Odor

[Traci]

We have a Siberian Husky, Nikko male 2 1/2 yrs. old. Absolutely fabulous dog, this is my first dog ever, and I have a question regarding an odor at different times of the year.

Nikko, typically doesn't smell at all. He is a very clean dog, and I only get him groomed twice a year, (I read that in a book) so the natural oils in his fur don't go away.

My question is, Nikko starts to smell in the spring/early summer. I'm wondering if this is due to shedding hair that isn't actually coming off his body. We brush him daily, as he sheds so much that probably isn't even enough, but this smell is just unwanted.

Has anyone ever had this problem with their dog who has a lot of hair? Or is this even a hair related problem?

Traci

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Traci

[tatsxxx11]

Hi Traci

I have a husky/shep mix. I can't say my Cody has the type of odor you describe at that particular time of year. What type of smell is it? Could she be rolling in something? I know that in the spring Cody does her MAJOR shed. She has the typical husky double coat; I have to handpick out the wide fur clumps that pop out like qtips! Then, everyday, at least ten minutes of brushing. I would think that all that shed fur, if not removed quickly, would begin to take on a scent, shall we say, after getting wet, dirty etc. Try combing and brushing well every day. I HAVE to bathe Cody at least every 8 weeks; she is outdoors playing everyday. I truly don't believe that bathing every 6-8 weeks should be a problem. The act of brushing alone helps to release those essential oils you speak of. Using the proper shampoo product is, of course, very important. Ask your groomer or vet. There are some great products out there.
Good Luck to you and "Stinky" (Just kidding Nikko!!!-Hugs)

[carrie]

Hi,
I am from the UK and, as others on this site can testify, don't always get what you lot are saying without careful explanation!
You say your dog is groomed twice a year?
Then you say you brush him every day?
Can you explain to the thicky British person what the difference is? Thanks.
Also what sort of food do you feed him and is he entire or nuetered?

[Karen]

Getting him "groomed" twice a year usually means taking your dog to a professional "groomer" for a bath, perhaps blow-dry and special brushing, even a haircut for some dogs, depending on their breed/need. This is different than just brushing him at home, which is free! What would you call that in the UK?

On a silly grooming note, a groomer opened up shop not far from my parents house, and put a big sign out advertising a "wash and fluff-dry" and we always wanted to take our Great Dane-Lab mix, and ask them to "fluff-dry" her!

[carrie]

Thanks Karen! I really feel out of my depth here sometimes because of the language barrier.
Grooming is a word that describes the day to day combing, brushing and bathing of the dog here. Professional dog groomers have only really been around here for the last ten years or so although they are becoming more popular. I personally don't know anyone who sends their dog to a groomer. I do know of several dogs that could benefit from it though!
Seriously I have always thought that the time spent grooming your dog is invaluable to builiding a respectful and close relationship.
Thanks again, Karen, isn't it incredible that nations speaking the same language don't understand all that each other say? You can see how we mess it up with dogs can't you?

[Traci]

Thanks for responding Tatsxxx11.......since July our problem has been resolved. I think it was just what you said. Those big clumps of hair that don't come out right away just start to stink after awhile. Nikko just had his bi-annual grooming and he is smelling wonderful. He typically never smelled, which is why I had a question in the first place. It must just be when he sheds we have to pay extra attention to all the little clumps to avoid that odor.

Thanks for the replies!

[AdoreMyDogs]

Hi Traci,

It could be the beginning of allergies...in fact, it sounds like that is very likely, being that he starts to smell in spring/early summer. I would keep an eye on that, it may get worse every year, and he may start to have other signs of allergies like itchy skin, hair loss, swolen ears. There should be no harm (as long as the shampoo is high quality and maybe hypo-allergetic) to bathe him a few times in the summer alone. It may even feel good and cooling to a dog with that kind of thick coat to have a bath every few weeks or so. Rinse REAL well, just in case he does have allergies. If you do suspect allergies, there are plenty of supplements out there that have been proven to help with allergies. I use 2: Prozyme and Missing Link Plus. My Pugs' allergies went away very rapidly after starting her on them. My other dog does not have any allergies but it's not going to hurt him to take these wonderful supplements. Ask your vet, she or he may have some advise also.

Overall, my suggestions would be: 1)feed a very high quality food (not sure what you feed him now but there's some pretty icky stuff in some cheaper brands of food to watch out for)
2)get him vet checked
3)look into high quality supplements with very good testamonials (sp?). If you wanted more info on Prozyme do a search for "prozyme dog" on your browser.

Hope this was helpful...good luck! By the way, my pug with allergies used to stink REAL bad! This little tiny dog made the entire house smell terrible, but since I started her on the supplements her smell has gone down a HUGE amount! Her face still smells a bit, but I think it's from all those face wrinkles

[AdoreMyDogs]

Sorry Traci....did not read that your problem was resolved. I am glad it's just a hair problem and not allergies! Allergies can get horrid!

Yeah!