# make house smell less "doggy"



## LDMomma (Mar 28, 2009)

How can we make our house smell less "doggy"? With four, it's getting a little overwhelming.

What we already do:
normal cleaning of house (mopping floor)
febreeze couch daily
change bedding weekly
wash doggy beds and pillows weekly
febreeze strollers
feed quality/premium food
regular grooming

What we just started or will start:
taking the dirty potty pads to the dumpster immediately
getting air freshners from Petco

Any other ideas?


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## cherper (May 8, 2009)

plug ins are my weapon against doggy stink. lol They help immensely and i always try to burn candles , at least when companies comin'.


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## rache (Nov 10, 2009)

I know this feeling, I'm so paraniod about it!

I wash the dogs blankets/beds every other day. 
I vacuum everyday and mop every other.
I bath them once a month or more depending on how they smell. 

Could you maybe put a thick throw over the couch that you could wash regulary? Or wash the couch covers? Mine say 'dry clean only' but i put them in the washer on a hand wash and they turn out fine! 

I have a 18 mth baby so i do it all for her benefit more than anything else.

x


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## LDMomma (Mar 28, 2009)

rache said:


> Could you maybe put a thick throw over the couch that you could wash regulary? Or wash the couch covers?


That's a good idea! Maybe I could get him to clean the couch with a shampoo-er and then get couch covers that we can wash weekly or something.

I want to get leather furniture (currently have fabric) but it's not in the budget at the moment.


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## 18453 (Feb 6, 2010)

Rachel there's no dog smell in your house I would have noticed if their was I smell everything!!

Ldmomma your feeding thk right??? Once they are totally no kibble they will not smell it may take some time for the smell to go butthey won't at all!! The dog smell is because of what they are fed which gets worse when they are wet!!

I change daisy bed once a month same time she is bathed I'll do the same for lotus I mop my floor hoover the sofa and upstairs and normal cleaning i don't think my house smells but then I've always fed raw


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## rache (Nov 10, 2009)

Daisydoo said:


> Rachel there's no dog smell in your house I would have noticed if their was I smell everything!!


Lol i ask everyone!! 

It really bothers me. Its one of the reasons why they are not allowed upstairs to. I dont want them all over the kids beds! I love them all to bits but i cant handle a smelly house! lol


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## LDMomma (Mar 28, 2009)

Daisydoo said:


> Rachel there's no dog smell in your house I would have noticed if their was I smell everything!!
> 
> Ldmomma your feeding thk right??? Once they are totally no kibble they will not smell it may take some time for the smell to go butthey won't at all!! The dog smell is because of what they are fed which gets worse when they are wet!!
> 
> I change daisy bed once a month same time she is bathed I'll do the same for lotus I mop my floor hoover the sofa and upstairs and normal cleaning i don't think my house smells but then I've always fed raw


Yes, we feed THK.

We are feeding TOTW right now because Roxy is a puppy- so we free-feed kibble.


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## 18453 (Feb 6, 2010)

The kibble will be causing the stink?? Why are you free feeding if u don't mind me asking I know people do it but I can't fathom how you know what they are eating and keep an eye on their potty training just wondered I don't mean to be rude I just never done it and can't see the benefits?


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## 18453 (Feb 6, 2010)

It doesn't smell rache and I hope mine didn't no one ever says anything and I'm sure I would smell it


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## LDMomma (Mar 28, 2009)

Daisydoo said:


> The kibble will be causing the stink?? Why are you free feeding if u don't mind me asking I know people do it but I can't fathom how you know what they are eating and keep an eye on their potty training just wondered I don't mean to be rude I just never done it and can't see the benefits?


I only free feed the puppy. She's 10 weeks old. I've always free-fed until they are 6 months old- I'm so worried about hypoglycemia/undereating. I give Roxy 2 small scheduled meals (1 THK, 1 raw) and she eats the rest as she sees fit. Roxy does not have potty accidents very often.

Lily and Daisy do not touch the kibble. They eat only their two scheduled meals.

Riely is new to us so she eats on a schedule and will eat some kibble. Not a alot though.


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## 18453 (Feb 6, 2010)

Oh ok fair enough I've just never done it I know a lot of people do just thought I'd ask!!

