East Russian Coursing Hounds dogs

General Breed Information

Among the oldest and lesser known Russian sighthound breeds are the Taigan and Tasy. These two are also known as the East Russian Coursing Hounds. The Tasy comes from the desert plains just east of the Caspian Sea, while the Taigan comes from the Tien Shan region located right on the Chinese border. The Tasy has been used by rural hunters for coursing marmot, hare, fox, and even wolf. The Taigan has been adapted for during endurance work at high elevations. Taigans can retrieve and track by using their scenting abilities as well. There are only few East Russian Coursing Hounds left, and breeders are hoping that the numbers of this breed can be increased. 

East Russian Coursing Hounds are medium-sized dogs with a height that ranges from 22 to 28 inches. The coat of the Tasy is short and silky, and dogs of this breed have fringing on their ears and tail. The Taigan's coat, on the other hand, is long, thick, and may sometimes be wavy. Taigans also have heavy feathering on their thighs, ears, tail, front legs, and shoulders. The acceptable coat colours for the Tasy include gray, black and tan, and tan, while the Taigan usually comes in solid black, fawn, white, or gray. Taigans may also have white markings.

East European Shepherd dogs

Also known as the Owczarek Wschodnioeuropejski, Vostochnoevropejskaya Ovcharka, and the Byelorussian Ovcharka, the East European Shepherd is an intelligent and loyal breed. But how do you know whether you are ready to purchase a pet and if this breed is right for you? This information is absolutely necessary in making the decision to purchase a pet.

History

The origin of the East European Shepherd can be traced back to 1930's Russia. The breed was created by crossing the German Shepherd with various unnamed local breeds, in hopes of developing an highly trainable and versatile working dog.

Throughout its history, the East European Shepherd has been most commonly used as a watch and guard dog, service dog for the handicapped, police dog, and show dog, proving its superior abilities to perform while providing companionship.

Today, while the East European Shepherd has attained a regional popularity as a working and companion dog, the breed remains rather rare outside of Europe.

Personality Traits

Best known for its lively and outgoing nature, the East European Shepherd thrives on strong and dependable relationships with humans. These dogs are highly intelligent, obedient by nature, and generally very easy to train. The East European Shepherd is alert and aware of its surroundings, loving to play the part of watch and guard dog. As a pet, this breed is obedient, loyal, loving, and affectionate. This breed adapts well to indoor and apartment living, and views spending time outdoors as a special treat.

Train-ability

Due to its eagerness to please and impress its owner and willingness to learn, the East European Shepherd generally responds well to basic training and commands. These intelligent dogs have the ability to learn to perform most any task their trainer is willing to take the time to teach.

Establishing immediate dominance, trust, and respect is key to successfully training the East European Shepherd. This breed requires a confident and caring handler with a stern and serious approach to repetitive tasks and exercises.

Benefits and Disadvantages of the Breed

There are many benefits to owning an East European Shepherd, such as its no hassle, low maintenance coat. This intelligent breed is obedient by nature, easy to train, and capable of learning to perform many impressive tricks and tasks. When properly socialized from a young age, the East European Shepherd gets along well with older children and other pets. These dogs are protective and territorial, making effective watch and guard dogs, announcing the arrival of guests and unwanted visitors, and serving as a deterrent to would-be intruders. The East European Shepherd is obedient, loyal, loving, and affectionate, making an excellent working dog, family pet, and companion alike.

Unfortunately there are also disadvantages to owning an East European Shepherd. While this breed generally adapts well to indoor living, they do require large amounts of daily exercise and room to run and play. Anyone wishing to purchase this breed lacking the adequate amount of time and space to dedicate to the dog is strongly advised against doing so. An East European Shepherd not receiving the proper amount of exercise and space will often act out by destroying property, chewing, barking, whining, and ignoring basic training such as housebreaking.

The East European Shepherd is not recommended for households with small or ill-behaved children. With proper socialization from a young age, this breed generally gets along well with children, but is known to become defensive when played with roughly.

As previously mentioned, the East European Shepherd remains rather rare outside of Europe and can prove quite difficult to obtain. Individuals seeking to purchase this breed often encounter such challenges as inability to locate a breeder, high prices, and being placed on long waiting lists.

Common Health Concerns

While the East European Shepherd is typically known as a healthy and hearty breed, they do suffer from a few health problems, including: hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, degenerative disk disease and other spinal conditions, progressive retinal atrophy, entropian - folding inward of the eye lid, ectropian - folding outward of the eye lid, and bloat.

Now that you know all about the breed, do you think you are ready to own an East European Shepherd? Remember, purchasing a pet is a big decision and should be discussed thoroughly and seriously with your entire family.

