If you’ve started noticing you can smell your dog before you see them, it’s time to do your nose a favor and take care of the issue. You know you can give your dog a bath, but what if you don’t have time? Are there any other options available?
In this article, we’ll tell you how to make your dog smell good without a bath in eight simple steps. Read on to learn how to help your stinky dog lose the odor without having to get them wet and be left with a mess!
Before You Begin
Your dog’s odor could be coming from one or more sources, which means there is a range of different steps you can take to help them smell better. Before you begin dealing with the stink, see if you can narrow down a particular part of your dog that seems extra smelly. For example, do they have bad breath or dirty ears?
Preparation
Depending on the source of your dog’s smell, you might need one or more of the following supplies:
- Ear cleaner
- Gauze or cotton balls
- Dental care products
- Brush
- Waterless shampoo
- Cornstarch or baking soda
- Doggy cologne or perfume
- Dog cleaning wipes
- Laundry detergent (not for the dog)
Again, you likely won’t need every one of these items to help your dog smell better, but we wanted you to be aware of all the possible options just in case.
How to Make Your Dog Smell Good Without a Bath
1. Clean Their Ears
Your dog’s ears can be an overlooked source of an odor, easily remedied without a bath. Smelly ears can also indicate an ear infection, especially if the ears are also red, swollen, painful, or full of discharge. If you suspect an ear infection, see your veterinarian.
To clean your dog’s ears, you will need a doggy ear cleaner and cotton balls or gauze. Squeeze a little cleaner into the dog’s ear canal and massage to break up any deep-set dirt and odor. Step back and let your dog shake their head then use cotton balls or gauze to wipe out the ears.
Clean out all the folds of your dog’s ears thoroughly. Avoid sticking anything too far down the ear canal, such as a Q-tip. Repeat the process for the other ear using fresh cotton balls or gauze.