Alright, so I’ve got this buddy, right? A yellow Labrador, about three years old, full of energy. We spend a lot of time together, hiking, playing fetch, the whole nine yards. But lately, I’ve been noticing this… smell. It’s not terrible, but it’s definitely there. And it got me thinking, do Labradors just naturally have a bit of an odor?
So, I did what any curious dog owner would do – I hit the internet. Turns out, a clean, healthy Lab shouldn’t really smell bad. But then I remembered, my dog spends half his life in the water. Could that be it? Plus, I read somewhere that a dog’s sense of smell is their strongest sense, so maybe he smells things I can’t, and that’s what I’m picking up? My Lab’s nose is always going a mile a minute, sniffing everything in sight.
I also found out there are like, two types of Labs? English and American, or something like that. Mine’s got a pretty broad head and a thick tail, so maybe he’s an English Lab. Does that make a difference in the smell department? I don’t know, seems like a stretch.
Then there’s the whole shedding thing. My god, the shedding. It’s like a fur explosion in my house, all the time. I brush him regularly, but it doesn’t even make a dent. I even tried one of those special de-shedding tools, but it just seemed to irritate him. Maybe all that loose fur is trapping odors? I was desperate, but I’m not sure.
- I decided to give him a good bath. Used some dog shampoo I picked up at the pet store.
- Got him all lathered up, rinsed him off really well, and dried him as best I could.
- He seemed to enjoy it, at least until the drying part. He’s not a huge fan of the towel.
And guess what? The smell was gone! For a little while, anyway. It started to come back after a few days, especially after we went for a swim in the lake. Which makes me think it’s definitely related to him being wet all the time.
I also noticed he gets these little flakes in his fur sometimes, like dandruff. Apparently, that can be caused by a bunch of different things. I read that the primary causes are pretty rare, so I’m hoping it’s not that. He’s a pretty needy dog, always wanting attention, which I read could be a sign he wasn’t treated well as a puppy. I got him from a shelter, so I don’t know his whole history. Poor guy.
My conclusion?
My Lab’s smell seems to be a combination of him being a water-loving goofball and maybe some mild skin issues. Regular baths help, but it’s not a permanent fix. I’m gonna try a different shampoo next time, maybe one that’s specifically for sensitive skin. And I’ll keep an eye on the dandruff. If it gets worse, I’ll take him to the vet, just to be safe. But overall, he’s a happy, healthy dog, and a little bit of a smell is just part of the package, I guess.
