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Smell and Odor

Pug Dog Smells & Odors

Overview

Maybe your Pug has had a slightly odd odor that just won't go away or a strong unpleasant smell seemingly developed over night. Either way, dogs should have a relatively neutral smell with a slight intensification only if the coat becomes wet. So, if your nose wrinkles when your Pug comes near you, this is not considered normal and should be addressed.

There different reasons why a Pug may smell bad, including causes seen with all breeds such as accumulation of body oil and issues seen more often with brachycephalic breeds such as skin yeast infection. This section covers all of the various causes along with steps you can immediately take to resolve the problem.

Read though or jump to sections:

Wrinkle Odor - This is a common issue seen with Pugs due to deep facial folds that make the perfect home for yeast to thrive.

Mouth Odor - This covers tooth decay and other causes of bad breath including quick fixes and long term goals for good dental hygiene.

Ear Odor - If there is a strong smell coming from the ears, it'll be time to address overgrowth of yeast or other types of ear infections.

All-over Body Odor - This covers the most common reasons for a bad smell over the whole body and at-home remedies.

Odor Stemming from the Paws - If just the paws have a weird smell, the most common cause can often be fixed at home.

Odor After Going to the Bathroom - As you can imagine, this is related to urine and feces and there are a few easy things you can do to prevent this.

Odors with Females in Heat - How to prevent smells that occur during the heat cycle.

Summary - A round-up of the top 12 tips seen throughout this article, to keep a Pug smelling nice and clean.

Odor Coming From a Pug's Head or Facial Area

There are several issues that may cause there to be a bad smell coming from a Pug's head region. It is almost always one of the following issues:

Wrinkle Odor:

We will go over this one first, since this is a common source of an odd or stinky smell that emanates from the facial area.

The folds on the face are like tiny pockets that gather small pieces of debris such as food and other fine particles. This alone can be the source. However, in addition to this, if moisture becomes trapped in these skin folds without any ability to dry out, problems can arise.

The damp, warm and dark environment is the perfect breeding ground for bacteria, fungi, and yeast. Most common is an overgrowth of a particular yeast called Malassezia pachydermatis. This usually will produce a strong musty smell. The areas may look red or inflamed and there can be intense itching that may cause a Pug to paw at his face or rub his face into the carpet, soft furniture, etc. Other possible signs include areas of crust, skin that looks oily, and/or areas of oozing discharge.

Treatment:

There are over-the-counter products that can work well to clear up a skin infection in a Pug's wrinkles. One of the easiest and fastest methods is to use a medicated anti-fungal wipe that has both chlorhexidine and ketoconazole which are two of the most effective topical anti-fungal medications. This should be done 2 to 3 times per day.

For this, Pet MD Chlorhexidine Wipes with Ketoconazole and Aloe is a good choice. These are non-irritating wipes with aloe which soothes the area as it is treating it.

There should be some improvement after 3 days and most issues can be fully resolved in 1 to 2 weeks. If you do not see improvement, if symptoms worsen, or if a Pug is very uncomfortable, it is best to confer with the veterinarian. With severe or stubborn cases, a prescription strength oral anti-fungal medication may be needed.

Prevention: Keep the wrinkles clean and dry. At least once, but ideally 3 times per day (after each meal), clean the wrinkles with a grooming wipe like Earthbath All-Natural Grooming Wipes (opt for the fragrance-free ones when using this on the face) After baths, use a thin soft washcloth to dry the wrinkles.

Mouth Odor:

One possible reason for a Pug smelling bad all of the time is an issue in the mouth. This can be tooth decay, infection, or abscess, or periodontal disease. Bad odor from the mouth due to these sorts of issues can range from an odd sour smell to a rotting noxious odor.

Less common, but possible, are certain health issues that can cause a variety of odd oral odors; kidney disease can make the breath smell like urine and diabetes can cause a fruity smell.