Daisy is on 2 meals a day lotus 3 she's over 2lb so I'm not worried


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## LDMomma (Mar 28, 2009)

Roxy's over 2 lbs. I guess I could stop free-feeding when I'm done with this kibble. 

Lily and Daisy are on two meals- am and pm.


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## Aquarius (May 8, 2009)

LOL I never heard that kibble causes dogs to stink - what's your source for that?


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## 18453 (Feb 6, 2010)

If you google it loads of things come up I thought it was a known fact the better the diet the less the smell!!! My friend fed pedigree and bakers for a year he reaks when he's wet it's vile she now feeds ziwi and he has v little door but he's only been on it 2 months!! 

But yeah it's all over google lots of links


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## Aquarius (May 8, 2009)

I don't think so - I think dogs just smell different to humans - they are probably going phewy when the pass us!!

Imagine a human having a bath once a month - getting pee on their undercoats etc etc they too would smell- all dogs smell doggy - and that's not a bad thing it's just normal


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## LDMomma (Mar 28, 2009)

Aquarius said:


> LOL I never heard that kibble causes dogs to stink - what's your source for that?


Low quality food contains too much fat and is thought to cause stinkiness. There's tons on google.

I doubt my problem though is diet. We feed high quality foods. THK, raw, and some version of grain0free kibble (right now, TOTW).

It's not like we're chilling with Pedigree or Purina


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## Aquarius (May 8, 2009)

I feed ziwipeak to mine and they still smell doggy 

What I would love is tips on natural cleaning products - I use bread soda or vinegar in the water for cleaning the floors as it neutralises smells.

I'm allergic to sprays, perfumes etc so don't use those.


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## MisStingerRN (May 16, 2010)

Baking soda on your carpets, leave it sit and then vacum it up.


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## LDMomma (Mar 28, 2009)

Aquarius said:


> I feed ziwipeak to mine and they still smell doggy
> 
> What I would love is tips on natural cleaning products - I use bread soda or vinegar in the water for cleaning the floors as it neutralises smells.
> 
> I'm allergic to sprays, perfumes etc so don't use those.


How exactly do you use the vinegar? Like what ratio?

We generally mop with Simply Green or use the steamer.


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## 18453 (Feb 6, 2010)

Really???? How long have they been on it for?? I want smelo forum smell daisy she smells sweet no dog smell at all

But anyway better the diet less the smell! Rachela didn't smell either I sniffed them other than poppy but she was new as I'm sure she rolled in her food hahaha lotus smelt of puppy but has no odor now I've bathed her and she is adjusting to raw her poos are quite interesting atm


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## catz4m8z (Aug 28, 2008)

LDMomma said:


> How can we make our house smell less "doggy"? With four, it's getting a little overwhelming.
> 
> What we already do:
> normal cleaning of house (mopping floor)
> ...


TBH if you do all that and still think your house stinks of dog then you may be abit paranoid about it!!LOL
(Im lucky..I dont mind the smell of dog!)


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## Aquarius (May 8, 2009)

I put two tablespoons or so in a bucket of about 4 litres - the floor smells a little vinegary until it dries out - but it is great for lifting grease off tiles and neutralising odour - bread soda is also excellent does the same thing.

Good idea too by msstinger putting bread soda on couches or carpets to soak up smells - really does work 

My crew are on ziwi since the beginning of May this year


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## cprcheetah (May 4, 2009)

I make sure to wash bedding at least once a week, make sure no doggies have ear problems/dirty ears, bad teeth can make your house smell 'doggie' as well, if they are getting a doggie odor on the high quality foods, you might want to have them checked for thyroid or allergies (at least the older ones) dogs with low thyroid will smell more 'doggie' than normal dogs. My dogs also get a bath once a week to make sure they are clean (hubby has allergies so this keeps their dander down as well).


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## Aquarius (May 8, 2009)

I suppose a lot comes down to what is classed as a doggy smell - Sarah says her dogs smell sweet, I have seen some people say their dog smells of popcorn , I describe my dogs smell as doggy - it's a nice smell not bad - but a dog with no smell at all - like smelling water? neutral - nothing - zilch - is that possible?


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## rache (Nov 10, 2009)

I agree all doggies do have a 'smell' but i think its how they are kept and fed that makes it more or less noticeable. I clean my house alot because I'm too worried about what people think! lol

And I do think diet plays a huge part in doggy odor. My dalmatian stinks compared to the chis!


