# Best Shampoo/ Tricks to remove smell



## chicagojosh (Jun 22, 2010)

Hi everyone,

My shepherd is a river rat. During the summer he pretty much has a wet dog smell all the time. Even if I give him a bath he still smells haha.

I've tried Oatmeal Shampoo's, no water shampoo's and this weekend tried "Mane and Tail" the horse shampoo. He still smells like a river dog.

What are good/safe products or home recipes to help a smelly shepherd?

thank you in advance


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## dogma13 (Mar 8, 2014)

3/4 cup water,1/4 baking soda,a few drops of your favorite essential oil.Shake it up in a spray bottle.(Buy essential oils at any drug store.)Spray on lightly and comb through.


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## Bramble (Oct 23, 2011)

I like Kelco's products which are concentrated, all natural, and I think most are soap and detergent free so safer to use with flea drops. Their Filthy Animal shampoo does really well on odors and dilutes 50:1 so even a small bottle can go a long way. You just have to let it set for like 5 minutes before you rinse. I like to do a shot of diluted shampoo down the spine then wet the dog down then use more shampoo scrub it in good. The diluted shampoo gets down to the skin better than globs of it do. I follow that up with their Apples and Oats conditioner which is also good for odors. Used this on my dogs this weekend after they both rolled in a rotten groundhog.

Something that may be easier to find and also works well is Best Shot One Shot Deodorizing Shampoo. It dilutes 10:1 and will get rid of most odors, just make sure to let it set for like 5 minutes before rinsing. I believe there is a deodorizing spray as well which works for between bath stinkies.


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## WIBackpacker (Jan 9, 2014)

I'm a fan of EQyss spray, even though it's meant for horses. After they swim, you let them shake/air dry, then spray their body down, and lightly brush. No mess, no more gross river rat smell.

During the summer Tica swims almost daily, and I can't stand that gross damp smell in the house. The spray I have now is a black bottle and I think it's avocado something-or-other. Good stuff.


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## chicagojosh (Jun 22, 2010)

Thank you all for the replies! I'll start giving each suggestion a shot and see what works best on the stink bear  thanks again.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

could the doggy smell be yeast? If so, I wouldn't use any grain based product, like oatmeal. I would also be sure the diet you are feeding isn't growing something on the skin/coat. ACV diluted/ rinsed may help too.


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## Galathiel (Nov 30, 2012)

Also, be sure that your dog is getting completely dry. The area right above the tail in particular holds moisture, and with the heat, can begin to have an odor, often caused by yeast or bacteria growing in the warm, moist environment.


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

I just had to order all of mine waterproof collars. They swim daily and the cloth or nylon collars hold the bacteria and smell awful. Watch under the neck for rashes because of moisture and not drying completely.


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## chicagojosh (Jun 22, 2010)

onyx'girl said:


> could the doggy smell be yeast? If so, I wouldn't use any grain based product, like oatmeal. I would also be sure the diet you are feeding isn't growing something on the skin/coat. ACV diluted/ rinsed may help too.


Hi There! I'm honestly not sure what a yeast smell would smell like. However, I do know this is a seasonal issue. I've been living on the river for 4 years. every summer he gets this smell, once the fall rolls around it goes away.

if it were yeast, would that be a issue? how do I identify it? His annual check ups are in February, so the Vet has never witnessed his summer aroma haha...


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## qbchottu (Jul 10, 2011)

Make sure it is not a skin issue like suggested previously 

I like Show sheen, Earthbath, and Espree products 

My dogs play in mud, water, dirt, sand etc etc and I probably bathe them 2x a year - other times a simple wipe down with a damp towel and spray down with show sheen is more than enough. 

What kind of diet is the dog on? Any supplements? 
Make sure this isn't a health issue first


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## Mikelia (Aug 29, 2012)

Make sure it is not his collar. Every summer we get plenty of people complaining that their dogs smell even after they bathe them, often it is the collar that stinks. You make the dog clean, and put its stinky collar back on 
I really like earthbath shampoos. Mango tango is my favourite, the orange one is a great deodorizer. My dogs get pretty stinky sometimes and the earthbath never fails to clean them up.


