Pawscessories is reader-supported. When you buy via links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you.
Learn more.
Dog’s of all breeds can certainly produce some rather off-putting smells but are whippets on that list? Whippets are known to bring so much joy to a home, but do they smell?
Do Whippets Smell:
Whippets are not known for smelling worse than any other dog. As long as they are groomed often and live a healthy lifestyle there is no reason for whippets to be overly smelly. They do, however, have sensitive stomachs which can cause more than usual flatulence.
In this post you’ll discover:
- 8 real reasons why whippets smell
- When a whippet smelling bad becomes something to worry about
- 5 ways to make sure your whippet doesn’t smell (#4 is most commonly forgotten about!)
- And much more
Let’s jump right in.
Table of Contents
8 Reasons Why Whippets Will Smell Bad
1) Infrequent Bathing
One of the most common reasons why whippets will smell is if they aren’t bathed very often.
Many owners will wait until they notice a particularly unpleasant smell coming from their whippet to bathe them.
Which unfortunately ensures that a couple times a year your pup will smell bad.
The best thing to do is proactive bathing versus reactive bathing.
This way you take care of smells before they get to a point where they’re super noticeable.
*Side note: Always remember to use dog shampoo and not human shampoo on your whippet. Also, while it’s important to bathe your pup more often than only when they stink, it’s also important not to bathe them too frequently. Bathing too often can do more harm than good to their skin. Once every 2-3 months is a good schedule.
2) Impacted Anal Sacs
One of the more off-putting smells that can come from your whippet is when their anal sacs are impacted.
When this happens you’ll notice a fishy smell coming from your pup.
Another sign that your whippets anal sacs could be impacted is if you see them scooting their bum along the ground.
Impacted anal sacs can be very uncomfortable for your pup so they’ll scoot their bum on the ground to give themselves a bit of relief.
Anal sacs become impacted when they don’t function as they should and the fluid that should be released from them becomes blocked.
Thankfully their anal sacs can be expressed by a vet, or sometimes a groomer, which gets rid of the smell as well as the discomfort for your pup.
3) Poor Oral Health
If a whippet doesn’t get their mouth looked after on a daily basis, or at least several times a week, their mouth will definitely smell.
Studies have found that almost 90% of all dogs will get some form of periodontal (gum) disease by the time they reach 2 years old.
Solely because their owner doesn’t know how important proper oral hygiene is for their pup.
They also found that virtually all the cases of periodontal disease could have been avoided if the dog had their teeth brushed more often.
While it may feel silly to brush your whippet’s teeth at first, it’s important to do it to manage the overall health of their mouth as well as smell.
Related Reading: Do Whippets Have Bad Teeth? Top Signs + Prevention Tips
4) Food Intolerance/Allergies
Whippets are known for having more sensitive stomachs than other breeds which gives them a higher chance to have a food intolerance or allergy.
Just like with people, whenever your pup eats something their body isn’t able to digest properly it will create gas in their stomach.
Which of course needs to be released in the only way it can, through more than usual toots and farts.
It may also cause diarrhea which makes their bowel movements much more unpredictable and can result in more accidents inside.
Further making certain areas of your home smell.
Related Reading: 9 Reasons Whippets Are Always Hungry | Dangers + 5 Tips
5) Inconsistent Grooming
Many people understand that grooming helps collect loose and dead fur as well as helping with tangles (if you have a curly haired pooch).
But, what many forget, or simply don’t know, is that frequent brushing helps strengthen their skin and coat while also distributing their natural skin oils.
So not only are you collecting all the dirt and debris off their coat that are contributing to them smelling, but you’re also helping their skin and coat stay as healthy as possible.
Which will also result in a better smelling pup.
Simply because if your whippet’s skin isn’t healthy, it will almost always result in an off-putting smell.
6) Possible Infections
Whether it’s a yeast infection, ear infection, or a case of seborrhea, each of these types of infections can make whippets smell.
If your pup smells while also having greasier skin than usual, they may have some form of skin infection.
You’ll likely also notice them itching certain areas of their body more than usual as all infections become quite irritating.
7) Following Their Nose
All dogs have a remarkably good sense of smell.
Pair that with a whippet’s prey drive and they’ll likely follow their nose into a variety of different situations.