Treatment: A tooth infection can be very painful for dogs and infections left untreated can enter the bloodstream and travel to other areas of the body including the brain, lungs and heart. In addition, the health issues associated with certain odors can be serious. So, if bad breath is an ongoing issue and/or the smell is very distinct this warrants a complete complete checkup with the veterinarian.

If tooth decay and other issues have been ruled out, offering specialized chews to treat bad breath can help.

One like GREENIES BREATH BUSTER Bites for Dogs are small low-calorie treats that can be given several times a day. The basic formula is a fresh mint and there is also an apple-crisp.

Prevention: Practice good dental hygiene with your Pug by cleaning the teeth each day by either scrubbing them or using a dental spray and offering a dental chew once per day that helps remove plaque and tartar.

Ear Odor:

If there is a really bad smell coming from a Pug's ears, this is a clear sign of an ear infection. Other signs beside a foul odor are itching which may cause a dog to paw at the ears, rub his head against objects or shake his head. When you lift the ear flap back, you may see red irritated skin and/or discharge.

Treatment: In some cases, this can be treated at home by cleaning the ears with a specialized ear solution. This will help break up excess wax and debris and dry out the canals to treat an overpopulation of yeast. What you use will depend on the severity of the odor and the level of any itching or discomfort.

With minor to moderate cases, a solution like VetWELL Otic Rinse Ear Cleaner can work well. You place several drops in each ear, massage the base of the ear for 1 to 2 minutes, and then wipe the ear flap with a cotton ball or a piece of gauze. This should be done 2 times per day for 3 to 4 days and then every 1 to 3 weeks for maintenance.

If the smell is very overpowering, if a dog is in a lot of pain, and/or if itching is very intense, you may opt to use a medicated ear rinse with hydrocortisone which helps with both itching and inflammation while cleaning the ears to resolve the infection.

For this, Pet King Brands Zymox Ear Treatment with Hydrocortisone is very effective. This is used 1 time per day for 7 to 14 days.

Prevention: To keep ear odors and infections at bay, clean your Pug's ears on a regular basis. There are two steps to this:

1. Keeping the ear flaps clean. Fine debris on the ear flaps can eventually find its way into the canal, so it can help to routinely wipe the flaps. Since excess moisture can create issues, use a wipe that does is not overly damp.

A great one to use is Arava Natural Pet Ear Wipes; these are all-natural ear wipes that clean and deodorize with a botanical blend of chamomile, aloe vera, mallow, liquorice, and burdock.

2. Keeping the ear canals clean. Rinse out the canals as previously described under 'Treatment' every 4 to 6 weeks with a non-medicated rinse.

All Over Body Odor on a Pug

There are some cases where a Pug just smells bad all over and this can be due to one of several issues.

#1: Accumulation of Body Oils.

A dog's body is constantly producing body oils that are expelled through hair follicles. This is the body's natural way of helping to keep the skin moisturized. Over time, these oils accumulate because they do not evaporate. Once there is a buildup, it can smell quite bad.

Pugs can start to smell from this if they have not had a bath within the past 3 weeks (typically the time frame that there is enough oil that you can notice the odor), if a Pug has not been properly brushed (brushing removes dead hairs that can become coated in oil) or if they did have a bath but the shampoo used did not properly rinse those oils away.

If a Pug gets wet in a way that does not include an actual washing, like getting soaked from the rain, the water droplets displace the particles in the oil, which can cause a dramatic rise in odor, producing what is commonly known as a 'wet dog smell'.

Prevention and treatment:

1. Remove shedded hairs. This is a heavy shedding breed with a dense coat, so lots of hairs will be falling off but getting trapped in the thick fur and eventually coated with body oil if it stays there long enough. So, the goal is to use a grooming tool that reaches through a Pug's coat and grabs those hairs, removing them along with the odor that they carry.

If you're looking for a tool that works great, you may be thinking about a brush, but a glove like the Pet Grooming Glove by Delomo can actually work better. This is super-easy to use and the 200+ tips grip tons of loose and dead hairs with each swipe.