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## EricMedina (Jul 28, 2015)

Thanks for this post and those who contributed to this post. I've been looking for solution for my girl's (GSD) smell. She is now 2 yrs old and her smell sometimes make the visitors comfortable. I tried many shampoo's and natural scents on her, but they didn't work very well. Is there something I should care on her diet? Or just a proper bath with proper deo might do the trick??
When ever there is some gathering at home, I'm forced to call a maid services in our Markham area, one day before, and clean the whole house, just to make sure the smell and her hair is not there anymore. Ah!!! I forgot to tell you that she is loosing too much of her hair as well. Especially, in the last four months. Should I be worrying about her??


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## Momto2GSDs (Mar 22, 2012)

What is she eating EXACTLY?
Can you give us the name brand of Kibble, treats, people food.
Supplements?
Does she ever smell like corn chips or frito's?
Do her ears smell?
Is her stool normal?
Has she ever expelled her anal gland or has it be expressed by the vet or a groomer?

Moms


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

EricMedina said:


> Thanks for this post and those who contributed to this post. I've been looking for solution for my girl's (GSD) smell. She is now 2 yrs old and her smell sometimes make the visitors comfortable. I tried many shampoo's and natural scents on her, but they didn't work very well. Is there something I should care on her diet? Or just a proper bath with proper deo might do the trick??
> When ever there is some gathering at home, I'm forced to call a maid services in our Markham area, one day before, and clean the whole house, just to make sure the smell and her hair is not there anymore. Ah!!! I forgot to tell you that she is loosing too much of her hair as well. Especially, in the last four months. Should I be worrying about her??


Smell and losing hair isn't normal for a healthy GSD.

What are you feeding?


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## EricMedina (Jul 28, 2015)

Never noted such things. Food, are we supposed to say the brand names? Like I feed the GSD packed food that is available in store, the branded once only. Apart from that I feed her cooked beef thrice a week, Egg and fish for the remaining days with wheat. Some days she gets goat bones cooked along with rice. 
I'm now worried about her. Should I get her checked by vet??


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## EricMedina (Jul 28, 2015)

@Sunflowers and @Momto2GSDs thanks for the response dears. I called up the vet and fixed an appointment for tomorrow.


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

I agree with others - a vet visit is definitely a good idea with strange smells. 

I've known two situations where dogs stank enough that they could clear a room: skin infections (e.g. demodex with a secondary yeast infection) and impacted anal glands. They're two very different smells, but if you've smelled either one, you'll always remember the distinctive smell. Both smells were indicators of underlying illness.

If it's a skin problem, please don't use fragrance shampoos to cover it up. You'll get a half hour of perfume/fragrance, and then when the smell fades, things will probably be worse. The artificial perfumes definitely aren't what a dog with a skin infection needs. I go through a lot of antisceptic shampoo from the vet in rescue for dogs with skin issues-- chlorhexidene + ketoconozole are the active ingredients my vet wants in the shampoo (antimicrobial + antifungal). There are many brands. RX brands from the vet are stronger, but there are cheaper OTC brands too.

If it's an anal gland thing, that's a whole other ball of wax. That's a sign of an inflamed GI system that isn't clearing itself (my vet even worries that impacted anal glands can even be a precursor to perianal fistulas later). Then it's all about figuring out the source of the inflammation (e.g., food allergy) and getting the digestive system back in shape.

Good luck with your appointment tomorrow! Hopefully it's something minor and easily fixed.


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## El Capitan (Sep 6, 2016)

Only a year and a bit late to this thread, but as my first long-haired GSD is only six months old, I'm sure you'll understand. 

He likes to splash around in ponds, rivers and lakes when we're out, and sometimes he comes out covered in mud or pond scum, so he used to smell quite badly when he got in the car. I now give him a long bath once every two months or so until his coat is saturated, change the water and wash him with Medicated Shampoo - which I originally bought because he suffered with a lot of dandruff when I got him - before rinsing him down! That not only helps keep his coat clean and skin healthy, but whenever he gets wet he smells of the shampoo and not the dreaded wet dog smell. You can usually only smell the shampoo if you put your nose to his coat when he's dry, when he's wet though, the smell is much more pronounced as the long "pre-wash" soak has embedded it into his fur. I've found that if you don't let these GSD's soak for a while, water doesn't really get through the double coat to the skin, so your problem could be that you're not bathing him long enough to get to the root of the issue ...pun intended.

This method works a treat for me and the Chief, and I hope it helps others.


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