Stinky Cairn

[Susan E]

I am the new owner of a wonderful little Cairn named Bailey - she was 14 weeks when we got her two weeks ago. She is feisty and full of pep. She shows all signs of health and happiness but her head looks greasy all the time and her head smells, literally, like feces. She doesn't roll in her feces and I can't figure out why this happens. I gave her a bath and 20 minutes later my fiancee said she smelled bad. I am afraid of over bathing her. My Jack Russell loves baths and plays in the tub and/or pool all the time. Should she be joining him. She always jumps in but hates it once in the water.

Any suggestions for the smell?

[Sam I Am]

Have you checked her ears for any kind of infection ? What are you feeding her also? Different kinds of food can make dogs skin smell especially if it,is from a dubious source.

[Susan E]

Her ears are spotless. She eats Purina little bites and some raw meat the butcher grinds up for us for our dogs.

[Hillscreek]

Suggest a change in her food. Something without corn, wheat or soybean. Something with meat chicken, lamb for example as the main ingredient. Some people like fish. Purina little bites lists corn as the main ingredient.

Some high grade foods are more expensive but often dogs eat less and therefore poop less. Plus healthy dog saves on vet bill also.

Check out "Natural Foods" at Petsmart and elsewhere. eg innova, blue buffalo, wellness,nutro etc.

Read the ingredients and how much to give before you buy. Maybe check with your vet also.

If you do change transition slowly from what you are feeding now to give her tummy time to adjust.

[Teddie's Mum]

Hi Susan.E, I'm the proud owner of a 12 week old Cairn puppy too. We purchased him 2 days ago from a farm where he shared a kennel with his brothers and sisters and was covered in poop. We gave him a good wash with some organic/natural doggie shampoo but now he has that unpleasant 'doggie smell'. Especially around his ears. It's such a shame because I expected him to smell better after the wash. I wondered if maybe they were just a smelly breed?

I'm currently in the process of changing his diet to a good quality dry food from the vet (Purina Pro Plan) ... I'll take a look at his ears and check the corn content on the packaging. (Thank you 'Hillscreek').

I'll keep you posted.

Kia Ora from New Zealand.

Teddie (The Cairn Puppies) Mum

[Teddie's Mum]

It's so funny to read my post dated 5th July 2012 about my new puppy 'Teddie' being a 'smelly Cairn'. Well, we took everybodies advice and started feeding him raw food and within a matter of days the bad smell disappeared. Now I have a gorgeous little pup who smells delicious! Yay!!!!! Boy, that raw food certainly made a difference. Very interesting indeed .

[JCDickens]

Hmmm, that raw food diet sounds interesting. Could you please tell me more?

[idaho 2]

They definitely ARE NOT smelly dogs. In fact just yersterday my brother was visiting and commented on how our dogs NEVER smell!! I don't really have any advise on what to change, I'm sure you will get some useful from others. But you should not have to bath her as often as other breeds require. ENJOY, they are the best of the best!

[remltr]

Sassy eats nilla wafers and drinks Chanel #5. She's the best smelling dog there is.

If you stick with "grain free" dog foods, you should be fine.

[DemiSheep]

When we first got Attila he was a bit stinky... But we changed his food very soon after we got him and now reading these things I wonder if it was the food that his breeder mommy was feeding him that got him stinky... She fed him Diamond food, but I don't think it was the Diamond Natural which was the one we switched to. And then later we switched to an even better more natural food Chicken Soup for the Dog Lovers Soul. (What a mouth full). These dogs are simply amazing.