Dutch Smoushond (Hollandse Smoushond , Smoushond)

The Dutch Smoushond has a long double coat of protective, rugged, course, wiry hair giving the dog a carefree, untidy appearance. The color is straw-yellow. Long, straight, wiry hair forms a beard, mustache and eyebrows. The back of the forelegs are thinly feathered. The small eyes are bright with black pigmented lids. The nose and lips are black and the eyes are dark. The feet are small and rounded. The ears are triangular - set high on the head. The firm, straight forelegs and flexible hind legs are well-muscled. The skull is slightly rounded, with a distinct stop and a moderately long muzzle. The jaws are strong. When the dog is relaxed, the tail hangs limply. The cat-like feet are compact and covered with long hair. The forehead is strong and slightly rounded. The body is well balanced and close to the ground.

Temperament 

This easy care, obedient house-dog is a friendly and charming companion. The Smoushond tends to be quiet with those he does not know, but is loving with those that he does know. This skillful, intelligent dog has considerable adaptability. It is alert with a sense of humor. Dependent, sober and sensitive. They make good watchdog. Do not allow this dog to become yappy. They need to be corrected if their barking becomes obsessive. They get along well with children and happily accept the family cat. Most Dutch Smoushond get along well with other dogs. The Dutch Smoushond is eager to please, which means training them is not hard. It is important, though, to ensure that you are consistent towards them because some can try to take over if they get an idea that their handler is rather easy-going. Proper human to canine communication is essential.

Height, Weight 

Height: 14-17 inches (35-42 cm.)

Weight: 20-22 pounds (9-10 kg.)

Health Problems *

Living Conditions 

The Dutch Smoushond will do okay in an apartment as long as it gets adequate exercise. The Smoushond should live indoors. It prefers cooler climates.

Exercise 

This untiring breed needs daily, long walks where the dog is made to heel beside or behind the human holding the lead, as instinct tells a dog the leader leads the way, and that leader needs to be the human. They love to go swimming. Enrolling it in agility skills or ball playing courses would be a rewarding experience for both you and your dog. 

Life Expectancy About 12-15 years.

Grooming 

This is basically an easy care breed. The coat should have a shaggy unkempt look. Depending upon the quality of the coat, the Dutch Smoushond generally requires the hair to be plucked by hand about twice a year leaving the hair on the head alone as much as possible. You can take your dog to a professional groomer to have this done or learn to do it yourself. Between these grooming sessions, remove any excess hair from inside the ears and between the pads of the feet.

Origin 

The exact origins of the Smoushond are unknown. However its looks suggest that it is partly related to the German Schnauzers. The Smoushond was popular in the late 1800's as a gentleman's companion. World War II pushed it to near extinction. Attempts were made to save the breed with little success. In the early 1970's, Mrs. H.M. Barkman began collecting information on the Smoushond, and by studying the pictures and old pedigrees, and talking to judges who remember the breed, she was able to re-create it through selective breeding. Today the Dutch Smoushond breeds pure for both types and temperament. A typical terrier, it is a gluttonous ratter, delighted to terrorize any rodent. The breed is now reasonably secure, with approximately 125 puppies registered each year. The Smoushond is hardly known outside the Netherlands, and most Dutch breeders express little interest in promoting it abroad.

Dog bites rank high among insurance claims

Which type of homeowner’s insurance claim costs more on average?

A) Fire

B) Dog bite

C) Credit card theft

D) Hurricane

If you answered fire, you’re correct.

But dog bites, on average, aren’t far behind, and well ahead of the average hurricane claim, according to the Insurance Information Institute.

The average cost to settle a dog bite claim was $29,396, and there were an estimated 16,292 of those claims nationwide in 2011, according to the institute. Dog bites accounted for more than one-third of all homeowners insurance liability claim dollars paid out in 2011.

“The cost comes over someone suing someone over the bite. Whether the bite was damaging or not, there’s the pain and suffering and all that when it goes to court,” State Farm spokesman Gary Stephenson said.

Last year, Louisiana ranked 24th nationally in the number of dog bite claims for State Farm, with 55. State Farm paid out $1.3 million to settle those claims, or around $24,000 a claim.

From 2007 to 2011, State Farm had 246 dog bite claims in Louisiana and paid $5.9 million to cover them.

In East Baton Rouge Parish, there were 270 dog bites reported in 2011, according to the Animal Control and Rescue Center. Already, there were 155 dog bites reported during the first half of this year.

The average claim cost nationally, when adjusted for inflation, was 22 percent higher in 2011 than in 2003, according to the Insurance Information Institute.

Increased medical costs, bigger lawsuit settlements, judgments and jury awards also contributed to the increase in the cost of dog bite claims, according to the organization.

Each year, there are more than 4.5 million people bitten by dogs, according to the federal Center for Disease Control. About 850,000 of those, or 19 percent, result in the victims seeking medical attention.

Only a small portion of those bites result in an insurance claim, and an even smaller percentage result in a lawsuit.

Stephenson said most dog bite lawsuits are settled before going to trial.

There are good reasons for that.

A single lawsuit can end up costing hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees and lost wages, according to the Insurance Information Institute. That’s true even if the dog owner being sued wins.

