Smell of dog - should I say something?

I thought OP said it was the carpet /soft furnishings?

Weather /dog smell app for my phone!

As the current owner of 2 dogs, previously I’ve often had 3, it seems I have to accept people who’ve never shared their lives with dogs knows more than I do. As well as not noticing the smell, I missed my male dogs peeing up the curtains.
My current lab had one accidental pee at 10 weeks, otherwise totally house trained by 12 weeks, or so I thought

My house doesn’t smell of dogs, cigarette smoke or any other unpleasant scent. I worked across client groups as a young social worker. Occasionally, I’d ask for a ferocious dog to to shut in another room, or the garden but carers, social workers etc couldn’t do their work if they couldn’t cope with smelly houses - and I’m not just pointing at dogs

In my experience, cats only smell if they are un-neutered males. A neutered male or a female cat has no noticeable smell.

Not sure if my house smelt due our long haired border collie or not. I couldnt smell anything and always asked friends. He was too infirm to get on the sofa but loved the rug. I admit his hair got everywhere.
He died in March, the house is spotless and l absolutely hate it.
I wish it was full of dog hair and smelly just to have him back.
On the point about carers and dogs, unfortunately it is correct at least in our area.
I needed a 24 hour live carer to enable my husband to come home for palliative care. One of the first questions was about pets, specifically dogs. They were almost pleased to hear Finn had passed away as their carers were afraid of dogs.

my point was that doggy people needing care may find that they always have a different person for each visit.
so it's something to consider.
it's not so much smells, and they do go to all types of houses, but some will refuse to go (back) to a house with a dog.

SachaMac

Just sniffing my Border Terrier to see if I can detect any hint of mushroom on him Foxie48

I used to sniff my old Border Terrier occasionally but not once did I catch a whiff of anything unpleasant.

eddiecat78

When looking for carers for MIL there were several on the agency's books who would not work in homes which had a dog

That was more than likely because they didn’t like dogs and nothing to do with a smells. People who have never owned a dog can be frightened if them.

oh, say something, in an okay way of course

I think I’d take it on the chin if I was told my house smells of my dog. But if it was a complaint I’d never ask that person back again. I go to houses that stink of fags, those awful plug in air fresheners and musty smells but I’d never say a word to anyone. If it was unbearable I would avoid going there again.

I’m probably a bit strange, but not opposed to a wet dog smell in the car. It’s unavoidable when it rains. However, I do try to keep the doggy smells to a minimum in the house. Most visitors are dog friendly anyway, so no problem.

Yes, hard floors help and dog has own bed- not on settee, and not in bedrooms (her choice) and bedding washed regularly.

I think the majority of houses where dogs live have a dog odour. I say this as a previous dog owner. I think it is inevitable. Best to say nothing - dont risk damaging relationships.

I agree.
Almost every house I have ever been in that had a dog / dogs smelled of them, though the strength and unpleasantness varied a lot.

In some houses, it really was very unpleasant, and probably so ingrained in the actual structure of the house that the smell would endure long after any doggie inhabitants had gone.

Our own dogs never smelled, of course. 😉 We only ever had one at once, but if anyone had even hinted that it made our house smell, my mum would have been appalled and it would have had to go!!!

So, I reckon that either my mum's thorough cleaning kept odours at bay, or most people are so used to to the smell of their own dog/house that they don't notice it. Most likely the latter IMO.

My sister who lives with me has a wee dog and all my carers love her

We have friends who used to have two dogs, their house reeked, two fabric dog baskets, looking grubby, dog hair everywhere. The worst was when we went round for a meal, dog fur dinner anyone?
As they no longer have animals and it was some years ago, it’s fine now.
We didn’t say anything, just avoided visiting.

Not a dog, but three cats. My ‘boyfriend’, who lives over 40 miles away has a problem with one particular cat. It’s peeing and pooing everywhere. The smell is atrocious. The bachelor house was already unwelcoming and uncared for (he won’t have a cleaner) dirty bathroom etc. I have said outright it stinks and I can’t stand it for a moment and I’m pretty easygoing, my house is nothing special in the way of tidiness etc.
Sadly I now can’t face going to see him or stay there😨 at all. Any ideas?
Maybe I should start another thread.

Nightsky2

eddiecat78

When looking for carers for MIL there were several on the agency's books who would not work in homes which had a dog

That was more than likely because they didn’t like dogs and nothing to do with a smells. People who have never owned a dog can be frightened if them.

Very common with people who come from parts of the world where dogs are not pets and live in packs in the streets, and can be dangerous and even carry rabies. Understandable.

Friends are so important, but my dog is my friend every day, from morning till night. She greets me with joy, takes me for amazing walks- if by any chance some people would stop vsiting because of her (and this is not the case, I know) - then that would be their problem, not mine, nor my dog's.

As OP has referenced smells from the carpet and soft furnishings I wonder if the dog’s anal glands are the problem and it is “scooting” along the floor.
Might be worth trying to initiate a conversation around the subject.
I am grateful that greyhounds don’t seem to suffer from this problem and couldn’t ”scoot” anyway as they don’t sit, and even lying down their bums are well clear of the floor!

My Border Terrier always smells quite pleasant to me Nightsky2 It’s only If he’s been out in the rain he gets a touch of wet dog odour but as soon as he’s dried off it passes.

I m thinking it’s probably more long haired dogs than the short close coats and it’s particularly bad when it’s been raining or they ve got wet some other way
Dog owners will be nose blind anyway so it wouldn’t bother them and they notice what others are noticing

I'm sensitive to the smell of dogs, and some are much, much smellier than others.

I wouldn't say anything to your family, though, unless they brought it up first.

I have a cat who sprays (despite him being neutered) and seem to be forever wiping up after him. I would feel ashamed if anybody mentioned the smell, though.

A good friend of mind told me my house smelled of dogs. I knew it was difficult for her to mention it. I bought a neutrogena gel air freshener and didn’t tell her. Next time she came she commented that the smell had gone. I’ve used them ever since.

We used to have a dog. We were so fond of him. Yes he made the hall where he slept mostly, stink. At 18 I think he was dying before our eyes and we eventually had to have him PTS. Didn’t take long to sort the house out afterwards, but whatever the smell I do miss him. Those in favour of surreptitious spraying be careful dog may have skin allergy..

My son's dog smells like a dog he keeps the house fresh by using charcoal air freshers which last 3 yrs they absorb all smells without having a terrible smell that air freshners have .In my opinion the public are like sheep with all the products big firms try to convince people they need .
One is advised to keep clothes smiling fresh for weeks .
Crazy like the dish washer cleaning tablets just put it on hot rinse once in a while .
Buy your son and charcoal pad and say I saw this and wondered if you would like it