A smelly and unhygienic dog is a huge NO.

As much as you take care of your hygiene and health, it is equally important for you to take care of your furry friend. Clean dogs are happier, healthier, and more fun to be around.

If you suddenly noticed a change in your dog’s behavior, it might be because of improper hygiene. Aside from regular baths, there are few other tips that you should consider to keep your dog smelling fresh, cheerful, and wonderful.

In this article, we have brought 8 simple ways for you to make this possible. Let's have a look.

Ways to Make Your Dog Smell Fresh and Wonderful

• Daily Brushing

Brushing your dog is not a fuss as long as your dog is supportive. It will hardly take you five to minutes. Brushing your dog regularly will keep their fur healthy by removing excess or loose fur that can keep debris and bacteria. It will also check for any health problems.

Usually, dogs enjoy being brushed and it can be a great way to create a bond with your dog. You can use a vacuum or Swiffer or lint roller to pick up hair from clothing and furniture. If you want to avoid all of this, consider brushing them outside.

• Clean Their Ears

Surprisingly, dogs can develop very strong odors in their ears especially if they are not cleaned for a long time. Clean your dog’s ears with an ear cleaning solution or cotton wool regularly. You can find some great ear cleaning solutions that can make the ears smell nice and fresh.

• Wash the Bed

Perhaps you have got cute bedding for your dog on which your furry friend rolls at night. Do you know that it can be prone to infections?

Dog bedding is prone to a build-up of bacteria that can potentially spread to your dog. Hence, it is important to wash the dog’s bedding regularly to keep unwanted odors out of the house and help your dog in being healthy and fresh.

In addition to this, also wash your dog’s toys or mats or any other items he likes to play with. By cleaning all of these items you will keep away the dirt, bacteria, and natural body oils from the bedding of your dog which can transfer back into your pet.

• Wipe Paws at the Door

Pet wipes are gentle and keep your dog away from unwanted smells. You can easily freshen up your pup by wiping the paws before taking them for a drive or walking in the house. If your furry friend has rolled out of mud, keep your pet wipes handy at the door and wipe them before letting them in the house.

• Maintain Good Diet

A good and healthy diet will fight unwanted smells from inside as well as outside and help your dog with gastrointestinal issues.

Ensuring proper nutrition for your dog will promote their digestive system and make them feel better. On the other hand, a poor diet can lead to flatulence and odor.

• Maintain Oral Hygiene

Aside from brushing and bathing, ensuring the oral hygiene of your dog is equally important. Dogs are prone to plaque and gum diseases like us. The best you can do is visit a vet and take some tips to keep the oral health of your dog in check. You can use doggy dental bones, drinking water additives, and doggy toothbrushes to fight the build-up of plaque.

• Use the Right Shampoo

As discussed before, regular baths are crucial for keeping your dog fresh. However, bathing them with water alone or human soaps and shampoos won't do any good. You can check a lot of dog shampoos available in the market which include all-natural components or are specially designed for specific breeds.

Furthermore, no-rinse dry shampoos are also in great demand these days. Recently, these shampoos can also be found for pets. You can find these in the form of spray, powder, or mousse. To your surprise, you can even try making one at home with baking soda, cornstarch, and pet-safe essential oils.

Using shampoos or dry shampoos will help in neutralizing the odor from your dog’s coat and keep their fur and skin healthy.

• Freshening Sprays

Along with pet wipes, you can also give freshening sprays for dogs a try. These specially crafted deodorizing sprays for the dogs will not only improve the condition of your dog’s fur but will also give a burst of freshness.

Nevertheless, make sure to ensure safety while using such sprays on your dog. Keep these away from the head or face as they can accidentally end up in the eyes or ears that can lead to irritation. The best you can do is spray a little on your hands first and run them through the dog’s fur. This way, you will also ensure the safety of your pup as well as give them rubs (which are not all intimidating as sprays).

Conclusion

Often, you can find your dog getting irritated on minute things or not behaving the happy way it used to. Understanding where this is coming from will help you in keeping your dog happy. Mostly, this is caused by the itchy bacteria or dirt that seems to stick on the dog's fur. Eventually, building up dirt can lead to unpleasant smells.

Ensuring good hygiene for your dog is crucial to keep them healthy and fresh. This includes taking all those measures which you take for yourself including bathing, oral hygiene, cleaning paws, and so forth. This will help you in keeping your dog from diseases and smells.

We hope this was useful. Keep visiting this space for dog care tips!