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## MisStingerRN (May 16, 2010)

Aquarius said:


> .
> Good idea too by msstinger putting bread soda on couches or carpets to soak up smells - really does work


 I guess you already said this didn't you? I have never heard it called bread soda before 

My dogs do not stink..no, they smell good to me.


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## Mandy (Jan 16, 2009)

im paraoid about my house smelling doggie lol my friends are fed up with me asking constantlly can they smell dog i can but they always say no and ive told them to be totally honest maybe the doggie smelll is up my nose i have plug ins in every empty plug and also the ambi pur one that sprays at random and use zoflora disenfectant on my floors and the antibacterial sprayalso change bedding every thursday its the hairs thats the problem with me zacs hair seems to get everywhere its murder to wear black in this house riends say well dont let them on the furniture i just say but its their house i just go by their rules lol


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## LDMomma (Mar 28, 2009)

What is bread soda????

My dogs themselves do not smell. It's my/their stuff. 

It definitely smells because my dad commented on it yesterday


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## Yoshismom (Jul 6, 2005)

I worry about plug ins because they are the number one cause of house fires in the US. I have also heard that they can be dangerous to dogs and cats? Not sure whether this is true or not but I know that a lot of air fresheners are dangerous to both animals and humans and even more so to pets as they drop to the floor and if your dog is one that licks a lot then it can be very harmful :-( 

I use White vinegar as well, for most household cleaning jobs. I have been researching how dangerous most household cleaners are to humans (pets as well) so I have been avid on using vinegar. 

I am curious as to what types of air fresheners you guys use besides plug ins?


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## chi's R me (Jun 30, 2009)

LDMomma said:


> Roxy's over 2 lbs. I guess I could stop free-feeding when I'm done with this kibble.
> 
> Lily and Daisy are on two meals- am and pm.


So is 2 lbs. the weight when you don't have to worry so much about them? I worry about Talitha all the time, she is finally eating (a little) and is still nursing on Chloe, she was 8 weeks last Friday and weighted in at 1lb. 2.7oz.


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## MarieUkxx (May 19, 2009)

same problem here with my 3. I get hell for it because I live at home still. I clean the house every day but the house does smell a bit doggy sometimes. I use Yankee candles a lot. The Lavendar and Lemon one is really strong and a lovely smell.


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## Amanda Kennedy (Nov 5, 2008)

i have a plug in in the kitchen and livinging room along with what mandy has, the ones that you hang up and they spray at the setting you put them on.
bedding is changed twice a week and i change the fireside rug once per week incase i didnt catch them peeing, soft beds once per month, dogs washed once per month, all cleaning is done with a prepared white vinegar solution.


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## chi's R me (Jun 30, 2009)

They also make candles especially for pet order, I saw them at my vet office, but I haven't tried them yet.


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## jazzman (Apr 8, 2009)

I was curious, so I did some searching.
House fires are the leading cause of firedeaths in the US, however, the
leading causes are

Cooking is the leading cause of house fires, at over 40%
Heating is the second leading cause
Finally , "Electrical' which includes issues with wiring, as well as appliances.
The majority of those are household wiring ( typically diy I'd bet) and
Lighting ( ! ) - over running the rated wattage for a given fixture.

Interestingly, and sadly, smoking is listed as the leading cause of fire DEATHS.

There is also a complete debunking of plug in fire hazards on snopes .com, pointing at an issue with a glade plug in recall in 2002, in which the cause mis-linked to the plug in.

I can't find much pointing to the dangers of them, at the moment.
I don't like them, but my mom used them for years.
I prefer candles, which are probably more of a risk !


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## flippedstars (Dec 16, 2009)

Hmmm...we have 4 and while Trigger & Bryco were young the house definitely smelled like dog PEE lol. It was awful. We've since cleaned the carpets and the smell is gone. Its never smelled "doggy" though. Are you sure yours does? I don't even wash their blankets/beds that often. And my dogs themselves don't smell like anything at all?


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## Yoshismom (Jul 6, 2005)

jazzman said:


> I was curious, so I did some searching.
> House fires are the leading cause of firedeaths in the US, however, the
> leading causes are
> 
> ...


