I was going to go on the hunt for some special (a.k.a. expensive) shampoo for super smelly dogs, but decided to research online some homemade recipes for dog shampoo first.
We tried using the following:
- Human dandruff shampoo.
- Human cheap shampoo like White Rain.
- Bar soap.
- Dog shampoo that cost $11.
After trying all these, she was still smelly! No change! In fact, in some cases she was worse smelling than before, especially with the dandruff shampoo. I decided to research some homemade recipes next. It should have been my first reaction for a Thrifty Gal like me, but I felt desperate to get rid of the smell!
The recipes we tried:
- Baking soda and water.
- White vinegar rinse after shampooing.
- Dial antibacterial soap mixed with white vinegar.
The winner is: Dial antibacterial soap mixed with white vinegar!
The recipe:
- Mix equal parts Dial antibacterial soap and white vinegar in a small bottle with a lid.
- Shake it together until it is well mixed.
- Squirt down your wet dog's back like you would any dog shampoo.
- Massage for several minutes into your dog's coat. Be very careful not to get the soap into your dog's eyes, it will burn!
My dog does alright with shampooing, she doesn't like it, but she will stand in the tub without jumping out. I was able to get her ears too with the mixture. Don't risk the head at all if you dog is skittish about being bathed.
For a few pennies we are now able to have a decent smelling dog for about a week. She is still old after all and will have a tendency to smell.
The antibacterial soap with white vinegar can have a very detrimental effect on a dog's coat. It has the potential to strip them of a lot of nutrients and essential oils leaving their skin incredibly dry. I myself prefer Mutt Nose Best dog care products. They have one type of shampoo that is made with wild Maine blueberries. Not only will your dog finally not smell like "old people," but she will smell like a batch of fresh blueberries! Their shampoo doesn't strip their coats of oils and nutrients either, they actually add to it and make it healthier! They have other scents and unscented products too if blueberries aren't your thing. www.muttnosebest.com
While a product like U Smelly Dog may do the trick, this blog focuses on thrifty alternatives to commercial products. Our dog has an oily coat and we have found that the method mentioned in our blog, antibacterial soap and vinegar, actually leaves her with the healthiest and cleanest coat she has ever had. This may not be the case with dogs that already suffer from dry skin.
As a side note, my son has also used the mixture that we use on our dog, Maggie, on his own hair with excellent results. He has typically oily hair and bad acne. Since using this mixture on his hair, his acne and oily skin and hair have been reduced.
The addition of vinegar actually acts as a softener and balances the pH for hair. I'm not a scientist, so I cannot offer any more information on why or how this works, just my own testimonial.
Hi and thanks for doing this! I was wondering if you tried the method of washing and then using a vinegar and water rinse and if the results were as good?
Yes, we did try a regular dog shampoo and then used a white vinegar and water rinse as I mentioned in the things we tried section of the article. It wasn't quite enough.
We found that for our old smelly dog, she needed the recipe above. Our other younger dog doesn't. I was thinking it may be age, but they also are different breeds and have different fur types.
Instead of a final vinegar rinse you can add a 1/4 cup of lemon juice to 1 gallon of water and use that. Worked wonderfully for my dog!