and infestations. But unless you have a prize winning dog these animals don’t NEED to be pampered and groomed every month.
Totally 100 percent agree with you!
Very creative use for those oils Beth, I like it! Covers the smell and does some bug repelling too! Labs come out of the bath stinky if you ask me!
Ohhhh and those puppy pictures are too cute for words! I’ve met and loved on these dogs in person and I can tell you – my Charlie is VERY jealous of Gus and Woodrow’s setup! Except the baths, Gus and Woodrow can be jealous of Charlie’s annual bath! 😉
Charlie B. Barkin is too sweet to stink.
Oh Merri Jo I just saw your comment! I have to let you know that Beth’s dogs are in the absolute best care! I’m an animal-loving vegetarian and approve of her setup! I’ve met Gus and Woodrow in person and they are living the ultimate dream life with freedom to roam (safely), shelter when they need it, a pool to lounge at and a six year old little boy that keeps them very entertained (and fed with treats!)!
I promise you it’s not the vision of ‘outdoor’ dogs you would see on TV or in the redneck backwoods.
Just wanted to follow-up on this post. I had a lab for many years who, at the instruction of my vet, was only bathed when he was dirty (e.g. played too hard in the mud outside). Labs naturally produce oils that keep their fur healthy. Over-bathing or bathing when unnecessary can actually dry them out and cause problems. Letting them play outside daily not only allows them freedom (that they so desperately need), it helps keep their skin moist.
I wish I’d had these oils back then. Cosmo was a smelly, stinky dog who certainly could’ve benefited from some good smelling oils. 🙂
Thanks Nat!
Beth this is great info – I will be buying some of this oil from you!! Calhoun is an indoor dog but he still has a dog smell…shew!
And to the commenter who got upset – let me just say that I’ve been to Beth’s house and have seen this setup first hand. These dogs are happy happy happy. They have an awesome yard and amazing pool deck area to lounge in. They are constantly wagging their tails and smiling. They’re very well behaved, socialized and healthy. I’m a dog owner myself and my pup only gets a bath once a quarter or so (he’s a cocker spaniel so he has to get the hair cut too). These dogs are just fine. Don’t you worry about them – they live a great life!!
Thanks Kent! 🙂
Does it work on stinky teenagers too?
I actually caught my Beagle, Lois Lane rolling in something hideous in the yard yesterday. Thanks for the tip!
Ha! You know it’s funny, but Purification will totally eliminate the smell of stinky sneakers, too! I say spray your teenagers down and see what happens. 🙂
Beth – lm sending this post to my mom! She will LOVE! She has three outdoor dogs. They have raised dogs since before I was born, and don’t get a bath but once a year. The vet is QUITE fine with them being outdoors and bathing them once a year. Some of the happiest dogs I know!
Thanks Jana! We use a mobile Vet who comes to our house to take care of the dogs. Every time she visits she says they are living “the good life”. They are definitely the best and happiest dogs I’ve ever owned. Way back in my single days I had a labrador retriever named Cowboy who was an indoor dog. For years I lived with chewed up door frames and window sills. In 8 years I’ve never had any issues with our dogs chewing or being bored and destructive. They are awesome dogs. Hopefully I didn’t just jinx myself. LOL
Labs can go long periods without proper baths; it’s hardly “neglect.” They have a double coat, which keeps irritants away from their skin and they have a naturally oily coat, being water retrievers, which keeps dirt from accumulating. If you’re not familiar with the breed, it can be easy to misunderstand, but bathing a Labrador more than necessary can actually harm it by removing the natural oils and causing undue shedding.
Beth’s dogs look beyond happy and healthy and I’m sure are quite loved. I think your anger is misplaced.
Thanks for that info, Amber! Labs are like ducks- water rolls right off their back. I call Woodrow “Buffalo Butt” because his coat is SO thick. I think I could make a whole other dog out of the undercoat that I have to shed off of him every spring and summer. Instead I use the extra hairballs to keep the deer out of my flower beds. Works pretty well. 🙂
Agreed! I won’t be following this blog anymore. People like you shouldn’t have pets!
LOL, are you for real? Who are you agreeing with? Cause the rest of us know that this is not “controversial”.
People like who? People who allow their well-behaved dogs to live outside on a super posh porch, with super posh doggie beds, and super posh doggie toys? People who allow their animals the freedom they innately desire, freedom to roam within a secured, fenced area versus sleeping in a cold, small crate all day with no fresh air and no stimulation? People who spend a small country’s budget on vet bills and expensive pet food all to ensure their animals live long, healthy lives?