I never actually googled it, I got that information from a Fire and Safety speaker and the speaker was the head of the Fire Dept in that county. It was his quote that it was the leading cause of House Fires, it may have been just for that county, Not sure? I do remember seeing on the news at different times that plug ins were the cause of the house fires they were reporting on. I am a worrier so I dont leave anything plugged in while I am out even for a few hours unless of course it is something that has to be plugged in. I unplug my Microwave as well, I have a friend thats house burned down over a short in her microwave while she was at work, ever since then I unplug mine along with everything else before I leave, LOL!


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## my2chis (Aug 17, 2010)

I keep my house smelling fresh with febreeze the new ones with Gain mixed in smell amazing. I spray curtains, rugs, couch, beds, everything material. I also burn yankee candles & have scentbugs from bath and body works in everyroom.


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## pigeonsheep (Nov 8, 2008)

my house stinks! even if we use candles or coffee in the morning sheesh. but to me i cant smell anything, only when dexter comes back from being outside in the garden LOL. anyone who doesnt own dogs can smell it though. we use febreeze as well in the house and in the car!


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## jazzman (Apr 8, 2009)

I'm not so worried about items that are plugged in but turned off failing 
(but I'm an electronics engineer, and view it from a statistical eye) 

I do constantly worry about my dogs deciding to chew the cords to the lamps and such ! That drives me crazy.


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## rocky scotland (Jun 15, 2008)

I am totally paranoid about plugs and would NEVER use a plug in! I use Yankee candles when we have company.

I LIKE the smell of Rocky he is definately not doggy smelling at all, he is on Burns kibble. He smells like popcorn/doritos and I like that. His bedding is washed when he gets bathed, normally 1 x a month and my bedding is done weekly (he sleeps with us).


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## cherper (May 8, 2009)

My dogs stiiiink when they come in from being outside. Sheesh they smell like worms..it eventually fades but yuk!
But miss Leila is never stinky!


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## KittyD (Apr 2, 2010)

My two cents.

I find houses in the summer that do not have A/C tend to retain odors of all kinds of things and not just dog.
it's that heavy stale odor that clings to humidity.
So if you live in a damp or humid climate.. don't have AC.. and have animals in the house you are going to get an odor.

I have a really really sensitive nose and I really notice weird smells...lol
I prefer candles as well when it comes to scenting a room, I also use those reed diffusers I have a coconut/vanilla one going right now!

I wear perfume daily so most things around me seem to hold some of the smell, I've had people pick up AJ and say he smells like Midnight Fantasy (my fave perfume..lol)

I also wash his feet every time after he has been outside.
I'm a bit of a germphobe and as my husband says.. the queen of clean!

Oh! vacuums help as well we have a dyson and it really makes a difference.


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## rocky scotland (Jun 15, 2008)

Yeah Rocky smells of my perfume too after cuddles lol. I forgot about those reed diffusers, I love them, have one in every room!


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## flippedstars (Dec 16, 2009)

KittyD said:


> My two cents.
> 
> I find houses in the summer that do not have A/C tend to retain odors of all kinds of things and not just dog.
> it's that heavy stale odor that clings to humidity.
> ...


I wonder if that's why our house doesn't smell then...we don't have AC but we have NO humidity here...my skin is soooo dry all the time...??

Reed diffusers are a fav of ours. And candles, too.


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## jazzman (Apr 8, 2009)

I don't think my dogs stink either. 
The exception being when they are wet, or have been at the dog park all morning.

It's been extremely humid, and the AC has been on most of the summer.
Generally though, they have pretty pleasant smells ( lol ). 
Kind of chestnut-y, I think.


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## KittyD (Apr 2, 2010)

Yes could well be... humidity will make any kind of urine odors really noticeable as well!


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## MChis (Oct 13, 2009)

KittyD said:


> My two cents.
> 
> I find houses in the summer that do not have A/C tend to retain odors of all kinds of things and not just dog.
> it's that heavy stale odor that clings to humidity.
> ...


I definitely agree. We live in an OLD OLD house & even though we've renovated much of the house...on humid days (we have no a/c) you can smell the old insulation/wood which this house reaked of during the reno's hubby did. Drives me insane!! Otherwise you can't smell it.

