Most dog owners know their pets must take regular baths and maintain good hygiene to prevent odors and stay healthy. This fact is especially true for Labradors that spend lots of time playing with all kinds of dirty things outside. But why does your Lab still smell bad even after taking a bath?
Your Labrador may stink even after a bath due to poor dental hygiene, skin or ear infections caused by parasites, a poor diet, or failure to fully clean their anal glands. These issues may require vet care. Labs may also smell after bathing due to improper grooming, such as improper drying.
In the rest of this article, I’ll explain in greater detail why Labradors may smell bad even after a bath. I’ll list the reasons that may require you to take your pet to the vet and those that you can easily fix at home. Additionally, I’ll discuss how to properly clean your Labrador and keep dog odor out of your house.
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Reasons Why Your Labrador Continues Stinking After Bathing
Sometimes, the reason for the bad Labrador smell may be benign; your dog could have eaten something smelly, or their fur didn’t dry properly after bathing. However, a Lab stench may also indicate an underlying medical condition, so let’s first discuss these more serious issues.
Your Labrador May Have an Ear Infection
A Lab’s adorable look wouldn’t be complete without their long ears. Interestingly, their cute ears are precisely the reason why this dog breed is more likely to suffer from ear infections.
Labs have very long ears which cover their ear canal completely. Such ear anatomy causes favorable conditions for bacteria growth, as Labs’ ears capture lots of moisture.
Water can also easily get inside your dog’s ears during bathing. For this reason, you should be careful when running water over your dog’s head and make sure that their ears are closed so water doesn’t get trapped inside. Water or bacteria may lead to an ear infection, resulting in an unpleasant smell.
How To Recognize an Ear Infection in Labs
Luckily, your dog will usually try to let you know that they’re going through some problems. When a dog has an ear infection, they may show the following symptoms:
- Itchiness. Your Lab will probably try to point to their head by shaking it vigorously. They may also try to scratch their ears which will be itchy due to an infection.
- Redness or swelling. You should learn what your Lab’s healthy ears look like. A sudden change in their appearance (swelling or redness in that area) is likely a sign of an infection.
- Pus. If you notice a smelly, colored liquid coming out of your dog’s ear, it’s probably due to mites.
- High temperature. Abnormal body temperature is a reliable indicator that your dog’s organism is trying to get rid of an infection.
How To Take Care of Your Lab’s Ears
Cleaning your Labrador’s ears will prevent ear infections. You should do this at least once a month. However, if your dog spends a lot of time playing and getting dirty, you may want to clean their ears more than that.
To clean your Lab’s ears, use a piece of wet gauze (don’t moisten it too much) and wipe the inside of the ear. Don’t go inside the ear canal. If your dog has ear wax, ask the vet to prescribe you some type of ear wax solution.
Never use a cotton swab, as you may push the ear wax deeper inside the ear canal or even damage or hurt the dog’s ear function in some way.
Your Labrador May Have a Problem With Their Anal Glands
If you’re not an expert when it comes to dog anatomy, you may not know about all the different organs your pet Lab has, especially if those organs aren’t visible to the naked eye.
Anal glands are one of those organs. As the name suggests, they can be found in the anal region, but you’ll never see them because they’re actually on the inside of the dog’s rectum.
You’ve probably heard that animals use their distinctive smell to mark territory, which is what anal glands are for. Anal glands contain stinky fluid that dogs release on their own or while defecating. In the latter case, it mixes with dogs’ feces to give them a distinct smell.
Healthy dogs release the content from anal glands without help, so you may not notice when they have a problem with their anal glands. Unexpressed anal glands cause your dog to stink even after bathing.
Symptoms of Unexpressed Anal Glands
Expressing anal glands means releasing their content. Sometimes, your Lab is unable to empty their anal glands naturally. Good indicators of this problem are:
- Fishy smell
- Your dog dragging their bottom on the floor to let you know about their discomfort. This action may stink up your rugs and carpets.
- Biting the affected area
- Scratching and generally pointing to the anal region
- Swelling of the anal region
The last symptom may show itself on the outside. If not, you may have to feel around that area to check for swollen anal glands if your Labrador is showing other symptoms of this medical issue.
How To Empty Anal Glands
There are two ways to resolve this problem:
- Take your Lab to the vet. This is the ideal option, as animal doctors are experts when it comes to such issues. However, this can be expensive.
- Fix the problem yourself. You can express your Lab’s anal glands at home, which can be a bit uncomfortable for both of you.
If you want to empty your pet’s anal glands at home, be prepared for a bad smell and getting dirty. Your dog may also be scared to let you do this.
To comfort your Labrador dog, give them a treat to distract them while you’re taking care of the issue. You’ll also need a pair of gloves and clean tissues to wipe off all the dirt.
You can either insert your fingers inside the dog’s rectum or express the anal glands from the outside. Here are two videos that show how to empty your dog’s anal glands.
The first video shows how to express anal glands internally (by inserting the fingers):
The second video explains how to do this externally (no insertion):
Your Labrador May Have a Skin Disease
Skin infections in Labradors may cause their organism to produce excessive oil, which will make the dog smelly. A skin infection can happen due to various causes, including the following:
- Bacteria or fungi
- Hormonal disorders
- Allergies
- An adverse reaction to medications
Itching is the most common indicator that your dog is suffering from some kind of skin infection.
