A question about labs

**wolf_Q** · 02-20-2011, 10:40 AM

First of all, I'm not trying to be rude or offensive, so please don't take it that way. Killer is a lab/pit mix and he is the smelliest dog I've ever had. The huskies really do not stink. After a while they start to smell a bit like dirt (especially Nebo since he loves to lay in the cool dirt) but they don't have a "doggy odor." They could probably go a year without a bath and the still wouldn't have that smell...they do smell like wet dog of course when they are wet but that's it. Killer has that stinky doggy smell after less than 2 weeks after a bath. We went to a dog event last night and I could smell him over all the other dogs

and it's only been a couple of weeks since he had a bath. Is this just a lab thing? My job is grooming dogs and I do notice retrievers (as well as plenty of other breeds) do get pretty smelly but I didn't think they got smelly this fast.

I don't think it's a pit thing since I have friends with pits and none of them have this problem...my friend with Diesel the pit only washes him a few times a year and he's not a stinky dog. I know labs have oils in their coat which could contribute to the smell...I don't know if I'm making him smellier by washing him more often, like if he's making more oil to compensate? I can't stand him being smelly though, he's in the house. I may be more sensitive to it since I'm a groomer and I just like dogs to smell clean. Before me he was mostly an outside dog and I used to think the smell was because of him going in his gross dog house. But he's in the house while we're at work, sleeps in the house, he's only outside when we are home and he wants to be outside, same as the huskies...I really don't think he goes in the dog house at all anymore. Nebo likes to go in it though, and he doesn't stink, so I really don't think I can blame that at all.

**Freedom** · 02-20-2011, 11:49 AM

Find of min has 2 labs, no odor issues.

What does he eat? Could be a food issue, perhaps an allergic reaction. Does he smell of yeast? Dogs can get skin yeast infections. Oh, and just because you feed him the same as the huskies, and they don't smell, well, it is individual.

**Husky_mom** · 02-20-2011, 12:32 PM

no labs here.. but as you said the huskies.. no smell other than wet dog when wet.. I think Ninja had her last bath in Oct.. and China.. well.. I think is now going on to two years without one.. lol..

oh but Mr. Roger.. man I have to bathe him weekly or every 2 weeks at the most.. maybe the longer hair.. not sure.. they all eat the same..

maybe it´s just as with labs.. or just like people some have bad BO.. some not.. lol..

**happylabs** · 02-20-2011, 12:47 PM

Have had many Labs. They are not smelly dogs. I rarely gave Casey a bath unless she was having skin or allergy issues. Must be something else mixed in with the Pit/Lab. Hounds are smelly, Beagles and Bassets. Not sure what other breeds are smelly but it isn't the Lab.

**wolf_Q** · 02-21-2011, 12:20 AM

I guess he is just a smelly dog. No allergy issues I don't think, and he smelled the same (just worse, because he didn't get as many baths) when he was on the food Corby gave him before I started feeding him with my dogs. Its not his ears or his teeth either...or anal glands, unfortunately with my job I can pick up different nasty dog smells pretty good.

I can feel the oils in his coat when I am washing him but otherwise he does not feel greasy. He does get a little itchy after a bath for a couple of days otherwise no skin issues. His skin and coat look nice, and he sheds the normal amount for his fur type. It's just that typical stinky dog smell...maybe he is part stinkhound? Now that you mention hounds he does smell like a lot of basset hounds. Well I took him to work today so now he's all soft and shiny. I'm going to go back to this thread when he starts to stink again, see how long it takes.

**Freedom** · 02-21-2011, 09:50 AM

Try a different shampoo!

On the bichon forum I am on, we had one person adopt a jack russell, age 7 months, from the local shelter. She said similar, this dog STINKS constantly! Come to find out, it was a host of issues!

Well, she's had the dog to the vet a few times, and finally changed vets on our advice. The first vet never found a thing, and it cost her 1500 pounds (she lives in England). Come to find out:
- the poor girl had worms, and odor can be a symptom of worms
- poor girl ALSO had demodex mites! again, odor can be a symptom of that too

Treatment for both, now been 2 weeks (the shampoo treatment for the mites is still going on) and NO ODOR.

Please don't give up and "assume" he is just a smelly boy!

**dab_20** · 02-21-2011, 07:51 PM

I don't know about labs, but my Sam is smelly! Especially when he's very furry, even a week after his bath he smells (especially in the winter!!). When his fur is cut short it takes much longer. I'm not sure what it is that makes some dogs smell and some not? Molli never smells and Springen only does when he's wet.

**wolf_Q** · 02-21-2011, 08:25 PM

I have tried multiple shampoos him, I have a ton to choose from, they make no difference. I really don't think there's anything wrong with him, he just gets smelly fast. When he gets really stinky he has that "outside dog" smell I've been around enough dogs that live outside they just have a smelly dog odor. There is no hair loss or skin irritation his skin/coat actually look really nice, after a bath he's one of the shiniest black dogs I've ever seen. Yeah that doesn't surprise me that Sam smells when his fur is long cockers seem to get that dog odor pretty bad too. I think some breeds are just stinkier dogs.

Huskies are known to not get the dog smell I think I'm just not used to having a dog that smells like a dog. My mom's one schnauzer, Sydney, gets stinky fast too, Riley seems to stay a bit cleaner. The only labs I've really been around much outside of work have all been "outside dogs" :/ so of course they were stinky most of the time they rarely got baths.

**Husky_mom** · 02-21-2011, 09:25 PM

Originally Posted by wolf_Q

maybe he is part stinkhound?

LMAO!!!.. I think Roger too... lol..

**K9karen** · 02-22-2011, 10:08 PM

Ummm...let me think back,,,

Cody, my RB lab/gr mix didn't stink horribly, but his skin would get greasy, so much so, that my hand would get white and a slimey feeling after petting him. That meant bath time. He'd be good again for a few months. He hated the groomers, and I tried many, so I was only able to give him outside baths in the summer and if I did it, he was fine.

Mz Logan hates water (2nd to the camera!

), but we were able to give her a bath once a year in the summer. Honestly, she has no odor. (Well except for amazing frito feet!

). I brush her more often 'cause her hair is longer, so maybe that's a big help.

**wolfsoul** · 03-03-2011, 05:20 PM

I know alot of labs that have bad dog odour as well. Seems pretty half & half in my shop; Half stink every time, and half don't smell at all -- but they all shed like crazy! The ones I know with the worst body odour also usually have ear infections, and alot have yeast on their skin or in their ears. A good friend of mine has a black lab with terrible environmental allergies, and she often needs her ears drained (they swell up into hematomas). Even when her allergies are under control, she always smells like stinky dog. I think alot of time that stench has to do alot with the dog's health status, which I think makes alot of sense. I do groom quite a few labs with health issues and they are always the ones that stink.

***LabLoverKEB*** · 03-03-2011, 06:18 PM

I'm not sure if it's breed specific, but our former neighbors have a male yellow Lab (Cody) who I always took care of, walked, bathed and played with when they lived here. No matter if he had just gotten a bath, Cody boy ALWAYS stunk! And when I was down in so. CA visiting them, Cody smelled, haha! He is not neutered, so that probably has a lot to due with it.