Do Border Collies smell? (Why?)
Do you have a Border Collie, and it stinks? Or are you planning to get a Border Collie but are unsure because you don’t know if they smell strongly of dog? Before getting a Border Collie into your house, you should study the breed intensively. In this article, you will learn if Border Collies stink.
Do Border Collies stink? It depends. Of course, Border Collies can smell. But this has special reasons. As a rule, healthy Border Collies do not stink. Cheap food is the most common reason dogs can smell intensely or even stink.
Table of Contents
Why do Border Collies smell bad?
It must be said that Border Collies, or dogs in general, do not smell bad.
However, there are different reasons why Border Collies can stink. I will list one or the other below and, at the same time, give you tips on how to get rid of the smell.
Bad dog food
Dogs have their smell – just like we do. But if your Border Collie has a very intense aroma or even smells, it is often due to the dog food. There is nothing you can do about it.
Dogs are carnivores and need food with a high meat content of high-quality meat and WITHOUT artificial additives as fillers.
If your Border Collie is now fed low-quality food, he may have a more pungent smell.
If your Border Collie is eating garbage, he cannot be healthy and smell good.
It is like us. We also smell different when we eat healthy food than when we eat a lot of fast food and drink alcohol.
Even as a dog owner, you still register an unpleasant odor. When we picked up our puppy, we immediately noticed an unpleasant smell. We immediately switched to a new food, and after a few days, the smell completely disappeared.
Incompatibility
Even if you already use good dog food, there is a possibility that your Border Collie does not tolerate some ingredients.
This can also cause your Border Collie to stink or have a more pungent odor.
Here, a vet visit can help find out what your dog does not tolerate. Maybe it is enough to feed fish instead of beef or lamb.
Cheese feet
Dogs, and therefore, of course, the Border Collie, can only sweat on their feet. So your Border Collie may stink at the feet. He has sweaty feet.
It is also possible that your Border Collie has a yeast infection on his paws, which is why he has this cheesy foot smell.
If you can’t get rid of the smell by regular washing, you should have your vet check it out to be sure. With yeast fungus, only a special shampoo will help.
Border Collie has bad breath
Bad breath is one of the most common reasons a Border Collie stinks. Dogs need chewing articles to maintain their teeth. This can be bones that they can gnaw on or chew items such as a Kong* made from trade.
By gnawing regularly, your dog cleans the tooth surface and plaque and tartar are removed.
If this is not done, unpleasant bad breath will develop over time.
Diseases and infections
Various diseases and infections can be the reason why your Border Collie smells. If you feel that your Border Collie smells stronger than usual, you should have it checked out by your vet.
Border Collie rolls in carrion
Dogs are sometimes pigs. If you are with your Border Collie often and long outside in nature, there is a risk that he rolls in a dead animal or cow shit because a Border Collie needs a lot of exercise.
Anyone who has experienced this knows how much dogs can stink.
Border Collie stinks from the ears.
It is not uncommon for dogs to have an unpleasant ear odor. If your Border Collie frequently has wet ears, this can lead to ear infections that result in solid odor.
An indication of this may be if your Border frequently scratches his ears.
Border Collie smells because he is wet.
The saying “You smell like a wet dog” does not come from nowhere. Wet dogs smell stronger. That’s just the way it is.
This is because when the skin gets wet, it produces a secretion for protection. This lubricates and protects the coat.
Dogs with longer coats, like the Border Collie, have a stronger smell when wet than dogs with very short coats like our Cabe Corso.
Our dogs have little to no scent. You have to press your nose right into the fur to notice anything. Cheap dog food intensifies the smell even more.
But also, our dogs have a more intense inherent odor when wet. Then we rub them to dry quickly with a towel, and the problem is resolved soon.
Recently we were at a dredge hole, and afterward, we had three wet dogs. They didn’t stink, but the inherent odor was more pungent anyway.
How can you prevent Border Collies from stinking?
The best way to prevent your Border Collie from smelling is to check him regularly.
When brushing your Border Collie once a week, you should also look at the teeth and ears and take action if necessary.
You can and should clean the ears regularly with a damp cloth to prevent stinky infections. You can also trickle the ears from time to time. If you notice a strong smell, it is advisable to have the vet take a look.
If you think that the teeth are discolored, get him a proper chewing bone for dental hygiene.
We always get big beef legs from the farmer. They can’t chew them, but gnawing on them for hours because they don’t have any meat is ideal for dental care, satisfies the natural chewing instinct, and keeps them busy. (I just remembered that we do this too rarely).
Additionally, beef brisket bones or something similar to chew and eat is also great. Depending on how vigorously your Border chews, Kong* chews are also very suitable.
In addition, your Border Collie must get decent dog food to prevent bad body or mouth odor as best as possible.
At the same time, good dog food is the basis for a healthy dog that does not stink due to many diseases.
After the walk, especially in summer, you can wash the paws of your Border Collie with a wet cloth or make a kind of foot bath with clear water.
This way, you will remove most of the sweat that has formed during the walk and prevent your dog from having cheese feet.
Is it allowed to bathe Border Collies?
It would be best if you bathed your Border Collie as rarely as possible. They, like all dogs, have a natural guard that protects them from dirt and wetness.
When you bathe your Border Collie with a dog shampoo, this protective layer is attacked every time and must be renewed.
In no case should you use your shampoo? Dogs have a different skin pH value and need a special shampoo.
In exceptional cases, for example, if your Border Collie has rolled in a dead animal or cow shit and now smells extremely incredibly, you should bathe him sensibly.
The bacteria that form on and in the fur can cause disease. Besides, you certainly don’t want them in the house.
Conclusion: Do Border Collies stink?
Border Collies, like all dogs, have an inherent odor. But they do not stink. Low-quality dog food, packed with cheap fillers, is often why Border Collies can stink.
Related Posts
macrossphoto-stock.adobe.com (featured image)
