How to minimize and eradicate your dog'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.