Yeah, you’re right, people like Beth should NEVER have pets.
Beth, I have a friend who has golden retrievers and the only baths the get are the ones they take themselves in the swimming pool in warm weather. I have three small dogs that I have take to the groomer religiously every four weeks for the past 12 years and honestly after 3 weeks they have the “dog smell”. I can fully appreciate that your methods is not cruel and it seems that you have real life friends who can attest to this. If you lose a couple of readers because of this post that will be ok, too. I am new to your blog so my new membership will cancel out one of theirs. I think your idea for a spritz bath is a great idea.
Aww thanks Cindy! 🙂 A spritz bath is a great name for it! Like a birdie bath for dogs.
I’m jumping on the stinky dog train! My Golden actually gets nasty hot spots if I bathe him too often. Love those sweet pictures of your happy dogs!
Thanks Vanessa! They may be stinky, but we’ve never had any issues with hot spot or allergies on our pups. :knocking on wood:
OMG! And in the last pic I saw your baby outside barefooted. In a wet environment. Oh, never mind, he flourished, didn’t he?
I can only imagine how you will one day take care of your elderly parents. 😉 bahaha I gave Gus and Woodrow some (4 exactly) Steak n Shake French fries when I carried G home Sunday night. Reckon they were fried in the correct doggy oils?
Sigh. Intense makes me want a nap. Gus and Woodrow are probably napping, too. Like them, I have a very spoiled good life. Somebody toss me a French fry and spray me with Beth’s oils if I get too smelly.
Bwahahah!! Good one! I agree, some people need to take a chill pill. My outdoor lab only was bathed when she rolled in the neighbour’s freshly-manured flower bed! ?
I don’t believe that I’ve posted on your blog before. But I read regularly and will tell I too was brought to tears … when reading your story about the ice storm, “God get me to Garrett, God get me to Garrett”. My heart felt your pain and love. It is hard to believe that Merri Jo and Olivia would write such words, when everything about you “reeks” of love. Your post in no way reflects abuse or neglect. We have all heard of, some even seen, actual “abuse”. It’s disheartening that with real animal abuse to direct anger towards, that these to readers would write such comment to you. Submerging a dog in water is not the only way to care for them. Brushing teeth, vet visits, cleaning of anal glands by professionals are all part of animal care. My little dog is almost 13 and has had 2 baths her entire life! Once when she rolled in rabbit poop and once when my other dog peed on her. On the other hand, I have spent $3000. on vet care during the last couple years, dealing with age-related, glaucoma. Your “chicken” based dog food costs more than other options. Selective “abuse”? No, just different styles of care based on the needs of the animal, that should be addressed respectfully.
Thanks so much, Paula, for your kind words. Gus and Woodrow will be turning eight years old next month. They are entering the stage where they will need a lot more care. One of the reasons we bought this current house that we are in was so the dogs would not have a single set of steps to walk up and down as they get older. Our old house had a huge flight of stairs that they had to run up and down daily to get to the backyard. It wasn’t ideal for dogs with old hips. I’m glad we don’t have to worry about that. Thanks again for your support. Pet care is always a hot topic.
😉 Years of practice?
Awesome tip!!! I already “pinned” it! Thank you!!!!! I love this tip! I don’t mind bathing my dog, but it amazes me how quickly the stink comes back!!! Plus it’s not good for their coats to over- bathe them. This will be perfect!!!!!!!
Thanks so much!
Beth, I’m going to order some of this essential oil from you because our dog stinks to high heaven right now. We’re going to take her to the groomers next week (have to wait until the retirement checks flies in here because it’s so expensive!) 🙂
You’re a hoot, Beth! I’m so glad you posted this. My dogs are much smaller than yours and have to be clipped so they go to the groomer about every six weeks. Their sweet, freshly washed smell only lasts a few days though and I’m too lazy to bathe them every week. Sad, but true. Definitely going to order some of this from you!
Wow, it’s like a mind- and heart-opening lovefest in this comment section. Love it!
I’ve told Beth this before, but there was a time I looked down on people with outside dogs as well. My experience with outside dogs was always that they were neglected, lonely animals who weren’t part of the family (or worse). In upstate NY, the weather kept the humans in and the pups out. Heartbreaking!! Beth and G&W were actually what challenged my bias on that. I saw loved, happy dogs very integrated with and bonded to the family. It reminded me of summers on the farm with everyone indoor-outdoor. (Yes, dogs can learn to open screen doors LOL.) Hmmm… that reminds me, I met those boys in the house…
Anyway, biases tend to stick around until challenged, so props for a great story and the dialogue Beth!! I, too, can attest to G&W’s happy life… and their stinkiness, which was impressive in a lab-elicious way but can’t compete with my dog Huxley’s funk!
awesome! definitely have to check these oils out and soon!
