Why Do Wet Dogs Have A Wet Dog Smell? - Encyclopedia Britannica

Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos Why Do Wet Dogs Have A Wet Dog Smell? Introduction References & Edit History Related Topics Images Contents Science Mammals Dogs & the Canine Family CITE verifiedCite While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Select Citation Style MLA APA Chicago Manual of Style Copy Citation Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/story/why-do-wet-dogs-have-a-wet-dog-smell Feedback Feedback Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Feedback Type Select a type (Required) Factual Correction Spelling/Grammar Correction Link Correction Additional Information Other Your Feedback Submit Feedback Thank you for your feedback

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Why Do Wet Dogs Have A Wet Dog Smell? It seems counterintuitive that a clean wet animal could be so stinky. Ask Anything Homework Help Written by Melissa Petruzzello Melissa Petruzzello (she/her) is Assistant Managing Editor and covers a range of content including plants, algae, and fungi; insects and spiders; and renewable energy and environmental engineering. She... Melissa Petruzzello Fact-checked by Britannica Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Britannica Editors History Britannica AI Ask Anything Homework Help Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask Anything

According to the American Kennel Club, “wet dog smell” is not due to the dog itself but to the yeast and bacteria that live in dog fur. These innocuous microorganisms regularly release volatile compounds as they live out their lives on our canine pets, but we don’t usually smell those compounds beyond the regular musky scent of a dry dog. However, when mixed with water, some of those chemicals become pungent, and the combination of their scents becomes malodorous. Not only do the compounds become airborne as the water evaporates from the fur, but humid air holds more odor molecules than dry air, meaning a wet dog basically takes a little stink cloud with it wherever it goes.

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Drying a dog quickly can lessen the pervasion of the smell and can keep the responsible microorganisms from undergoing the quick population explosion that a damp environment encourages. As luck would have it, these little stinkers are a normal part of a dog’s microbiome, so they’re nothing to worry about.

Melissa Petruzzello