Not surprisingly, the wealthier the dog owner is, the better the chances are that he or she will be sued, according to the institute. And the personal liability coverage in a standard homeowner’s policy — generally $100,000 to $300,000 — may not be enough to cover a court judgment.

The dog owner is responsible for all damages above that amount, including legal fees.

The Insurance Information Institute recommends homeowners consider purchasing “umbrella liability policies, which cover personal liabilities, such as dog bites. The coverage usually ranges from $1 million to $10 million.

Karen Bryant, owner of All Premiere Insurance Agency in Denham Springs, said a lot of independent insurance companies won’t insure a homeowner with vicious dogs or those with a history of biting.

“The reason, obviously, is because the dogs are biting children and causing damage,” Bryant said.

Children make up more than 60 percent of dog bite victims, according to the Insurance Information Institute.

Dog bite claims frequently include higher medical bills because nowadays, people want to take their child to a plastic surgeon, even for a nip on the hand, Bryant said.

Some insurance companies also refuse to sell coverage to homeowners who own breeds of dogs that are considered more aggressive, such as Doberman pinschers, pit bulls and Rottweilers, Bryant said.

Stephenson said State Farm does not require homeowners to pay more money if they have a dog, no matter the breed.

But if the dog has bitten someone, State Farm may not continue offering coverage to the homeowner, he said.

However, Donald Cleary, spokesman for the National Canine Research Council, said that stance doesn’t make sense.

“I’ve always said that dog bites can be insured at a profit,” Cleary said. After all, that’s what insurance companies do, Cleary said. The companies assess a risk and calculate how to cover it and make money.

Cleary said the insurance industry’s claims that there is some sort of dog-bite epidemic are overblown. “No. 1, 95 percent or 97 percent of all claims dollars are paid for property claims,” Cleary said. “The black hole in the insurance business is property damage.”

Dog bite claims account for a very small percentage of claims in an industry that generates more than $400 billion in earned premiums a year and averages double-digit profits, Cleary said.

About The Greedy Dog

Once upon a time in a tiny village there was a rather greedy dog that would go to great lengths to get good food. This greedy dog was a bulldog, with a flat nose, broad paws, and big, floppy jowls. All of the other village dogs and cats rather dreaded the bulldog's presence because of his dreadful, greedy manner, which intimidated them all.

One day, a small schnauzer had managed to procure a juicy bone from the local butcher. The butcher had given it to the small dog, because the dog often helped watch his shop at night. The schnauzer had retreated to a quiet village alley to gnaw the bone when the big bulldog suddenly loomed over him.

“Give me that bone, little Schnauzer,” growled the greedy bulldog.

“No, I won't. You can ask the butcher for your own bone. I earned this one fair and square,” insisted the schnauzer.

As you might have guessed, the small schnauzer was no match for this greedy bulldog. Having asked and been denied, the greedy dog simply reached over with his big, drool-filled mouth, and snatched up that bone. Before you could say, “Jack Spratt could eat no fat,” that rotten dog had eaten every last bit of the juicy bone and left the schnauzer feeling sad, hungry, and mad.

Soon after, a rather puffy and fancily attired poodle went to visit the village baker. This baker rather admired the poodle's fluffy black shape and the colorful ribbons she always wore tied in bows on her topknot and tail. He also liked her friendly, frisky manner. So, when the poodle asked politely if there might be a few crumbs left over from the day's baking, the baker readily agreed to share a few of these samples with her.

The kindly baker filled a small pink bowl with the crumbs and set it outside the bakery door for the poodle to enjoy. Just then, who should appear but the greedy dog. He seemed to have a sixth sense, knowing when extra special tidbits were about to be served!

“Move aside, silly Poodle,” grumbled the bulldog. “I want those crumbs and I want them now.”

Well, the poodle certainly did not want to share her crumbs with a dog as greedy as this one and she also didn't take kindly to being called “silly.”

“No,” she snapped back. “You ask the baker for your own samples. These belong to me!”

Having asked and been denied, the big bulldog shouldered the little poodle aside and with one wet bulldog bite, he finished those sweet crumbs. Licking his chops happily, he sauntered away with his bowlegged gait. The poodle was left with nothing, feeling forlorn and angry.

Not long after that, a peppy corgi visited the town market and asked the fruit vendor for a piece of overripe fruit that was not suitable for selling. This vendor had a soft spot for the red dog and chose a handful of grapes (that really were suitable for selling) to set down in front of the corgi, just outside the market entrance. As she prepared to eat the first juicy grape, who should loom in front of her but that greedy bulldog!

“Put down those grapes,” he growled. “They are meant for me. A little dog like you has no need for such morsels. I need the grapes to maintain my grand figure!”

“No,” barked the corgi fiercely. Though smaller than the bulldog, she was not intimidated. “I asked the vendor for the grapes. If you'd like some too, go ask for them.”