Go over the coat at least every 3 days and as often as once per day.

2. Use a leave-in spritz. Once the coat is free of dead hairs, go over it one more time using a leave-in conditioner spray. This will offer a nice scent while offering a layer of protection to repel urine and fine debris and help fur retain moisture for shine and good texture.

A recommended spray is Nootie Daily Spritz which offers several awesome scents including vanilla cookie, coconut lime, Japanese cherry blossom, and cucumber melon.

3. Give baths every 3 weeks, even if your Pug doesn't look dirty or hasn't started to smell yet. The goal is to rinse away all of the accumulated body oil so that your dog can start again with a clean slate. Be sure to thoroughly soak the coat down to skin level; using a nozzle can help accomplish this.

Massage in a good shampoo (see next tip), reaching every area of the body including arm pits and groin. For the face, use a soft washcloth, making sure to clean out all of the facial wrinkles. Rinse your Pug, ideally using a nozzle, massage in a wash-out conditioner, allow it to soak in for 2 to 5 minutes, and do a final rinse.

Be sure to dry your Pug well using an absorbent towel and do not skip any body area with skin folds like the arm pits, groin and neck and dry the areas between the toes. Facial wrinkles should be dried with a thin washcloth.

4. Use an effective shampoo. Several things can happen if the wrong shampoo is used. Ones that have too high or too low pH balance or additives like chemical preservatives, parabens, sulfates, and artificial fragrances can be very harsh on the skin which can lead to everything from overly dry and itchy skin to a full-body skin yeast infection.

And, if a shampoo is subpar, it may simply skim over stinky body oils instead of removing them. In these cases, a Pug can smell bad soon after a bath.

To remove odors and keep a Pug smelling nice, Earthbath Mediterranean Magic Shampoo is fantastic; this is a deodorizing formula with coconut-based cleansers and zero additives.

#2: Yeast Infection.

As discussed earlier under 'Winkle Odor' Pugs are prone to yeast infections and while these may be contained to skin folds, they can also develop body-wide. With this, causes include immune system response (often seen in the case of allergies) or in as a side effect of certain medications. In most cases, there will be a damp musty smell, some equate this to old wet socks, along with itching. And, left untreated, there may be greasy skin, thickened or darkened skin, crusting or sores, and damage to hair follicles.

Treatment:

This can sometimes be treated with a non-medicated shampoo. And, this can be an option particularly if you only suspect yeast, but are not sure. For example, Natural Dog Shampoo by Moosh is an anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, anti-itch formula that treats yeast and also a wide range of issues including skin allergies, mites, insect bites, hot spots, and bacterial skin infections.

If you are sure that a skin yeast infection is the cause of your Pug's body odor, a medicated shampoo with the combination of chlorhexidine and ketoconazole is the most widely used at-home treatment for this. This is typically used every other day for 1 week and then twice per week for an additional 2 weeks. Once it is massaged in, it should be left to soak in for 10 minutes.

If you believe that your Pug needs this, Curaseb Antifungal Chlorhexidine Shampoo w/ Ketoconazole & Aloe is recommended.

Odor Stemming from the Paws

You may have heard that it's normal for dogs to have a slight scent akin to corn chips coming from their paws. However, that odor is due to a small and expected number of exterior yeast microbes and therefore a very strong corn chip odor is a sign that there is a population explosion of the yeast, otherwise known as a yeast infection. This is not an uncommon issue with dogs since the areas between the toes are dark and warm which makes the feet an attractive place for yeast growth.

Other signs of this include intense itching that causes a dog to lick at his paws, red, inflamed, or irritated skin on the pads or between the toes and sores, irritation, or crusting around the nail beds. In time, there may be issues with the hair follicles that lead to spotty hair loss.

This can be caused by the same triggers as a full-body issue which includes allergy-related immune response and excessive licking to the area or moisture remaining between the toes after baths or getting wet outside can contribute to this as well.

