You might have wondered at times why do German Shepherds smell bad? But don’t worry, this is absolutely natural. German Shepherds and in fact almost all dog breeds when wet smell a little stinky, but this isn’t anything bad. Just as some humans have a bad odor, similarly dogs can also have a bad wet smell.
But apart from this, there can be many other reasons why your dog is smelling bad. Some of the reasons are bad breadth, uncleaned anal sacs, ear infections, poor diet, etc. The reasons mentioned later are common and not natural and should be taken care of. Hence, if you are wondering do German Shepherds smell bad or not, the answer to this varies as per the situation.
Why do German Shepherds smell bad?
Irregular Brushing
Just like us, dog’s teeth need to be cleaned or brushed at regular intervals to prevent several dental problems. It might happen that if you do not clean your dog’s teeth, food can stay stuck for a long time and that can cause a bad smell in their mouth. This would be an unpleasant experience. To stay away from this, do not forget to brush your GSDs’ teeth.
Dirty Ears
This might sound unreal, but sadly this is true. If you haven’t cleaned your dog’s ears and it has accumulated a lot of wax, his ears can stink. Though this is not the only reason why should clean his ears, n dirty ear can easily get infected which can lead to pain and inflammation.
If you find your dog to be scratching his ears often or tilting his head to a particular side, immediately check his ears as these are the symptoms of ear infection. Seek a veterinarian’s help as soon as possible.
Clogged Anal
If you are a dog owner you might already know that dogs’ anal sacs need to be released from time to time. Many dogs naturally release the anal sacs but for some dogs who are not able to do this by themselves, owners are responsible for cleaning it. An unclean anal can be another reason for the stinking of your dog.
If you find your dog scooting, this means that something is irritating them or they have a lot of anal sacs which need to be released immediately. If you are not able to do it, visit a vet for the same. This problem mostly happens in puppies as they cannot release it on their own and needs to be taken to the vet for the same.
Poor Diet
German Shepherds often suffer from digestive issues, hence feeding them a poor diet can aggravate the situation. German Shepherds having an upset stomach can also smell bad at times. This generally happens when he has been fed a lot of carbs or processed food which has caused an upset stomach.
Hence, it is important to feed GSDs a nutrition-rich diet so that he does not suffer from any digestion issues and complexities.
Medical Issues
Not only the above-mentioned reasons, but your German Shepherd can also smell bad for various other reasons as well, one being any medical condition. Your dog might suffer from some skin conditions which you are unaware of. If you feel anything strange, take him to a vet immediately.
The above-mentioned reasons are sometimes avoidable if you follow a strict routine for a healthy lifestyle for your dog.
How to prevent unnecessary bad odor of German Shepherd?
- Give your pet regular baths. You should bathe your German Shepherd at least once in two months. This would definitely keep him free from bad smells caused by dirt or debris.
- Do not overlook the cleanliness of your dog’s bed and crate. German Shepherds are generally active dogs and would play outdoors most of the time. At times, they can run straight to their bed or crate with dirty paws. Because of this, regular washing of their bed and crate is important. This would keep him fresh and clean as well.
- Another way to prevent bad smells is to keep them dry most of the time, though this does not sound possible all the time, use towels to dry them whenever possible. If they are not wet, there are the least chances that your dog would smell bad.
Conclusion
Although, ‘the bad smell’ can be the regular dog smell most of the time. Though if the bad smell is really bothering you and feel like it might be something very unusual, take him to a vet for a check-up. If there is something wrong with him, your vet will inform you about it and provide a cure.