How to minimize and eradicate your doggy’s “less-than-fresh” odors

No matter how much you love your dog, you don’t want to advertise their presence by having your guests accosted by the scent of old Rover’s latest “accident.” Getting loving licks by your furry friend who has a severe case of bad breath, not to mention B.O. (body odor), is yet another ordeal you’d rather avoid.

Here’s a small sample of the pet odor products at your disposal (no pun intended):

• Air ionizers
• Air-freshening aerosol sprays or electronic devices, for pre or post-treatment
• Battery-operated deodorizers with a scent-circulating fan
• Black-light urine detectors, battery-operated and some have an attached flashlight
• Breath-freshening sprays, tablets, toothpastes, plaque removers, and food/water additives
• Cedar-scented beds
• Cleaning/deodorizing combination products in a variety of forms including sprays and foams and suitable for a range of surfaces
• Crates and gates to keep your dog from entering certain areas
• Daily spray-on coat deodorizers
• Dander and odor-removing topical sprays and wipes
• Diapers for incontinent dogs or female dogs in heat
• Dog hair removers in the form of rug rakes, rollers, and “pre-loosening” sprays
• Doggy “butt wipes”
• Doggy doors providing access to a fenced yard so they can relieve themselves outside
• Doggy stool “septic tanks”
• Ear cleaners in a variety of forms
• Enzyme-based cleaning products
• Kennel disinfectants
• Medicated oral rinses
• Mint-flavored balls
• Mint-flavored bones
• Odor-absorbing beds that can be washed and “recharged”
• Oxygen-activated cleaners in a variety of forms
• Pet wipes for removing odors between baths
• Pheromone-removing cleaning products
• Pheromone-scented pee pads for adults that lock in ammonia odors
• Pheromone-scented pee posts for attracting your dog to a certain part of the yard
• Poop scoops, rakes, and disposal bags for your dogs outdoor potty-breaks
• Programmable misters that release scents
• Puppy housebreaking pads, both disposable and reusable versions
• Repellent products in a variety of forms to keep your dog from certain areas, including devices that sense motion, heat, or sound and emit an audible alarm or static charge
• Scented room-foggers
• Teeth-cleaning pads

Regardless if your dog’s odor problem is in the form of urine, stool, vomit, gas, bad breath, or ear discharge, there’s a product available to help rectify the situation. Read the product labels and make sure that the ones you choose are non-toxic and safe for use around your pets whether they’re puppies or debilitated dogs. Pick the right product for the job; is it capable of working on old stains and odors or only new ones? Is it a repellant to my dog or will it attract him or her to the area that I want them to use? Read the product directions carefully for maximum results. Can I leave the product on or do I need to remove it? Should I pre-treat the area or begin working immediately?

Prepare for accidents to happen and plan your attack on dog-related odors accordingly. Realize that there’s a reason people use the phrase “it smells like a wet dog.” With the wide array of odor-eliminating products on the market today, you not only can win the battle against pet odors, but you can prevent it from even beginning.