We totally need this for Fenway. Asher (our Yorkshire Terrier) gets a bath every 2-3 weeks but Fenway (the Dalmatian) can’t be washed more than 3-4 times a year due to allergies. We have found that 3 or 4 might actually be too many and sometimes it’s only twice a year. I get soooo over the dog smell, constantly washing bedding and hoping our guests don’t notice the smell… So glad to hear that something works!
Our two dogs are in the same boat. Stink, stank, stonk! This sounds like a miracle product.
WOW!! telling someone they shouldn’t own pets because they don’t bathe their dogs regularly??!! I have a lab who stinks to high heaven this winter (I live in WI so outside time for him lately isn’t much) He has gotten two baths since Nove,mber and that was only because he would be traveling in our car and we didn’t want to smell him for a 2 hr trip! I take my dog to a local pet wash (its inside a car wash) and in the summer I just shower him on our deck with the hose! He loves getting bathed and when I get the hose out he actually tries to attack the mist being sprayed (makes for a difficult time watering the flowers when he follows me around)
Why have dogs if you keep them outside and make them sleep in crates in the garage? Dogs are pack animals. Forcing them to live a solitary life outside and wear shock collars is not my idea of kindness. I, too, find this post disturbing.
Do essential oils for odor work on carpet? Ceramic tile?
Yes for carpet. You can mix up some Purification with alcohol (vodka even!) and spray it on carpet. Alcohol helps it dry faster.
I’d be cautious using oils on ceramic just for the slipperyness factory, but you could try a small area and test it out. 🙂 I doubt it would hurt the actual tile, I just don’t want to cause anyone to fall.
Think this would work for car upholstery? I take my chocolate lab just about everywhere, meaning my Jeep smells like my sweet Zoey all the time… yuck.
Thanks!
Yes! I do think it would work on car upholstery. You can do a test patch first to make sure it won’t fade anything. I would NOT use this anywhere near plastic (like car upholstery binding, etc) as the citrus oils will eat through/ degrade petrochemicals like plastic or vinyl.
[…] short notice, but the outpouring of interest in essential oils that I’ve received since my Stinky Dog Spray post last week has been great! I decided to heck with all this typing and reading stuff. It’s way […]
Ha! Leslie Anne…your comment really made me chuckle. I have two stinky beagles that LOVE to roll in equally stinky stuff and a stinky teenager!
[…] ago that I would be using little bottles of oil to treat nearly every ailment to hit our house (and remove the doggie permastank from my back porch as a bonus) then I probably would have looked at you like you had three heads. […]
Merri Jo, I haven’t been a regular reader of this blog, since I just discovered it a few minutes ago on pinterest, (however, I plan to check out more of it now). I am glad you have such a passion for animals. However, I think you are overreacting a bit. I am the first one to get all upset over animal neglect, but I can clearly see these animals are not neglected. I am like the author, I grew up in a poorer area of the south. I have seen true animal neglect. I am aware of true animal cruelty. This is definitely not neglect. Heck, my spoiled, regularly bathed, inside Labrador would be jealous if she knew of their life by the pool.
To the author of this, I am interested in this for our between bath days. I just wanted to know if there is any indication that this might be unsafe? I am intrigued at the idea of using essential oils, but I also am a believer in “just because it’s natural, doesn’t mean it is necessarily safe”. I admit I haven’t researched it yet, and I am more than capable of using google 😉 I am sure you wouldn’t use anything that you knew to be unsafe, but do you know if there has been any research on it? Thanks for posting this. I am looking forward to checking out the rest of your blog and pinterest site.
Thanks Heather! if you’re game for some heavy duty reading, I just stumbled up on this study by the EPA on the effects of several essential oils that can be used as an insecticide, including some specifically to be used on pets. http://www.epa.gov/oppsrrd1/REDs/old_reds/flower_veggie_oils.pdf
I just tried this on my two dogs and it is fabulous! This going to be great for between baths. Thank you so much for sharing!
