Why Dogs Smell

As we travel around the country, one of the things that really strikes us is the number of dogs that don't smell very nice. In fact, it's so widespread that most people seem to have come to accept that it's the natural state for a dog - that dogs are supposed to smell. I guess that's why we call it a 'doggy smell.' It's most obvious when you go to pat a dog and it leaves an unpleasant odour on your hand. It also can make places where the dog tends to hang out - such as in its bed or the car - have a permanent stink.
It's more obvious to some people than others, of course. Many people have become used to it. What often happens is that when the owner begins to notice it they say to themself, "Well, time for the dog to have a bath". A shampoo will often alleviate the problem for a while, but not usually for long. And then it's back to that 'doggy' smell again.

The truth is that dogs shouldn't smell bad. Unlike humans, a dog also doesn't smell due to a lack of cleanliness. A dog should be able to go for months if not years without bathing; its system is perfectly designed to keep it clean without a bath or shampoos.The real cause of a smelly dog is something that its skin and fur is reacting to that is causing it to give off a foul odour. It could be something in the environment, but usually it's something in the food. We have carried out numerous 'experiments' on dogs and have had many reports from other dog owners and one of the benefits of changing to a quality food is that the doggy smell disappears.
Some of the things that dogs can react to - and which are commonly found in foods - are:

• wheat and cereals
• by-products
• beef and beef-derived products (such as 'meat meal' and 'animal fat')
• artificial colourings, preservatives and flavourings

Pro Pac and Earthborn Holistic are two of the few foods on the market that don't contain any of the above. It is surprising how many other foods do contain these problem ingredients, even other superpremium foods such as Eukanuba, Hills Science Diet, Advance and Pro Plan. Why they do would probably take a book to explain!

If you do have a dog that smells a bit (or a lot) 'doggy' then look at what you are feeding. If it contains any of the above ingredients that may well be the reason.To buy Pro Pac and Earthborn Holistic, amongst the world's leading quality petfoods, visit Petfood Direct at www.petfooddirect.co.nz.