Having asked and been denied, the bulldog leaned over with his big head and ate the bunch of grapes — stems and all — in one crunchy bite.

Then the bulldog wandered off, satisfied with his fruity snack. The corgi, left behind, felt wistful at the memory of the missed grapes and a little angry.

As you can imagine, the village dogs were getting quite upset about this greedy dog. They decided to hold a meeting and decide how to deal with the ever-growing problem.

They met that night by the butcher's shop, hoping to find a stray morsel about. Dogs of every shape and size streamed in from all parts of the village to discuss the situation and to devise a plan to cure the greedy dog of his avarice.

After much plotting and planning, a decision was made and roles were assigned to various dogs. They implemented the plan the very next day.

The greedy dog was sitting by the village fountain, wondering where he would find his next snack, when the schnauzer happened by.

“Hey, Bulldog,” barked the schnauzer. “I have a tip for you, if you're interested in having a fat, juicy steak. The butcher is not in the shop right now. He's home having lunch with his wife. The shop door is open, and sitting on the counter is a steak as big as your head! If you hurry, you can run into the shop and make off with the steak before the butcher returns.”

The bulldog thanked the dog, although he was a bit mystified as to why this dog, who didn't like him, should give him such a valuable tip. “Oh, well,” thought the bulldog. “No need to think about it too long or I'll be too late to get the steak!”

So, he trotted off from the fountain to the butcher's shop and greedily snatched up that steak. Just as the schnauzer had predicted, the butcher was out of the shop and the door had been left open.

The bulldog was just setting out for the woods to eat it (for he didn't want the butcher to catch him with it), when the corgi wandered by with another tip.

“Hey, Bulldog,” said the corgi, “listen up! I know where you can get another steak just as thick and juicy as the one you're holding in your mouth. You'd better hurry, though, and not eat that one yet or you won't be in time to get another one.”

Although the bulldog really wanted to eat the juicy steak that instant, he also wanted another steak just as fine, so he agreed to listen to the corgi's plan.

“Go over by that stream, just over the hill. When you get there, look into the water and there you'll see a dog holding a steak, thick and perfect just as the one in your mouth.”

Hardly able to believe his good fortune, the bulldog loped over the hill to the edge of the babbling stream.

And, as the corgi had told him, there truly was another dog holding a thick steak.

“Oh my,” thought the bulldog. “I must have that steak, too!”

Well, as you may have guessed this greedy bulldog was none too clever. He didn't realize that he was looking at a reflection of himself in the water. What he thought he saw was another dog, holding a large steak in its mouth.

Being a greedy and rather silly dog, he quickly jumped into the rushing stream to snatch the other dog's meat. Of course, the reflection vanished at that instant and he could see no sign of dog or steak.

Only then did he realize that when he had barked to frighten the other dog into dropping his steak, he had dropped his stolen meat.

Unluckily for him, the stream's current was swift and the steak had been carried away in the churning water. The bulldog was determined to find the steak so he jumped headfirst into the stream, sniffing and snorting, hoping to find a trace of the lost meat. He paddled in the stream for a very long time before finally giving up, and sadly returned to the stream's bank.

So, this greedy dog went from having one juicy steak to having none at all. And as the other village dogs had hoped, this episode did indeed teach the greedy dog a thing or two.

From that day forward, he worked hard to be kinder to the other dogs and better about sharing. Although these traits didn't come naturally to the big dog, he tried his best, and that turned out to be good enough!

dogs picture so lovely, cute, and romance

How to Help a Smelly Dog

Does your dog smell wet even when he’s not? Is the odor getting worse? Does the odor return even after bathing? If the answer to any of these questions is “yes,” read on for the causes and solutions by Amy Shojai in New Choices in Natural Healing for Dogs and Cats (Rodale, 1999) to help keep your dog from smelling like stinky old socks.

The Cause

Dogs love to roll in manure, dead fish (nice!) and other stinky things. For some reason, they relish this canine perfume–a lot more than their owners do. A quick bath is the easiest way to eliminate eau de dog when the smell’s cause is external. But things get more complicated when the body odor is coming from within.

“The skin is a reflection of the internal organs,” says Joanne Stefanatos, D.V.M., a holistic veterinarian. If you treat the whole body and make it healthy, your pet’s skin will improve naturally. Dogs are usually smellier than cats, but any pet may occasionally become a little pungent.

Some owners resort to spritzing their pets with cologne or scented powders, but this only masks the odors. The only way to get rid of body odor, according to holistic veterinarians, is to discover and eliminate the underlying cause. It is usually not difficult to do, adds Stefanatos. Try the following tips provided by veterinarians.

Change the Diet

One of the best ways to get rid of body odor is to switch your pet to a natural diet. Try a high-quality all natural brand which are available in some pet supply stores and through mail order. Or you can switch to a homemade diet.

