How Much Do Pugs Smell? Facts & FAQ

With their goofy, Instagram-worthy smile and silly shenanigans, Pugs get away with a great deal of mischief. However, if you're an avid cuddler, you may have noticed that your snuggly Pug stinks! You don’t have to feel bad for thinking so—it’s actually normal. Pugs are known to be smelly pups, and there are a few reasons for that. If you’re interested in finding out more, including how you can control bad Pug odors, read on!

Why Do Pugs Smell Bad?

Pugs can smell bad for a whole laundry list of reasons, and some are more common than others. Check out each, and diagnose accordingly with a vet to reduce your Pug's bad smells.

Skin Folds

The myriad skin folds on a Pug’s face and even body can harbor bacteria that feast on trapped skin cells and hair. These bacteria can turn into a yeast infection or other malodorous discharge. Regularly clean your dog's skin folds, especially if they go outside often. Messy eating can get food trapped in there too, so watch for rogue bits in your Pug’s fur.

Skin Oils

Simply put, skin oils build up after a Pug hasn’t had a thorough bath in a while, causing doggy body odor. This is thankfully fixed easily with a nice bath with your favorite dog shampoo.

Yeast Infections

These typically happen around the face, skin folds, and ears, but they can occur anywhere. Yeast infections present as a discharge and rash-like marks on your Pug’s skin. These are commonly treated with antibiotics or topical medications.

Stinky Paws

Pugs love playing outside like any breed, and they pick up the weirdest stuff on their paws sometimes. It’s a good idea to briefly rinse off your Pug when they go outside, which helps keep them smelling fresh for longer. Fungal infections may require a special antifungal spray, which a trusted vet can help you with.

Being in Heat

Female Pugs in heat can produce an unpleasant odor, which is due to tissue and blood coming from their genitals. There really isn’t much to do about this except to spay your Pug and give her more regular baths, but a vet can give you more specific information about caring for your dog during this time.

Dental Hygiene

Pugs’ mouths are uniquely shaped and thus suited to breed bacteria that generate bad odors, like foul doggy breath. Dental chews and treats like carrots are great self-cleaning supplies, but there’s no substitute for just brushing your dog’s teeth every so often. It’ll definitely do wonders for their bad breath and keep their overall dental health in great shape.

Gas

The dreaded dog farts are almost always because of a diet issue, though rarely, a condition like IBS is the culprit. Regulating mealtimes and not feeding your dog table scraps will go a long way toward stopping offensive Pug farts.

How to Control Bad Pug Odors

Pugs might be stinkier than their photos imply, but that doesn’t mean you should quit on them. You have lots of options to keep your pup clean, happy, and healthy. Let’s review a few of these so you can get an idea of how to best mitigate your smelly Pug.

• Use high-quality shampoos. Pick ones that won’t harm your Pug’s natural skin oils, since they could suffer even worse skin issues as a result.
• Trim your dog’s nails. Do this whenever you bathe them. Dog claws can harbor bacteria that contribute to odors.
• Clean your Pug’s face folds and ears every day. It seems excessive, but they can accumulate dust and other stuff quite fast!
• Dry your Pug completely after bath time. Nobody likes wet dog smell.

Final Thoughts

Pugs are one of the cuddliest dogs on the block, but they take work to stay fresh. At a bare minimum, regular baths and a good wipedown of their skin folds every day will help keep them clean.

See also:

• Do Pugs Bark a Lot?

• How Big Does a Pug Get?

Featured Image Credit: A Life Pictures, Shutterstock