Getting rid of dog smell

MissPennyLue

New member
Jun 20, 2011
534
39
Bulldog(s) Names
Penelope Lue (Penny)
I am paranoid that our couch smells like Penny. Our pillows smell & our throw blankets smell. We had been trying to let her only on a certain blanket, but we quit enforcing it. We need to get back on that.

Anyway, how do you get rid of dog smell? I would steam clean it, but the attachment on our cleaner is broken. Any good odor neutralizing powders you would recommend that you can vacuum up or anything similar?
 

GatorRay

I am in total control....I think
Feb 25, 2011
3,432
227
Louisville, KY
Bulldog(s) Names
Gator & Lucy Goosey, the Basset and Gigi (AKA Gypsy)
Sorry, can't help but would like to hear responses. I have a leather sofa....wipe and go!
 
OP
MissPennyLue

MissPennyLue

New member
Jun 20, 2011
534
39
Bulldog(s) Names
Penelope Lue (Penny)
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #3
Sorry, can't help but would like to hear responses. I have a leather sofa....wipe and go!
This is on my wish list when we get a new couch.

Do their nails scratch it? That is one thing I was worried about with leather
 

GatorRay

I am in total control....I think
Feb 25, 2011
3,432
227
Louisville, KY
Bulldog(s) Names
Gator & Lucy Goosey, the Basset and Gigi (AKA Gypsy)
Actually, no. We haven't had that problem at all. We have had it for about 3 years or so and it is the "dog couch" They all sleep on it every night. It is a big sectional so you should see the four humans, two bulldogs and a basset on it. lol. I also have a loveseat that is the TRUE dog couch as they are the only ones who sit on it. I have it covered with a slipcover that I can remove and wash if we are having visitors.
 

LariP

..........
Aug 4, 2010
8,293
452
Milwaukee, WI
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
(HRH) Her Royal Highness Princess Gracie & Princess Amelia Pond (Amy)
It all goes back to food. HRH smelled like a dog when we got her. She was eating Bil Jac. Within a month after changing her to Fromm Beef Frittata and low fat grain free treats we noticed she didnt smell bad anymore. Neither does the couch, or the room she mostly stays in. :yes:We also shampoo her every other week with Selsen Blue shampoo and Oster Oatmeal dog shampoo, but really believe the change is attributed to the food. :cool:Additionally her :poo: isn't as smelly either but it still doesn't smell like :flower: we do keep the loveseat in here covered with a sheet that gets changed weekly when Bruce does the laundry.
 
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OP
MissPennyLue

MissPennyLue

New member
Jun 20, 2011
534
39
Bulldog(s) Names
Penelope Lue (Penny)
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #6
We are doing Fromm puppy, but I am going to start transitioning her to adult food since her spay per our vet's recommendations. I'm trying to decide which Fromm formula to try....the regular 4* or the grain free?? She hasn't really had any other allergy symptoms except occasional runny eyes, but I'm not sure if that's seasonal or not? So, I don't know if it's food related or not, but I will be interested to see how she does switching from Puppy to adult Fromm.

I found a local store that carries Fromm! YAY!

I keep meaning up the Selsun Blue [MENTION=983]LariP[/MENTION]. I saw you recommend it another place as well. I am using baby shampoo now.
 

kazzy220

..........
Jul 31, 2010
8,556
441
Grafton, OHIO
Country
England
Bulldog(s) Names
Maggie (My Angel Baby 5/31/2012). Daddy (2 years). Linus (1year). Bella (4 years)
We have seven dogs and the dog smell is just "there" no matter what we feed them .... probably because there are so many of them!!

I'm lucky in that my sofa covers are all removeable and I can wash them, but they were not really designed to be as washed as much as they are so I am worried that at some point my sofa covers will decide that their washing times are over!!