Clean Them from the Inside Out

Giving your pets barley grass, wheat grass, or chlorophyll can remove toxins from the body that can lead to bad smells, Dr. Stefanatos says. “Each of these will cleanse the gastrointestinal system and help eliminate body odor,” she says. For pets under 10 pounds, she recommends giving one-eighth teaspoon of one of these remedies twice a day. Those weighing 10 to 24 pounds can have one-quarter teaspoon, pets 25-50 pounds can take one-half teaspoon and larger pets can take a full teaspoon–all doses given twice a day. The remedies are available in health food stores and can be mixed in your pet’s food.

Save the Skin

A type of yeast that normally lives on your pet’s skin will sometimes multiply, causing infections and sometimes leading to a bad smell. Washing your pet with a medicated shampoo, such as MalAcetic, will kill the yeast and help your pet smell sweet again. Ask your vet about shampoo and how often to use.

Try Some Supplements

Giving pets fatty-acid supplements along with their regular food can help eliminate smelly toxins in the body, says Dr. Stefanatos. She recommends a product called Omegaderm Oil, available from vets. The multiple veterinary mineral tablet Gerizyme also helps. Gerizyme is also only available through your vet.

Clean the Coat

Combing and brushing your pet regularly will help remove the thick undercoat, which tends to trap moisture along with bad smells. “Back-combing” your pet, going against the direction of the fur, every day, especially during shedding season, is recommended. Wetting the comb with wet water helps remove loose hair.

Schedule a Bath Day

Natural oils on your pet’s skin will sometimes collect in the fur, turn rancid, and give off bad smells. The odor will usually go away when you give your pet a good sudsing. Any natural pet shampoo will work fine; check with your vet to see how often you should bathe your pet.

To make baths even more effective, give your pet a final rinse with a solution containing two tablespoons on vinegar in a quart of water.

Call the Vet If …

Some dogs and cats are naturally smellier than others, and a quick bath or these tips will usually clear the air. But body odor is occasionally caused by serous problems, like infections, tooth decay, or even kidney disease. If the odor persists, it could point to a bigger problem and you should see your vet.

The Dog’s Sense of Smell

Introduction

Olfaction, the act or process of smelling, is a dog’s primary special sense. A dog’s sense of smell is said to be a thousand times more sensitive than that of humans. In fact, a dog has more than 220 million olfactory 

receptors in its nose, while humans have only 5 million. 

Because of this keen sense of smell, dogs are able to locate everything from forensic cadaver material to disaster survivors as demonstrated during the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center on 

Anatomy

A dog’s nose consists of a pair of nostrils (nares) for inhaling air and odors and a nasal cavity. The olfactory receptor cells in a dog’s nose extend throughout the entire layer of specialized olfactory epithelium found on 

the ethmo-turbinate bones of the nasal cavity. The olfactory portion of the nasal mucous membrane contains a rich supply of olfactory nerves that ultimately connect with the highly developed olfactory lobe in the dog’s brain. 

Dogs possess an additional olfactory chamber called the vomeronasal organ that also contains olfactory epithelium. The vomeronasal organ, known as Jacobson’s organ, consists of a pair of elongated, fluid-filled 

sacs that open into either the mouth or the nose. It is located above the roof of the mouth and behind the upper incisors.Interestingly, the olfactory receptors in the nasal cavity are anatomically distinct from those 

in the vomeronasal organ. Each receptor neuron (nerve cell) in the olfactory epithelium of the nasal cavity has a dendrite that ends in a knob with several thin cilia covered by mucus. Receptor neurons in the vomeronasal organ typically lack cilia but have microvilli on the cell surface.

Physiology

A dog’s nose is normally cool and moist. The moisture secreted by mucous glands in the nasal cavity captures and dissolves molecules in the air and brings them into contact with the specialized olfactory 

epithelium inside the nose. 

Dogs use sniffing to maximize detection of odors. The sniff is actually a disruption of the normal breathing pattern. Sniffing is accomplished through a series of rapid, short inhalations and exhalations. A bony subethmoidal shelf, which is found below the ethmoturbinate bones of the nasal cavity, forces inhaled air into 

Olfactory receptor cells in the vomeronasal organ also send impulses to the region of the hypothalamus associated with sexual and social behaviors. 

This organ is believed to be important in the detection of pheromones (body scents). 

This theory could account for the dog’s ability to identify and recognize other animals and people.

Utility

Today, people use a dog’s keen sense of smell in many ways. Federal, state, and local government agencies employ specially trained dogs in search and rescue missions and in the detection of narcotics and contraband 

agriculture products. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has national dog-handler teams that respond to disasters worldwide. State and local law enforcement agencies in the United States (U.S.) have canine units trained to detect drugs and search for lost individuals, homicide victims, and forensic cadaver materials. 

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has more than 800 canine teams that work with the U.S. 