WOOHOOO!! SO glad it worked for you Suzy! 🙂
I love this post. Just have now stumbled upon your blog. My Boston terrier-Pomeranian mix in an indoor dog and she is underbathed as well lol. Mainly because she gets really itchy. Hey I am thinking this might be a good spray for my newly teenaged son and his room. He is underbathed as well. Not by my choice, His. He’s stinky too. LOL. People are way too intense.
Wow, what a nice response! I would not have been so pleasant had I been attacked like that. I’m sure you are a great dog mom. 🙂
THIS REALLY WORKED!!!!! I would have to give my Timon a bath everyday if I wanted him to smell like the sweet little puppy that he does now. By the way he is 9 yrs old and loving life right now!!!!! Thanks so much
Which Essential Oils did you use to spritz your dogs?
Beth-
First, I love your dogs’ names! We watch Lonesome Dove (while curled up with our lab) over and over again. Second, I want to try this puppy spray (so I can ENJOY curling up with my lab! ) and am wondering what type of spray bottle you used. Should it be glass because of the oil? Or is plastic ok because it’s not “citrusy”? Thanks in advance!
Does this mixture need to be in a glass spray bottle or will plastic be ok? 🙂
Plastic will be fine for this use!
We too have a chocolate lab who is quite stinky and doesn’t get bathed much. Everytime I book her for a bath at the vet it turns I to a a bill over $200. It’s worse than going for an oil change because you feel like you cannot say no because this is your baby. She’s impossible for me to bath alone because she weighs as much if not more than I do. How much is the oil? My problem is the area of my back porch where she lays when she’s outside stinks now and it’s horrible. I wonder if I could clean that area of concrete w the oil? Thanks!!
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Beth, just saw your blog post and think it is a great idea. ( I did the same thing tonight then thought I should research what others are doing to.) I just got home from a run in the rain with my mutt and we played in the lake for a good twenty minutes. He smells like an awful wet dog and the worst thing is he sleeps right by our bed. Anyways threw some on him tonight and we are still in the same room as him 🙂 for a suggestion about bad breath, could you add peppermint to their water…??? I am really new to this as I got my first oils in the mail yesterday! (Hopefully this post works the second time around)
If it makes you feel any better, several Vets (including a Small Animal Veterinary Professor at Auburn University) have told me it is more unhealthy to wash my Labradors more than every 3-6 months because a) it dries out their oily water-repelling coat, b) it’s pointless since they stink naturally and **belong outside** where they get dirty anyway, and c) it literally makes them forget their own scent causing them to forget that they are dogs, not humans! They are happy outside where they can explore, play, get dirty and freely wallow on their choice of poop or dead prey animals! Some people just don’t understand this concept. I wash my Labbies only about every 4-6 months, at which they act pitiful like I’m actually torturing them, so one might have an argument that bathing them is actually animal abuse! Like yours though, they are very well taken care of….heck, they eat and live better than some people I know…but they’re still dogs…they lick their butts and roll on dead birds for goodness sake! ! 🙂
I love the grand idea in this post though. I’m just now discovering the wonders of essential oils and I can’t wait to try this out!
Great post! I have a mutt who always stinks unless the groomer uses the harsh deskunking formulas on him which I imagine can’t be good for his general bathing. He likes to roll in gross things when outside so I do bathe him more often than I normally would another low maintenance short haired dog. I am very interested in trying this and any more information you could share about what the oils are used for. I also wonder on the recipe at the end of your post about the flea, tick and mosquito repellant if I were to make this and go the route of soaking his collar in it how often would I need to soak? I currently use a 6 month tick collar from the vet (so far so good I was using the 3 month ones last year with little to no effect) but using something natural sounds much more appealing (esp to this chick who is allergic to pesticides)
Are there any other oils we can use like this for the smell? I have a bunch laying around my house and would hate to spend the money when I can use what I already have.
I have (all Nature’s Sunshine brand):
Tea Tree
Cinnamon Leaf (doubt I can use that)
Lavender Fine
Breathe Free
Geranium
Pink Grapefruit
Wild Orange
Lemon
Thanks!
WOW, never in my wildest imagination did I think your dogs were neglected because you didn’t bathe them in 7 months. They look absolutely healthy and radiant in all the pictures I’ve seen. I prefer not to bathe my Corgi very often, either. Bathing tends to dry out a dog’s skin. Even a double-coated dog like a Corgi. You keep doing what you’re doing. 😉
This article is intersted and I must to follow it. I Love labradors
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Beth is there any way you could mail me a sample? My jack Russel mix has horrible allergies to everything and he stinks soooo bad..but want to make sure his skin can handle it.. he even gets severely irritated with oatmeal honey baths!!