Right now I am having trouble with the carpet!!! I had all wooden floors in my old house, but in this new house the family room has carpet and that's probably where we spend most of our time so that's where the dogs are too. Well the hubby loves having a carpet in there and I hate it cos to me carpet = stinky. So I am going to have to invest in a carpet cleaner so that I can shampoo it clean every six weeks or so. :shout:
 

LucysMum

New member
Mar 26, 2011
375
37
S. New Jersey
Bulldog(s) Names
Lucy
Lucy smells pretty good too. I do cover the one section of couch she is allowed on with a blanket. I have an oreck steamer that I use on my wood and tile floors. Works great and it allows me to cut back on the chemicals I have to use on my floors. I also use the steamer to freshen the furniture. Works great.

My friends will comment that they are shocked that we have a dog---so I guess that is a sign I am doing something right.

As far as sprays-- I have always been happy with the Nature's Miracle line. When Lucy was a pup or as an adult if she got sick on a carpet-- I feel like that line really did take the smell away. Pretty amazing stuff.

Good luck!!
 

jortiz9758

New member
Aug 22, 2010
407
79
Pembroke Pines Florida
Bulldog(s) Names
Bruno
Do what I do and don't allow the dog on the couch, bed or any piece of furniture. Bruno has a Crate with a pillow downstairs in the main living room. A dog bed in the den and a dog bed in our bedroom. He is not allowed at all in my sons room. We have a brown area rug in his room and when his white hair gets on it....it looks yucky.
No animals on furniture = No stinky funiture. =) Easy
 

malaviKat

New member
Jun 15, 2011
250
13
Toronto
Country
Canada
Bulldog(s) Names
Chance
The only time Chance has been very foul is when something is off with him. He had drippy eyes (seasonal allergies perhaps) earlier in the summer and today needed his glands expressed. In both cases I could tell something was off because of his scent (saliva and/or rear). Typically he does not smell particularly "doggy". He isn't bathed too frequently but I do wipe him down with unscented baby wipes at least once every other day (sometimes a few times a day).

As far as shampoos go, I use Earthbath stuff on him. I have some puppy shampoo from Martha Stewart's line (available through PetSmart) but I actually love what Earthbath does for Chance's coat so I'm using up the rest of the M. Stewart stuff as I go through his first Earthbath bottle. Earthbath also makes some incredible sprays which help freshen him up in between baths. They have scented wipes that correspond with the spray/shampoo scents but as I go through wipes more rapidly than I go through shampoo I decided that was an unwise investment. Chance gets spritzed with Mango Tango once every day/every other day. Sometimes I spray it on his bedding, too. Makes him smell lovely! :)

The other thing I use on him (sparingly) is Anti-Monkey Butt powder. It's talc-based powder with calamine to relieve itching. He isn't really an itchy dog, but he seems to find it soothing. As the jury is out on the safety of talc, I am careful not to blow it in his face. Makes him smell kind of like a baby (not that that was my intention). :p

Anyway, as for furniture, our furniture is also all leather and has not suffered at his hands (paws). It gets vacuumed and wiped down and doesn't retain a smell. Like Lucy's mom we also use the Nature's Miracle line on any carpeting and, in an effort to get rid of the anal gland scent on the carpet I have sprinkled baking soda. After it sits overnight, the scent is virtually undetectable (unless you stuff your nose into the carpet). Quick vacuum and you're done.

I am really, really sensitive to smell so I am forever looking for ways to keep my home smelling fresh. My fiance is as oblivious as one can be... :)
 

malaviKat

New member
Jun 15, 2011
250
13
Toronto
Country
Canada
Bulldog(s) Names
Chance
P.S. I totally agree with jortiz9758. Before we got Chance we agreed that he wouldn't be allowed on the furniture. I am slightly lax about it as far as him being on the couch but he is not allowed on the bed and does not sleep in our bedroom. I am getting a new piece of furniture for my home office and he will not be allowed on there, either. Dog on the floor = hair free/odor free surface!
 