Department of Homeland Security to combat terrorist threats, stop the flow of illegal narcotics, and detect unreported currency, concealed humans, or smuggled agriculture products. Its Canine Enforcement Program (CEP) uses a variety of dogs including Labrador retrievers, golden retrievers, German Anatomy of a dog’s nose.the olfactory epithelium. Washing out of the region upon exhalation does not occur due to the nasal pocket created by the bony subethmoidal shelf. The nasal pocket permits the odor molecules that are unrecognizable in a single sniff to accumulate and interact with olfactory receptors. Odor molecules in the olfactory epithelium of the nasal cavity are absorbed into the mucous layer and diffuse to the cilia of receptor neurons. 

This interaction generates nerve impulses that are transmitted by the olfactory nerves to the dog’s brain, which has a well-developed olfactory lobe. This allows the dog to recognize a scent and follow a trail. 

2 Alabama Cooperative Extension Systemshepherds, Belgian Malinois, and many mixed breeds. 

The CEP uses beagles to detect agriculture contraband. The passively trained Beagle Brigade dogs detect prohibited fruits, plants, and meats in baggage and vehicles of international travelers as they go through Federal Inspection Service areas. Beagle Brigade teams work at several major border-crossing stations in 

the United States as well as many international airports that are ports of entry into this country. Medical tests have recently shown that specially trained dogs are capable of detecting certain types of tumors in humans.

Why Does My Dog Stink?

Have you ever wondered how to get rid of that bad "doggie" odor on your pet? It may not be as simple as changing the shampoo you use. Various skin, coat and health conditions can cause foul odor that may or may not be helped by simply bathing your pet. This Q & A about a smelly dog and illustrates the importance of a thorough veterinary exam to rule out possible causes for reasons your dog may bad odor.

A typical email goes something like this:

My dog has had a terrible odor for weeks. We have tried 4 different shampoos, and none of them have helped! Please let me know what the smell is from, and what would be a good shampoo to get rid of it.

Signed, 

concerned pet owner

This Q & A is to let you know what a veterinarian will check for when you bring in your pet for a check up/malodor problem.

My dog has a terrible odor! What shampoo will work?

The first question a vet will have is this -- what is causing the odor? There are a multitude of shampoos out there, but if it isn't a skin or coat problem, shampoo won't help.

What are the most common causes of doggie odor?

The first thing to consider is the obvious -- did your dog roll in something (decaying matter, feces) or get sprayed by a skunk? Usually either one of these scenarios is fairly easy to diagnose, and your vet can offer advice on what shampoo would be the best for either situation.

Why do dogs roll in smelly stuff, anyway?

Animal behaviorists think it is a way to "scent camouflage" themselves. By rolling in something smelly and perhaps of their intended prey, they won't be detected. I have a "roller" dog, and it looks like she is just having fun. (Until bath time.)

OK, my dog didn't roll in anything, and did not get sprayed by a skunk. What else could it be?

Here are just a few possible smell-producing medical problems:

• Breath - some diseases, like kidney failure and diabetes, can cause a change in breath.
• Diseased teeth and gums - dental disease and infected gums can produce a very foul odor. Additionally, a sore mouth may cause increased drooling. The malodorous saliva can coat the fur, furniture, etc., and you may not recognize that this is originating in the mouth.
• Infected ears - bacterial infections of the ears are often extremely smelly. Vets often diagnose this type of infection by smell upon entering the exam room. Your dog will usually be scratching or shaking the head, but not always. A bath may make ears worse if water is trapped in the ear canal.
• Flatulence - is the odor on your dog, or from your dog? Flatulence, or "gas" may indicate a dietary or intestinal problem. Some flatulence is normal, but if this is regularly occurring, please see your veterinarian.
• Anal glands/sacs - this is perhaps the most common cause of doggie odor that won't go away. Anal sacs are two small scent-sacs in the area of the anus. These are a type of "marking" glands. When a dog has a bowel movement, these sacs are normally squeeze, and a very smelly, oily secretion is released with the feces.

If these sacs become infected or impacted (thicker secretion than normal, can't empty properly), problems result. This can be a very painful situation when they become infected! If a dog (or cat) is scared or overly excited, these glands can secrete the smelly, oily substance on the surrounding fur, causing bad odor.

I have heard about anal sacs - what can be done to ensure that they won't 'leak' or get infected?

Your veterinarian can show you how to check and even empty the anal sacs at home to prevent problems with odor. Learn more about anal sacs.

To be safe, always consult with your veterinarian if your notice an odd odor or anything "not quite right" with your pet. An ounce of prevention is definitely better than a pound of cure.

Make Your Dog Smell Better

Odor of dog doesn't quite top the list of people's favorite scents. In fact, dog odor can often cause people to think twice about either owning a dog or letting the dog spend time indoors or in a car with them. Dog odors can be many and varied, including bad breath, flatulence, poorly maintained fur and stepping or rolling in do-do.

Ultimately, no matter how cute, a smelly dog is hard to spend time around, so it's vital to get him to smell great again. Here are some key doggy odor checking and arresting activities you can put into action.