Treatment:

1. Paw soaks. As described under the previous 'Body yeast infection' an anti-fungal shampoo can be used. When it's just the paws that are involved, it helps to soak the feet using this sort of shampoo mixed well into several inches of water. This can be done in the bathtub or a smaller portable container if your Pug sits still for it. This should be done for 10 minutes every other day for a week and then twice per week for two weeks.

2. A topical spray. You can also treat this round-the-clock with an anti-fungal spray containing chlorhexidine and ketoconazole. A spray helps you target the troubled areas and get into all of the crevices and importantly, fight the overgrowth of yeast all day long.

For this, we recommend Curaseb Anti-fungal Spray which can be applied twice a day for 7 to 10 days. This, along with the paw soaks, should clear things up within a week or so. But, you may wish to use this 3 times per week for one additional week if your Pug still shows signs of any itchiness.

Odors After Going to the Bathroom

For both male and female Pugs, there can be splashback when urinating that sprays on the belly or the coat; after a while a dog can reek of urine and this may transfer to their resting areas like the sofa or their dog bed.

In addition, small bits of feces can cling to the fine hairs around the anus, particularly if stools are not firm, and this can cause a Pug to smell like poop long after they are done going to the bathroom.

Prevention and treatment: For both genders, splashback of urine can be the result of a Pug peeing with a lot of force, so this can often be resolved with more frequent bathroom breaks. This can also be due to peeing on a hard surface, like pavement or concrete, and in those cases, having a Pug urinate onto grass can prevent this from happening.

Pugs can be given partial baths if urine or feces needs to be cleaned off or wipes like Earthbath Mango Tango Grooming Wipes can be used for touch-ups.

Female Pug Smells Bad During Heat

During heat, discharge is a mixture of blood, endometrial tissue and watery body fluids. While blood does not have much of an odor, when it dries it can emit a smell that may be described as musty. Minuscule pieces of endometrial tissue can also start to emit a stinky smell if they have dried and become crusted around the genital area. And, while this not usually an overpowering odor, some owners who may be sensitive to this particular smell will notice it more than others.

Prevention and treatment:

You can give partial or full baths during this time.

Also, if you place a doggie diaper on your Pug (which is highly recommended so that discharge does not accumulate on furniture, bedding, carpeting, etc.) you may want to change these more often. Depending on how heavy the flow is, a new diaper may need to be placed on every 4 to 12 hours.

Since being in heat typically does not cause a dog to have an overpowering stink, if this does appear to be the case it may point to an issue such as a yeast infection, a UTI (urinary tract infection) or another health issue that should be diagnosed by the veterinarian.

Summary - How to Keep a Pug Smelling Nice

Maybe you've conquered a specific issue that was causing your Pug to emit a bad odor and now you want to be sure it doesn't reoccur or maybe you just want your little guy or gal to smell a bit nicer in general. Either way, these tips are a summary of everything that we covered here and will help keep your Pug smelling fresh and clean:

1. Clean facial wrinkles every day.

2. Keep your Pug's teeth clean via scrubbing, sprays, and dental chews.

3. Clean the ear flaps and ear canals on a regular basis.

4. Give your Pug a full bath once every 3 weeks regardless of how clean or dirty your dog looks.

5. Use a deodorizing shampoo that is effective in removing body oils without irritating the skin.

6. After baths, dry your Pug well, especially the wrinkles, paws (including between the toes), armpits, and genital area.

7. Brush your Pug often to remove dead hairs from the coat, using a grooming tool that reaches keep into this breed's thick fur.

8. Use a leave-in spritz when you brush.

9. Do body touch-ups using wipes or via a partial bath, especially for any urine splashes or bits of feces.

10. Clean the ear flaps and ear canals on a regular basis.

11. Address any fungal or yeast infections as needed.

12. For females in heat, do partial or full baths and use doggie diapers that are changed frequently.

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