Seborrhea
One of the most common diseases related to dogs’ skin is seborrhea. This medical condition causes the dog’s body to produce excessive keratin. In some cases, there may be a keratin deficiency.
Keratin is responsible for maintaining healthy hair, nails, and skin, which is important for dogs and humans.
According to this article, the common symptoms of seborrhea include:
- Poor hair appearance
- Excessive oil secretion that causes odor
- Accumulation of earwax
If your Labrador is smelly, they may be suffering from seborrhea.
Your Labrador Has Bad Breath
Dogs frequently have bad breath as a result of something smelly they’ve just eaten. In most cases, bad breath shouldn’t be a major concern, but if it persists, it could be a symptom of an underlying medical condition.
Open your dog’s mouth and check their teeth. Your dog could have cavities, plaque, or tartar, which are the main reasons for bad breath in dogs. Take your dog to the vet to see what can be done about their dental problems.
Labradors may also have foul-smelling saliva, which they’ll leave all over the house.
If your Lab’s breath smells like acetone or fruits, it may be a good indicator that they’re suffering from diabetes. Other symptoms of diabetes in dogs include:
- Thirst
- Frequent urination
- Skin problems
- Fatigue
Your Labrador Has a Poor Diet
Everything you eat is reflected in how your body smells; the same goes for dogs. If you want your Labrador to smell good, you should also pay attention to what you let them eat.
Owners often buy cheap dog food, which can cause dogs to be gassy or have bad breath. Investing in high-quality dog food can be expensive but healthier for your dog.
Dogs should eat foods rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals. Omega-3 fats, which are often found in fish meat or fish oil, are a good choice for your dog. A proper diet also includes lots of water.
Your Labrador’s Fur Is Not Dried Properly
Your Labrador has very thick fur that takes longer to dry than other dog breeds. They’re also very good swimmers and don’t mind spending time in wet places, which is bound to get their fur wet.
When your dog is finished playing outside, wash their paws and use a towel to dry them thoroughly. Even small drops of water can make your dog smelly.
Good drying is especially important after a long bath. Always use a clean towel, and don’t let them dry on their own.
Another thing you can do is blow-dry your Lab’s coat to dry it. Set your blow dryer to medium heat and low speed when doing this because the fast speed may scare your pet, especially if you’re blow-drying them for the first time.
Your Labrador Likes Playing in the Dirt
Labs are very playful animals that will examine pretty much anything they find outside. Even if you bathe them, your dog will run out a few moments later and start playing in dirt or mud, likely becoming smelly again.
You should also prevent your Lab from swimming in unclean water, as this can cause them to smell bad and potentially catch some bacteria.
How To Properly Clean Your Labrador
Letting your dog have regular baths should prevent dog stench. However, owners sometimes fail to give their Labradors an adequate number of baths.
It’s usually advised to wash your Labs’ ears and body once a month, but how often should depend on your dog’s habits. A very playful Lab that spends lots of time outside and swims in dirty water will need to take baths more frequently.
However, bathing your Lab too often is also bad. Dogs’ skin produces natural oils that are beneficial for the dog. You’ll remove those natural oils if you bathe your pet too often. The skin will react by producing excessive oil, which will then build up and cause a really bad smell.
When bathing your Labrador, make sure to use a good-quality shampoo. If you’ve used too much shampoo or conditioner, you have to make sure to rinse off all of it from the fur. If you don’t do this, the shampoo will dry and harden and cause your Lab to smell bad.
Brush your pet’s hair every day to prevent bad smells and shedding around the house.
How To Eliminate Labrador Smell
There are several things you can do to hide or eliminate the Labrador smell around your house:
- Vacuum dog hair every day. To minimize shedding, brush your Lab every day.
- Wash your bed sheets and other furniture covers. You should do this once a week, especially with the furniture your Labrador likes to sleep on.
- Clean your house more often. Focus on the areas that may have the remains of your dog’s feces or saliva.
- Use scented shampoos or deodorants for dogs. These products will ensure that your dog is both clean and smells good. Of course, not all dogs will enjoy wearing a fragrance, so stop using it if your pet doesn’t like it.
If you think your Labrador will like wearing a fragrance, I recommend using the Arm & Hammer Super Deodorizing Shampoo from Amazon.com. This product is used as a shampoo but leaves a pleasant kiwi blossom scent on your dog, just like a deodorant. Its main ingredients are baking soda (which eliminates odors) and cucumber mint. This shampoo also moisturizes your Lab’s skin and makes it smell fresh and clean.
Conclusion
The main reasons why your Labrador smells even after a bath can be due to a medical condition, such as:
- Skin or ear infection
- Unexpressed anal glands
- Bad breath
Sometimes, you can fix a smelly Lab by adding high-quality dog food and changing their diet.
Your dog may also smell bad because you don’t wash or dry their fur properly or because they play with dirty things.
Clean your house often (especially the areas covered in dog saliva or hair) and use scented shampoo to reduce bad smells.
