Smell of dog - should I say something?

namo

I’m staying with my son and daughter in law. I’ve got a good relationship with them. I like to sit in their living room but it smells of their dog, and there’s nowhere else to sit. Should I say something? What would your advice be? It would be useful to know the dog owner’s perspective.

There is not much your son and DIL can do about it though.

However much you vacuum carpets and upholstery the smell will still be there as it impregnates itself into the fabric.

Opening a window helps a bit - but that may not be practical.

I'd say nothing - the 'scented hanky' another poster suggested would be my remedy, if used regularly, it will lessen the 'impact' of the doggy smell for short periods.

Personally, I think if dogs are allowed to share the sofa, especially if it is fabric and can't be wiped down, it's unhygienic, and the smell will definitely penetrate the fibres. I won't even let my cat sit on mine, unless he's on his own blanket - cats smell, too. Mine's very much an outdoor cat and I can smell the soil that he's been pootling around in, on him and on his blanket.

'Love me, love my dog'! That's the rule, really! Animals are part of our lives.

My GD has a friend who still lives at home.
Until recently they had 3 labs, 2 very old.
The beautifully furnished and decorated house stank of dog.
The two older ones had to be PTS around Christmas and I haven’t visited since but they now have an adorable puppy which they brought to visit last weekend and it weed on my carpet so I don’t suppose their house has improved.
They live for their dogs and I am quite sure they don’t notice it.
On the other hand I have a cat who sheds like crazy but as to smell…….

Calendargirl 'Digressing, but how many people, when selling their home, remove any trace of pets from their home when viewings are happening?'

if they are unaware of the smell as they got used to it, then they won't do anything. They can't expect to put dog in kennels for weeks and months- but yes, could make extra effort with washing bedding more often, opening windows, steaming carpets and furnishings, etc.

Or sell to another dog owner

My SiL is ocd about cleaning their house and she mainly uses bleach, which is why I can’t understand how she doesn’t realise their lounge smells of her dog. However, she has had dogs for over 40 years and this is the first one that smells, it’s a Jack Russell. But then again people’s houses tend to have a unique smell, a mixture of furniture polish, cleaning materials, colognes etc but you wouldn’t mention that, so OP I think you may have to put up with it atm and then should an opportunity arise for you to drop it into the conversation with your son eg Betty’s got a new dog and it smells, and take it from there.

Not nice , but for the preservation of the relationship with your son and DIL you would be wise to remain silent on this matter.

She said they had to steam clean every room, throw away the carpets, decorate throughout and leave windows open for many weeks to get rid of the dog smell

I’ve known people having to do that to get rid of cooking smells!

I'd rather visit a house which smelled of dog than a smoker's house any day of the week. Our dog is as much a member of the family as any other, so any visitors who weren't happy about that would not be welcome.

I am always thinking my home smells very doggie owning two large long coated dogs. I leave back and front room windows open all the time. I’ve got wooden floors and leather suite.
New rugs once a year. Heavy duty dog beds washed as weather permits. Bedding and dog towels washed weekly. It’s a difficult one for us dog owners, lots of visitors choose to stay on the patio, I can’t say I blame them!

I have a dog. I would hate to think my house smells, I do ask my offspring if it does as everyone says I can’t smell it!

You go nose blind to your own smells so I doubt they have noticed. Many dog owners insist that their houses do not smell, I read somewhere that it is due to the anal gland producing the smell when the dog is stressed or excited.

I know of two people that have dogs and say that each other's houses smell but think that theirs do not, they both smell.
It is the soft furnishings where most noticed and the coats that hang in the hallway.

No point in saying anything, they wont believe you anyway.

Same here 3dognight hard floors, non fabric suite, washable dog bedding and cheap & cheerful rugs which can be replaced as required.
My house will never feature in Homes and Gardens but it suits us and our pets and best of all doesn't smell.

We had a Golden Retriever when I was a child and before that a poodle. The Golden retriever did shed like crazy and it was a nightmare on Navy school uniform etc.
However I think he was largely confined to the kitchen in those days (luckily we spent most of the day in there as it was very big and the centre of family life) with easy access to the back yard and garden. He was definitely not allowed on the furniture and never ever went upstairs.
There were occasions when he did decide to have a roll in something revolting such as fox poo or just launch himself into some stinky river (to the dog it is the equivalent of Chanel No.5.
So I’m thinking maybe the smells are becoming trapped in carpets and cushions and anything soft because owners do allow this more nowadays.
Obviously elderly and incontinent dogs or young pups not yet housetrained ,well you just have to be patient.