Many of which will get them muddy/dirty, wet or coming across interesting smells they can’t help themselves but roll around in.
Which means when they come home and want to cuddle with you, they’ll be carrying around a smell that makes you want to reach for the dog shampoo.
8) Potential Health Condition
Not as common, but absolutely a possibility is, your whippet has some form of underlying health issue.
Conditions like liver disease, kidney disease, cancer, UTIs, or diabetes can all have side effects that make your pup smell.
If even after giving your whippet a bath they still have an off-putting smell, it’s a good idea to take them to the vet.
If any of the reasons before this one aren’t the cause for your pup’s smell they might have something going on internally.
5 Ways To Stop Whippets From Smelling Bad
1) Consistent Grooming
Regular upkeep on your whippet’s skin and coat can do wonders for their smell.
Deciding to make time to brush them everyday, or a few times a week at the minimum, as well as bathing them every 2-3 months will keep many bad smells at bay.
This way you’re not waiting for a bad smell to present itself before cleaning up your pup.
Which should help make sure you don’t notice as many bad smells coming from your whippet nearly as often.
It’s important to note that too much of a good thing can be a bad thing when it comes to bathing.
If you bathe your whippet too often with dog shampoo it will strip their skin of their natural skin oils.
Which can be damaging to their skin and make it weaker/unhealthy.
That’s why we recommend a bath every 2-3 months.
The only time you should give your pup a bath a couple weeks after already bathing them is if they jump in mud or do something silly to get themselves all dirty again.
2) High Quality Diet
The better diet you can provide for your whippet the less likely they are to smell.
Whether it’s upgrading their current food to a higher quality meat-based kibble.
Or figuring out what ingredient in their food they’re having a negative reaction to.
Better quality food means better quality digestion.
Better quality digestion means for less farting and producing bad smells overall.
It’s always a good idea to consult with a vet when it comes to switching up their main source of food.
3) Oral Hygiene
While you might feel silly at first when brushing your whippet’s teeth, it’s a habit that not only will help their smell, but their overall health as well.
When a dog’s periodontal disease reaches later stages it can negatively affect other areas of their health like their immune system, heart, liver, or even weaken their jaw bone.
This is why proper oral hygiene is so important for whippets.
What’s shocking is that veterinarians say many cases of periodontal disease can easily be avoided with a good brushing routine.
Just further reason to decide to start brushing your pup’s teeth sooner rather than later.
If daily brushing isn’t realistic for you, there are other things you can use to help keep your whippet’s mouth clean and smelling fresh in between teeth cleanings.
Dental treats like Dentastix or Greenies are the best if you want to go the treat route.
And Fresh Dental Water Additive is one of the best water additives if you want to go the water additive route.
**Important note: These are not meant to replace tooth brushing.**
4) Wash Their Belongings More Often
Something that slips many whippet owners’ minds when it comes to preventing their pup from smelling is washing their stuff more often.
Whether it’s their toys, dog bed, or a blanket they cuddle with often, anything they frequently use should get a good washing every couple weeks.
If they don’t, even though you’re grooming your pup more often and taking care of their oral health, they will likely become smelly again sooner than you’d like.
Giving them a bath but forgetting to wash their favorite hang out spot or bed is like you taking a shower then putting back on the clothes you wore all day.
A little silly if you’re trying to get rid of smell.
Some owners are worried that if they wash their whippet’s things they won’t be interested in them anymore.
Which is absolutely a reasonable concern and is why you’d never want to use a soap or detergent that has a fragrance when washing their stuff.
Cleaning their stuff from bacteria is the goal, not masking the smell with something prettier.
5) Have a Vet Take a Look At Them
If a bath doesn’t get rid of your whippet’s smell it’s a good idea to have a vet take a look at them.
There’s more than likely an imbalance of some sort going on that’s causing them to smell bad.
Having a vet take a look at them can help take the guesswork out of figuring out what the issue is and get your pup back to normal as soon as possible.
Other posts you might find interesting:
Do Whippets Get Along With Other Dogs? The Truth + Tips
Are Whippets Easy To Train? The Truth + Mistakes & Tips
Can Whippets Swim? 7 Facts, 5 Dangers, & 4 Helpful Tips
Sources:
The Real Reason Your Dog Smells Like Fish
How to Prevent Your Dog From Stinking