dogs!!

[India]

Can anyone help?
We have a dog and altough he spends most of the time outside the carpets etc and getting whiffy. Can anyone suggest a friendly way to scent the air? I have been trying scented candles but they tend to give dh a headache!
Thanys
Indy

[Andy Hamilton]

perhaps try and make some pot porri (how do you spell that?) Not sure if it will be powerful enough though.

Maybe some heavily sented indoor plants, such as lavender could also do the trick perhaps?

[wulf]

Keep your compost heap close to the house and turn it over from time to time. It won't stop the dog smells but will overpower them.

I don't have a dog but I do speak from experience on the compost!

Wulf

[India]

Thanks
Errm the compost heap!! no thanks

I think it would have to be industrial strength pot pourri!
Does anyone know if burnig a lemon oil would help?
I think I might try that next.
With this rain we have now moved onto "wet dog" smell! even better!
thanks
Indy

[Muddypause]

I'm by no means a dog expert, though I grew up with them, but as I understand it, a dog really shouldn't be causing this much of a problem. Does the dog himself smell, or is it only the carpets?

I'm wondering if the health of the dog is OK, or if this may be a symptom of something wrong. Our poor old dog, towards the end of his life, had a slight incontinence problem, which had an inevitable effect upon the carpets.

[greenbean]

This isn't really helpful for you, but I need a rant. Wee Jim the Jack Russell from Hell, has been in the greenhouse digging in the border where all my tomato and pepper plants are, he has trampled on quite a few, many plants have been pushed over, he was trying to bury a dead bird that he had found, he is the mankiest, stinkyist, bar steward of a dog, at this point in time I can't even look at him. He is well and truely in the dog house, he is covered in green from brushing the tomato plants, he stinks of tomato's too, so my advice is simply, kill your dog and he won't smell no more. Phew....

[Guest]

Feel better now???!!!!

Killing dog not really on option! Kids might get upset.

It is the ordinary dog smell but I am consious that you soon don't notice it. I would rather people said " cor you house whiffs of ......... ( maybe lemon) rather than smells of dog.

I think I will try burning some oil and see if that helps.

thanks
indy

[shiney]

Greenbean,

I had to laugh at your description of that naughty dog. We have a cat problem in our area, so I can sympathise with you.

Indy, I don't have an answer for you ref the dog. I think Muddypause has covered the fact that the dog may have a problem healthwise.

[SUPEwoman]

Burning lemon oil should help or simply make up a room spray with the oil diluted in water, shake and lightly spray onto furnishings. Lemongrass or citronella are good and, as they are natural insecticides, will protect against feas and mites (be sure to use pure essential oils to get the full benefit). My favourite is tea tree and lime and if you use eucalyptus, it acts as a disinfectant.

If you want to make a carpet freshener, use borax, or bicarbonate of soda or even cheap, unfragranced talc and to each tablespoon add 1 drop of essential oil. Do this in a jar and mix/shake very well and leave to stand overnight before sprinkling onto carpets (or even brushing it in). Leave for a short while before vacuuming up. Put a small amount of this mix directly into your hoover bag, or put 6 drops of oil onto a cotton ball and place in the bag to release the scent as you go.

In days gone by, fragrant herbs and plants were strewn under rugs and mats to release their scent when walked on, a bit difficult with fitted carpets! (I do like historical trivia.)

Just take care with oils around pets as their senses are more heightened than ours.

[Tigerhair]

Hi
I have four dogs and work in a vets, so I have a little bit of experience with them. They really shouldn't smell. Have you had his anal glands evacuated recently (vets do it manually) - it is the cause of the bottom-rubbing-on-the-carpet syndrome but a lot of dogs have blocked anal glands and not rub their bums. It would only take a few minutes and shouldn't cost you much (tip, if you see a nurse sometimes that is not charged for). Other than that, depending on the breed and length of coat, you might want to bathe him every couple of months (make sure he is completely dry before he goes back outside) with a gentle shampoo. You can get doggy deodrants! And is he rolling in anything nasty??
Hope this helps.

[Chickenlady]

Barfff! Glad I read this thread now....

[Magpie]

I use bicarb soda as a carpet deodoriser - sprinkle it liberally over, then put on some socks and scuff it into the carpet. (Good foot deodoriser too!!) Leave it as long as you can, then vacuum it up. If your carpet is a dark colour, it can take ages to get it all out though.

[Shirley]

My dog had a sore ear and this made it smell! It's definitely worth checking out the general health of a pooch when there are odd smells in the air.

It's definitely worth trying to find the cause and treat it rather than masking with other scents or else you'll just end up with a nauseous blend of 'aromas'

Bicarb is good as it absorbs smells - perhaps a little lavender oil with it too.

Shirlz x

[the.fee.fairy]

Don't use tea tree directly on him...or sprayed into the air that he's likely to walk in, it is EXTREMELY TOXIC to dogs!!

Get some ceramic ring thingies that you put over lightbulbs, affix to said lights, drip in some EO (not tea tree - even the vapours can be fatal) and there you go! Freshly smelling house.

Another thing i do: when you finish your fabric conditioner, swill out the bottle with some water, put said water into rings. Clean washing smelling house!

Please do no use tea tree oil on him at all, it is extremely toxic to mosy furry animals (not sure why...someone did tell me once) and it gets absorbed into their system very quickly - i was told one drop can kill within hours.

Make sure you wash his bed regularly, my little 'darling' is 9 months old and his bed gets washed every month. He's just started scent marking too...'lovely' little thing that he is! the ceramic rings really help if you're worried about whiffs.

I burn incense a lot too, that seems to hang in the air for a long time keeping out whiffs.

Do bath him every month or so. Mine has just taken to swimming in lakes, so he tends to end up in the bath a couple of times a week at the moment!! Make sure you dry him thoroughly thoughl otherwise you'll be contributing to the wet dog smell rather than taking it away.

And remember, he can smell a clean footprint for months after it was made, so he probably thinks you smell a bit too

[Tigerhair]

Um, as I said before I work in a vets and our holistic vet recommends the use of tea tree on loads of animals and uses it on his own, so it isn't poisonous to them, I am sure. Obviously use it sparingly as you would on yourself. How is the situation now?