I've got six pups & I honestly don't think my house smells of dog? If anything my house smells like an old house. I do use plug ins & scented candles when we have company (or when I'm in the mood to smell something super yummy & don't wanna cook). But the only time I've smelled a doggy smell was when we were getting Maya house broken to the doggy door and at the same time the boys were having their marking contests. I'm SUPER sensitive to urine smells & that truely drove me insane! I was washing my couch/chair cushion covers a couple times a week just to try to get rid of the odor. LOL Thank goodness it's straightened out...

As far as the Chi's go...sure they have an "odor"...well their breath smells like their ZiwiPeak. haha Just like when they were on raw all I could smell on their breath was chicken.  Their feet do have that corn chip smell which I chalk it up to being outside & getting dew on their paws in the morning, etc. They go outside often. But they never have that "doggy smell" nor is it ever any worse when they've been outside.

And btw, diet most certainly does effect your pups odor. And if you google you can find many articles on certain foods causing your dog to have an unpleasant odor. I'm sure some of the high quality kibbles are just fine but the ones who all the fillers & icky ingredients are the culprits the studies were based on. I will say that since not feeding kibble my pups don't get that bad corn chip smell they used to. It's now just limited to their feet.  Before, after 1-2 weeks they'd need a bath. So I feel it certainly does make a difference.


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## Chiboymom (Jul 8, 2009)

I use reed diffusers and frebreeze....Draco really doesn't have a strong smell, just his feet like Heather's pack, they smell like fritos. His bedding gets washed every week and he gets a bath every 2 or 3 weeks. He likes to roll around in icky smells outside and then he DOES stink lol.


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## Brenda (Jul 28, 2008)

Simple Solution Extreme Stain & Odor Remover.
Made for Dogs
I use it to wash my floor, spray carpets and furniture, even my mattress every once in a while.


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## MChis (Oct 13, 2009)

Chiboymom said:


> I use reed diffusers and frebreeze....Draco really doesn't have a strong smell, just his feet like Heather's pack, they smell like fritos. His bedding gets washed every week and he gets a bath every 2 or 3 weeks. He likes to roll around in icky smells outside and then he DOES stink lol.


Yes, I forgot about those times when they find some kind of crap to roll in. LOL That warrants an immediate bath for sure! 

I forgot to add - I wash bedding/blankets weekly, toys get washed monthly, vaccuum a couple times a week (I'm lazy LOL) & wash every week or two (again, I'm lazy...or tired from my stupid graveyard shifts! LOL) unless of course it's needed before hand. The pups get a bath every 4-6 weeks, ears & teeth cleaned & butts wiped when needed. LOL My couch/chair cushions get washed every month or two or more often if needed.


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## unchienne (Mar 29, 2009)

With all that you do, I'm surprised there is a doggy aroma at all. I have three chis, and you can't tell coming into the house that there are any dogs, and my regiment is pretty much the same as yours.

The main thing is washing the bedding. Their favorite place to sleep is on the back of the couch, so I make sure to drape a throw over the entire back and then I wash that every week...in addition to their dog beds. I also keep another throw on one side of the couch so they can snuggle in it and keep a dog bed in both the living room and the bedroom. I use to use a thick, fleece dogbed, but they would constantly scratch out big tufts, and I also noticed that it tends to hold onto smells, so I switched to cotton. 

The only time the smell was really noticeable was when Pearl was submissive peeing everywhere. She'd do it on the bedding, on the couch...everywhere...and the others would end up rolling in it. Yuck! Could there be a chance that one of yours is marking or going (even just dribbling) somewhere other than their pad? 

The only other thing I do is candles and incense. I am a candle fiend. Love, love, love them and always have them on hand. A good, inexpensive type with a good throw are the Walmart three wick candles. They're around four dollars and smell fantastic. Favorites are apple pie, apple cider, lavender, and cranberry mandarin. They sell pet aroma candles in vet stores which are very good, but they're a bit expensive. Yankee candles, Spotted Hog Candles, and Candleiscious votives are great as well. If open flames aren't good for your home, a candle warmer and tarts are a good idea. Ebay has some great homemade versions that will fill your whole house up. Candles for Education are also a really company...their juniper berry is divine. Plug ins are great too. The ones with the fans are a bit stronger than just the regular oils. If you want more exotic scents, Bath and Body works has some really nice ones. I had a Sandlewood Vanilla one in my hallway, and I could smell it from _outside _my door and in my garage when I would come home each afternoon.


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