French Bulldogs are amazing dogs that can win over even the toughest of hearts. These dogs are goofy, a bit lazy, smart, playfull, lovable, etc. It is no shock why these dogs are beloved by so many people all over the world.
But, there is a question that might not be as pleasant as these dogs are. “Why does my French Bulldog stink” is one of those questions that can commonly be asked when it comes to this dog breed.
Don’t worry – Frenchies are not the only dogs that can occasionally smell bad. There are always things you can do to get rid of the smell. But, to remove the smell completely, you need to know where it is coming from, and why it appeared in the first place.
If you want to know more, then continue reading this article.
Why Does My French Bulldog Stink? 11 Possible Reasons Why
You can’t expect your dog to smell like peaches and cream, to be quite honest. There are some dogs that will have a bad odor because of their build, a.k.a., appearance.
French Bulldogs are one of those dogs that can easily get smelly. This doesn’t mean that they will smell for sure, but if the dog owner doesn’t take good care of their hygiene… well, you can have many smelly problems.
Here are some of the things that can cause your Frenchie to smell bad:
1. Being Wet For A Long Time
This is something that will make any dog smelly, and French Bulldogs are no exception. When it’s warm, a lot of dog owners like to let their dogs dry out naturally. This might sound like a good idea, but we need to be honest… it is not.
The heat might dry their short coat generally, but these pooches have a lot of folds, especially on their face, which don’t dry that easily.
If these folds are left moist for a long time, there are big chances that bacteria will develop. These bacteria can cause your dog to have a really bad odor. That is not the only thing that they can cause.
If your dog has a small cut that you didn’t notice, they can develop an infection. That infection will not only smell really bad, but it will also cause your dog a lot of pain.
This is specifically hard to notice when you have a long-haired Frenchie.
Make sure to wipe your dog thoroughly, and even use the hair drier to be extra sure that your dog is completely dry.
2. Unwashed Bed
Whether your dog sleeps in a crate or on a dog bed, you need to make sure that you clean the bedding as well as the bed or crate often and thoroughly. Your dog might not be the one that is smelly, but if the bedding has an unpleasant odor, your dog will, too.
At least once a week, you should change everything that is placed on the dog’s bed, from toys to pillows and blankets.
If you decide for your dog to sleep on a bed that is big and soft, you should look at options that are easily washable. There are dog beds that have a removable bedding that you can easily put in the washing machine.
This way, you don’t have to wash the whole bed every time. Here are some of the best beds for French Bulldogs we picked for you.
3. Flared Up Anal Glands
Anal glands are the things that will make your Frenchie smelly the most. They are not just smelly, but they can also get very uncomfortable for your dog.
You will be able to notice your Fenchie dragging its butt across the floor. This might look strange to you, but it is their way of making them a bit more comfortable.
This is not something that you can solve by yourself. You need to take your dog to the vet. In most cases, the vet will need to have the anal glands expressed.
4. Flatulence
Flatulence, or in other words, bloat is something that these pooches are prone to. Every dog breed can have a problem with flatulence, but Frenchies are known to get this problem often.
The easiest way to describe this is that they will get a bit bloated, and will most likely pass gas often. Their farts are truly killer, to be honest. Well, no dog has a fart that smells pleasant, of course, but these pooches… sheesh.
You will probably need a gas mask.
If this happens, you should take your dog to the vet, and make sure that your dog is not reacting to something that it ate.
5. Dirty Ears
One of the most noticeable and cutest Frenchie features are its big and upwards ears. Even though they make these pooches look extra adorable, you need to know that it can cause them some problems.
These types of dog ears can easily collect all kinds of debris. They can also collect a lot of earwax and black gunk. This, by itself, is not that big of a problem, but it can turn into a big one if you don’t clean its ears regularly.
Ear infections are very dangerous for the dog, and very painful as well. They can get really smelly, but that is the least of your worries.
To avoid this, make sure that you clean your dog’s ears at least twice a week, but even more than that would be advised.
6. Improper Diet
A bad diet is one of the main causes for a dog’s bad body odors. It can cause a lot of things, and some of them are bad breath, flatulence, skin problems, etc.
This can happen if you choose cheap dog foods that don’t have all the necessary nutrients. You need to make sure that your dog is getting everything that it needs from the foods that you decide on giving it.
Try finding foods that have high-quality nutrients that will benefit your pooch. If you are not sure what to choose, you can always ask the vet.
7. Issues With Paws
There are a lot of things connected with paws that can cause them to smell. The most logical thing is if they stepped on something smelly, like poop, and you didn’t notice it. This is why you need to wash their paws every time you come home from a walk.
The second thing is some type of injury. If they have something that is hurting them on their paw, they will most likely lick that paw. This can cause the injury to get infected, which will be both smelly and painful for the dog.
The third thing that can happen is a yeast infection. This mostly happens if the paws are not properly washed and dried.
8. Face Wrinkles And Folds
The Frenchie’s characteristic folds are super cute, and make these dogs look super unique, but they can get smelly easily. These folds and wrinkles are heaven for all sorts of bacteria and yeast.
If you don’t clean the folds daily and dry them properly, your dog will have a smelly face for sure.
Always keep a dry and clean towel in a place like a hallway. This way, you will be reminded every time you get home to clean your dog’s wrinkles.
9. Bad Breath
Sometimes, a dog’s teeth can get forgotten about. Not because some dog owners are negligent, but brushing your dog’s teeth is not something that is talked about enough.
You should brush your dog’s teeth on a daily basis, but a couple of times a week is also better than never. This way, you can prevent odors and dental problems from developing.
Dental issues are very serious, and can cause the dog a lot of problems that are sometimes not that easy to solve, and they will for sure cause bad breath.
10. Uncleaned Tail Pockets
When it comes to Frenchies, they don’t have the usual-looking tail. Instead, their tail is called “tail pockets”. This button-like tail can hold a lot of smells if not taken care of properly.
You need to make sure, just like with facial folds, to clean it daily. It can collect a lot of feces and different kinds of bacteria, and even harbor yeast.
You don’t want to smell poop all day, every day. If you don’t want that, you need to clean these tail pockets every time you get home from a walk, especially when your dog did number two.
11. Unhygienic Environments
If your Frenchie is spending a lot of time in environments that are not the cleanest, you can expect your dog to get very smelly. However, the smell might not be the only thing that can happen.
Since they have a short coat, they can easily develop skin problems that can also get smelly, but the worst thing is that bad skin can cause their health to deteriorate.
Conclusion
“Why does my French Bulldog stink” is not a rare question that Frenchie owners ask. As you could tell by reading this article, there are a lot of reasons why this dog breed can get smelly.
You could also tell that a lot of the things, if not all of them, depend on we dog owners. You need to put in a lot of work to make sure that your dog stays nice and fresh.
The smell can turn into something much more serious, and can cause your dog to have health problems.