Of course you can’t say anything. If the smell offends you then don’t visit. It’s your problem not theirs. I write as a dog owner.

Why can't OP mention it?
I don't think people realise how offensive a dog smell can be
You might temper it by offering to clean
The only thing worse are cats.

I'm amazed that some of the dog owners here aren't bothered that they and their homes smell!
If you had a smelly human living with you wouldn't you do your best to keep him/her and everything they came into contact with clean and fresh?! (I managed to keep us smell free when we lived with a dog and 2 cats)

They can mention it of course but you have to understand it's unlikely to be received positively

eddiecat78

I'm amazed that some of the dog owners here aren't bothered that they and their homes smell!
If you had a smelly human living with you wouldn't you do your best to keep him/her and everything they came into contact with clean and fresh?! (I managed to keep us smell free when we lived with a dog and 2 cats)

Because it may smell to others, especially those who don't like animals. I never trust people who don't like animals, and don't enjoy their company.

Fair enough. My house does not smell- not to me, not to OH. If it did smell for you, I would not care at all.

And if someone offered to clean my house I would let them do the whole house top to bottom then never invite them again

My border terrier smells like mushrooms, I don't find it offensive at all but others might. My daughter's Vizsla doesn't smell as nice but she doesn't notice. Perhaps we just get used to our pet's aroma. I do have hard floors in the areas where the dog spends most of his time and throws on any chairs he's allowed on that get washed very regularly. I wouldn't be without a dog in the house, he's a very important part of our family.

My DD and family have a lovely male dog but my house does smell after they have stayed . Their house also smells . They had a female dog before this present dog who didn’t smell even when she was very old . Both lab mix breeds .Do male dogs smell more ? I find it very unpleasant actually and although I ask for him to be kept off the sofas he always seems to end up on one . I use throws that I can wash when they have gone . I wouldn’t dream of saying anything as the dog is very much part of the family.

All houses have their particular smell, or scent if you will.

Good manners preclude your mentioning that you dislike the smell of any particular house.

I like dogs myself, but are not all that keen on the smell of wet or old dog, but frankly as I am not allergic to it, as I am to most shaving lotions, hand soaps and perfumes, I can put up with the smell of dog when visiting a dog-owner.

Basically, if you want to go on visiting your relatives you will need to put up with the smell, or invent an allergy to dog hairs that justifies you in making a request that the dog is not in the same room as you.

I like dogs but I do not like the smell some reek more than others and owners are so used to it they don’t notice it We have dogs come in the shop and some don’t smell at all, but others smell horrendous.one very well dressed lady came in with a real pongy dog yesterday I had to get out the way

Just because some of us are honest about the dog reek doesn’t mean we are dog haters Fleurpepper just being truthful

But in answer to you Namo no don’t say anything it’ll only cause trouble see how defensive some are on here

Well, I wish someone had told me that my house smelt of my son's dog. I never noticed it. Years after dog had died I bumped into an old friend. We reminisced about the old days and she said, rather rudely, I thought, "Oh boy, didn't your lounge pong of dog every time I came round." I was mortified and kept thinking of all the times I had hosted a get together for my friends. What must they have thought!

BlueBelle 'Just because some of us are honest about the dog reek doesn’t mean we are dog haters Fleurpepper just being truthful '

never said they are. Those who notice the smell, if they are dog lovers, will tolerate it because they know how much loved it is- by friends, DIL, or whomever.

I’d rather have a house smell of dogs , rather than smoking or nasty synthetic smelling plug-ins or air fresheners, which can be dangerous to dogs and can cause seizures.
I’ve had 3 dogs over 30 years , all labs and no one has complained my house smells. And I have friends who would say something.
I have hard floors downstairs and leather sofas , so easy to keep clean . I have a robot hoover who does his thing every night . And wash bedding and throws weekly .
As for saying something to your son, if you became incontinent , how would you feel if your son complained that your house smelt of urine .