Dogs aren’t always “straight shooters” when it comes time to pee, though that’s not the only way a dog can get urine in their fur. It may even occur regularly if you have an incontinent pet. Regardless of how it happens, you will likely be compelled to get rid of the stale urine smell.
Urine not only stinks, but its odor also tends to linger. It can become tacky when it dries and even transfer from your pup to other items, making them reek too. It’s vital to remove the urine and its smell from your dog’s fur as soon as possible.
The question is, how are you supposed to do that? By using one of these four possible ways to get the urine smell out of your dog’s fur, you’ll find that you can handle the situation quite easily!
Preparation
Before you begin removing the urine smell from your dog’s fur, it’s important to invest in the right products that are both safe for their sensitive skin and are tough on the compounds that make dog urine so smelly.
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The 4 Ways to Get Urine Smell Out of Dog Fur
1. Bathing
Image Credit: Ultraskrip, Shutterstock
Depending on how much urine has gotten on your dog, bathing will likely be the best way to remove the urine smell from their fur. For this, you’ll need a place to bathe your pup, regular dog shampoo, towels, and apple cider vinegar.
You’ll be washing them as usual, for the most part; you’ll just be adding an extra step with the vinegar. So, before you begin the bath, mix 1 cup of vinegar with 1/2 gallon of warm water.
First, bathe as normal with an extra lather or two on the parts of their fur containing urine. Once you’ve rinsed the shampoo off them well, you’ll then—carefully and avoiding the eyes—pour the vinegar mixture onto the fur that has been urinated on. Then, you’ll rinse thoroughly with water again and dry your pet as you typically would.
Sometimes you might notice the smell of urine on your pup when you aren’t at home or when it’s just not convenient to bathe them. In that case, you might want to give pet wipes a try.
While not as thorough as a bath, they make a good alternative when you’re on the go. They are also good to use if you have a puppy that’s having a lot of accidents and you’re concerned about bathing too often (as too many baths can lead to a dry coat and skin).
When using pet wipes, all you will need to do is wipe down the parts of your pet’s fur that have been stained with urine.
You’re likely familiar with dry shampoo, but you may not have realized that there are versions for dogs. If you’re in an absolute pinch and have no other alternatives on hand, dry shampoo should help remove at least some of the urine smell from your dog’s fur. All you have to do is spray or sprinkle this into the fur, massage it in, and then brush the coat when it’s dried. Be warned that dry shampoo can leave a sticky residue, so you may still end up having to bathe your pup later.
Self-rinse shampoos work similarly but do a bit better job than dry shampoos. They’re more like regular shampoo too, only not as thick. With self-rinse shampoo, you work the shampoo into your pet’s coat until it lathers, then blot dry, and you’re done!
Pros
Great when you have no other alternatives available
Quick and easy to use
Cons
Won’t be as effective at removing urine smell, especially dry shampoo
Dry shampooing may still require a bath later due to residue
This combination of ingredients is quite like the idea of dry shampoo in that it’s meant to soak up any urine and its smell from your dog’s fur. You do the same as you would with dry shampoo: Put a little of both on your dog’s fur, rub it in, and then brush it out after it’s dried. This solution is usually more of a temporary one, so you may find yourself following up with a bath or other methods later.
Pros
Easy to use
Cons
Mostly a temporary method of removing urine smell
Will most likely require a follow-up with another method, such as bathing
What You Should Know About Urine Leakage
Sometimes when your dog gets urine on themselves, it isn’t a simple matter of them having long hair or just peeing on their foot by accident. They might be leaking urine unintentionally, also known as incontinence. If you think this could be the situation with your pup, it’s important to know the reasons it could be occurring and what to do about it.
If you want more information or are concerned about your pet’s health, you should contact your vet.
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There are quite a few health reasons that your dog might be leaking urine. These include:
Urinary tract infections
Weak bladder muscles
Nerve damage
Bladder stones
Prostate disease
If you suspect your dog has become incontinent, you’ll want to get them to the vet straight away to determine the root cause of the issue. Once your vet has determined why the incontinence is happening, they can begin treatment as needed. Treatments can range from medication to changes in diet to surgery, depending on the reason for the incontinence.
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Conclusion
It’s unfortunate when our dogs pee on themselves, whether accidentally or due to a health issue. But you don’t have to panic about how to get the urine smell out of their fur! Urine and its odor are relatively simple to remove.
You can get rid of it with a bath, pet wipes, dry or self-insured shampoo, or even just a bit of talcum powder and cornstarch. Depending on the method that you go with, it can take mere minutes or up to an hour. Whichever way you choose to remove that awful urine smell, though, you can rest assured that your dog will be relieved!
Misty Layne lives out in the woods in small-town Alabama with her two Siamese - Serafina & Jasper. She also has an array of stray cats, raccoons, and opossums who like to call her front porch home. When she’s not writing about animals, you’ll find her writing poetry, stories, and film reviews (the animals are, by far, her favorite writing topic, though!). In her free time, Misty enjoys chilling with her cats, playing piano, watching indie and foreign films, photographing abandoned places, and catching up on her never-ending TBR list.
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