1 Steps

1.1 Bathing

1.2 Grooming

1.3 Diet and Flatulence

1.4 Anal glands

1.5 Bedding

2 Tips

3 Warnings

4 Related wikiHows

5 Sources and Citations

Steps

1 Ascertain the cause of your dog's odor. If it's evident to you, then you can go straight to the cause and seek ways to remedy it (see following sections). For example, a dog that hasn't had a bath for over a month but has spent a lot of time rolling around in the back yard dirt might simply need a bath. On the other hand, a very clean dog that has thoroughly bad breath might have medical reasons for emitting the bad odors. First up, check the dog for obvious problems, such as having rolled in feces, decaying matter or anything else stinky; dogs like to roll in things that don't smell sweet to us because it camouflages their own smell and it's just a fact of life that some dogs enjoy doing this more than others. If your initial check doesn't reveal anything, try a bath. (make sure you do not get soap and/or water in dogs ears.) If that doesn't help, here are some other common issues:

• If your dog has bad breath or flatulence problems, it's time to visit the vet. Hopefully you've been getting six monthly or yearly check-ups already but this will require a special visit to see if the source of the odor has any serious underlying medical issues. Problems that might exist include kidney disease (persistent urine smell) or diabetes (sweet or sugary breath), liver troubles (fetid odor, yellowish eyes/gums, swollen abdomen and vomiting), bad teeth or gums or infected ears. Infected anal sacs can also cause bad odor; if this is the cause, you'll need to learn to empty them.

• Skin or coat conditions such as seborrhea, chyletiella or other conditions that need medical intervention can be another cause of doggy odor. This may not be evident to you until after you've shampooed the dog and there is still no improvement in odor. Again, see the vet straight away for advice and treatment.

2 Avoid spraying perfume, Febreeze®, or any other scented products on your dog. These only mask the odor and doesn't remove it. They could also mask the deeper problem if there is one. Moreover, most things you might want to spray on your dog are probably highly unsuitable or even unsafe for the dog.

Bathing

For a dog who has rolled in something smelly, hasn't been bathed for a while or who looks dirty, a bath is a good start to fixing his bad odor issue.

1 Buy some dog shampoo (conditioner is optional depending on the type of coat). See if you can find one that is formulated to get rid of odors rather than simply trying to cover them up. If your dog is suffering from a skin condition, such as yeast overgrowth, ask your vet for an appropriate medicated shampoo to use.

2 Wet your dog completely starting from the top of the head to the end of the tail.

3 Squirt some shampoo into your hands. Start to lather from the top of your dog's neck to the end of its tail. Shampoo the outside of the ears, the legs, the chest, belly, featherings (if any), and the rest of the body. Be careful to avoid your dog's eyes.

4 Rinse the shampoo out of the coat. Avoid water entering the ears.

5 Repeat this process for conditioner, if you choose.

6 Let your dog shake the water off. Then, using either a dog hairdryer or a towel, dry your dog. It's best if you can prevent your dog from rolling until he has dried completely.

7 Dry your dog as soon as possible. The wet dog smell that people complain about is mainly caused by bacteria that feed on a dog's natural skin oil. Like so many other types of bacteria, they thrive in a warm, moist environment. The best way to control the problem is to give your dog regular baths and to keep your dog dry as much as possible between baths. (Keep in mind that bathing your dog too frequently will remove too much skin oil, leading to health problems.) Ask your vet for advice, according to the climate, long/short hair etc.

Grooming

Infected ears and a poorly maintained coat can be contributing causes to doggy odor.

1 Clean your dog's ears to avoid or correct wax buildup. Very dirty ears may be red or swollen, and may attract ear mites.

• Buy either ear wipes or ear cleanser (such as Oxyfresh Pet Ear Cleaner).
• Wipe the ear where wax is evident (generally a dark brown color) and through the different crevasses in the ear.
• Squirt the solution in the dog's ear and rub the ear in a circular motion.
• Take a cotton ball, place it right under the ear flap, and tip your dog's head toward it. The solution will be absorbed by the cotton ball.
• Take a clean cotton ball and gently wipe away the remaining solution.

2 Brush or comb your dog daily. This will remove all debris and build-up of dirt, bacteria, etc. Back-comb to help remove more loose hairs; a wet comb can help to pick up more loose material.

3 Make sure your dog has good dental hygiene. Bad teeth lead to bad breath––after all, imagine how your mouth would smell if you didn't brush your teeth for months on end...

• Find a dog toothbrush suitable for the size of your dog's mouth. You can buy these at any pet store, in pet catalogs, or from your veterinarian. Find a suitable toothpaste for dogs (don't ever use human toothpaste). Dog toothpastes are often flavored with such tasty flavors as beef or poultry.
• Squirt a pea-sized amount of dog toothpaste on the toothbrush.
• Gently move your dog's lip upward so you can see its teeth.
• Brush all the teeth inside the mouth for about one minute. Be sure to get both sides of each tooth.
• Repeat at least twice a week.