Terry

New member
Jan 16, 2011
110
13
Central Valley, California
Bulldog(s) Names
Bubbles
We have our couch steam cleaned and have removed our carpet and now have laminate. Bubbles is allowed to sit anywhere and sleeps in our bed. Not many problems with smelly dog, she has managed to to tear up parts of the couch as a puppy. Our next step is a leather couch. Steam cleaning works best on the couch but be careful of commercial cleaners as they can cause problems for your Bullie. When I wash things I use purex and double rinse and have had no problem with retained odor.
 

anatess

Well-known member
Jul 26, 2011
1,758
398
Country
US
Bulldog(s) Names
Bullie (RIP) & Angus (RIP)
Do what I do and don't allow the dog on the couch, bed or any piece of furniture. Bruno has a Crate with a pillow downstairs in the main living room. A dog bed in the den and a dog bed in our bedroom. He is not allowed at all in my sons room. We have a brown area rug in his room and when his white hair gets on it....it looks yucky.
No animals on furniture = No stinky funiture. =) Easy

Yep. That lasted 2 weeks with me. And I'm a clean freak. As in, if I would somehow sit on the couch one day and come up with slobber on my pants I'm going to pass out. And yeah - I can smell dog a mile away. I got a bichon - a lap dog - that doesn't go on any human furniture. But, these bulldogs have a way of wrapping you around their paws. It's gotta be that permanent forlorn look on their faces...

The worse thing is - my bulldog is a water dog. Water + dog just has a way of reeking, regardless of how healthy they are. And I try not to shampoo her too often to avoid drying out her skin.

But, interestingly, my febreze fabric freshener does pretty good with eliminating eu-de-Bullie off the couch. And now that we got the Dyson animal vacuum, I can do the baking soda sprinkle on the couch and vacuum out the pet fragrance together with the pet hair. And the Bullie blanket is great for preventing couch slobber...

All is well but I still want that leather sectional!
 
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kazzy220

..........
Jul 31, 2010
8,556
441
Grafton, OHIO
Country
England
Bulldog(s) Names
Maggie (My Angel Baby 5/31/2012). Daddy (2 years). Linus (1year). Bella (4 years)
Do what I do and don't allow the dog on the couch, bed or any piece of furniture. Bruno has a Crate with a pillow downstairs in the main living room. A dog bed in the den and a dog bed in our bedroom. He is not allowed at all in my sons room. We have a brown area rug in his room and when his white hair gets on it....it looks yucky.
No animals on furniture = No stinky funiture. =) Easy

Yep I had that philosophy too ...until fiance and now hubby moved to UK and all of a sudden all dogs are on the couch and guess what some of us sleep with us too ....:eek:

Actually I love Maggie sleeping with me but ............ssshhh........ dont' tell him I said that!!!;)
 

Donna LeBlanc

New member
Jul 7, 2011
57
13
East Texas
Bulldog(s) Names
Punkie Brewster
We have four furkids. A Bulldog, a Boxer, a Bulldog/Boxer/Great Pyrnees mix (rescue) and a Terrier mix (rescue). Two of our grandchildren live next door, as well. And to top all the kids, we live at the lake and have sandy soil! Our home is casual and comfy...everyone including the fourleggers are allowed on the furniture and the dogs sleep with us in our king sized bed (it's pretty crowded at bed time) we wouldn't have it any other way! Of course, bedding is washable and we have several sets of sheets and they are changed a few times a week...and I have Matelasse coverlets and quilts that are 100% cotton and machine washable. We have wood floors throughout, including the kitchen, bathroom and laundry room...I clean my floors with a steamer...I mix lavender essential oil and water in a squirt bottle and spray the floors lightly and then steam (Lavender is an excellent antibacterial cleaner and smells so clean). SLIPCOVERS are the best investment I have ever made! Everything in our family room is slipcovered...two sofas and two chairs. I have two sets that I change seasonally. One set for the summer/spring and another for fall/winter. I had the slipcovers made from heavy denim (fall/winter) and heavy linen (spring/summer). I wash them approximately twice a month. Our house always smells fresh. We sold our city home last year and the realtor remarked on more than one occasion that most homes that have dogs have a distinct odor but not ours. I love my slipcovers!! If you live in the Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX area and want slipcovers made, I can give you the name of a wonderful seamstress who specializes in slipcovers!! I also have a leather recliner and I wipe it with the lavender/water mixture...it never has any odor either.
 

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