4 Buy some mildly scented doggie cologne; squirt your pooch a couple of times for a short-term fix. However, as noted earlier, this is a cover-up, not a solution and should only be used if you know it's a safe product for dogs and it's just in addition to all the health checks, grooming and good dietary habits.

Diet and Flatulence

1 Look to your dog's diet. If your dog isn't eating a healthy, natural diet, then odor may be caused by the unhealthy food your dog is ingesting.

• Most dogs are lactose intolerant. If you're adding anything to your dog's diet that includes lactose, flatulence may well be the end result. Remove the lactose source and things should improve. On the other hand, natural yogurt with good bacteria in it can benefit some dogs (ask your vet for advice first).

2 Shift your dog off cheap and low nutrition food onto better quality natural brands. Ask your vet for advice and recommendations. High quality natural brands may also be available at good pet stores or online.

Be aware that the soy content of some dog food products can be responsible for flatulence in dogs. Some brands have up to 25 percent soy content; read the label and change to a brand that has none or at least a lot less.

• If air quality worsens when changing food, this is a sign you've changed over the food too quickly. Provide a more gradual transition period between foods so that the intestinal bacteria can acclimatize to the new food. A good transition period is three days, reducing the old food by a third each day.

3 Try switching to a homemade diet. Some manufactured dog foods may cause your dog to pass gas, have bad breath, or have a dull and smelly coat.

• Give your dog some carrot to chew at mealtimes. This will help to clean his teeth. Dry food can also help but look for good quality dry food.
• Help your dog's digestion system work more efficiently with the addition of whole grains such as cooked brown rice. Better digestion means better doggy breath and less (or no) flatulence.
• Stop the table scraps. The variety of food from the table isn't necessarily ideal for Fido and can contribute to bad breath and flatulence, as well as unbalanced nutrition. Unless, of course, you're eating a thoroughly healthy diet yourselves!

4 Check that your dog isn't rummaging through the household refuse. If so, stop this from happening, as Fido might be eating bad food, as well as getting covered in more stinky stuff.

5 Notice your dog's appetite. Greedy dogs take in more food, which means more to ferment and more to make flatulence with. Stop tempting him with table scraps or too many treats. Buy smaller food bowls and be strong about not over-feeding your dog.

6 Take your dog walking and playing regularly. Exercise is a good way of reducing flatulence.

Anal glands

1 Have a groomer or a vet show you how to empty your dog's anal glands. For more information, see How to express a dog's anal glands.

2 Be aware that if your dog releases secretions when anxious, excited or afraid, there may also be some psychological issues that need attending to through desensitization or other methods. Talk to your vet or animal behaviorist for more ideas, since this is behavioral in origin.

Bedding

Keep your dog's bedding clean, free of fleas and dirt and you'll help maintain a fresher dog.

1 Place all cloth bedding, crate bumpers, and crate covers in the washing machine. Wash on cold. Be careful when adding fabric softeners, as they may irritate your dog's skin. If you want to add something, either use gentle detergent or vinegar.

2 Transfer items to the dryer (set on low heat), or set them out to air dry.

3 Rinse your dog crate or pet cot/bed off with a hose. If it is really dirty, scrub it out using a sponge or toothbrush and mild biodegradable dish-soap.

4 Repeat weekly or biweekly depending on your situation.

Tips

• For dog beds with removable covers, try slipping some lavender buds between the cover and bed for a clean, fresh scent. Doing so may also have a calming effect on your dog!
• There are medical products that can reduce dog flatulence. Speak to your vet about them.
• Rub baking soda through your dog's fur after a bath. This will not impart any odor but will soak up bad smells, leaving your dog smelling lovely. Then lightly brush off the excess, so you don't get powder marks all over the house!
• Chewing on approved-for-dogs dry leather bones can help to keep the teeth clean. Tug of war games can help too, as their teeth rub on the rope in a manner a little similar to dental floss for humans.
• For skin problems, in some areas it's possible to see a vet dermatologist. This might help your dog if the odor source is skin or coat related.
• Be sure that it's not the products you're adding to your dog's coat that are causing any odor problems in conjunction with the dog's natural odor.
• A dog's odor is controlled basically by how well its liver clears toxins. To help a dog's liver do its job, you can give the dog N-Acetyl Cysteine or NAC; 400mg a day. For dogs who really smell bad, you will be amazed at the result.

Warnings

• Avoid feeding your dog: chocolate, onions, grapes, raisins, tomatoes, avocados, nuts, and foods containing caffeine or xylitol! These can be harmful and poisonous to your dog.
• Make sure you have professional help when first cleaning your dog's anal glands. Mistakes can lead to serious infections.
• Human toothpaste can result in digestive problems.
• Some dogs are naturally smellier than others. You may just need to get used to the fact, especially as your dog ages and if it has a longer coat or is bigger in build.
• It could be you who is hypersensitive to the smell of dog. Have your dog checked out first and then decide!