11 Reasons Why Border Collies Smell & Preventive Tips
Every dog’s smell depends on how you care for them even bother collies. So, let’s discuss the most common reasons why border collies smell!
We will also discuss how to prevent border collies from smelling because most of the time the smell is your fault as their owner.
If you don’t care, your border collie will definitely smell, let’s discuss!
Reasons why border collies smell
Skin infections, ear infection, dental issues, unwashed coats and paws, yeast infection and excessive baths are the most common reasons why border collies smell.
Here are the most common reasons why border collies smell:
1. Skin Infections
Any strange odor on your border collie’s skin should be reported to your veterinarian immediately before it becomes a major problem.
A damp, rainy atmosphere that encourages surface microorganisms like bacteria and yeast to overgrow on your tiny buddy’s skin.
Toxins generated by these species induce irritation and inflammation, which leads to the breakdown of the skin barrier and infection.
Yeast bugs and ringworm are just a few of the skin illnesses that can cause significant irritation to your border Collie’s skin.
While some of these bacteria may not directly produce odor, they do create dry skin, which can lead to stink.
2. Ear Infections
If you clean up after your border collie, a healthy border collie ear often has strong defenses against germs.
If your border collie has allergies or hormonal abnormalities, yeast and bacteria levels can quickly rise, resulting in a foul odor.
Remember ear infections in border collies can be caused by a variety of factors, including:
- Allergies
- Mites
- Excessive hair
- Excessive dampness
- Illnesses
- Over cleaning of the ear
One thing is certain: ear infections in border collies can leave an unpleasant stench behind.
Ear infections are more common in Border collies with hair around their ears and those border collies allow staying outside close to dry grasses.
3. Dental Issues
Dental issues is one of the most common causes of a stinky odor, especially in senior border collies.
Bad breath is produced by plaque and tartar on the teeth, which also applies to border collies.
Brushing your border collie’s teeth is equally as vital as brushing your own.
Raw bones, which are small and chewable, are ideal for cleaning in border collies under strict supervision.
Consider taking your border collie to the veterinarian for a professional check-up and cleaning, especially if you notice a foul odor.
4. Yeast Infections
Another frequent underlying issue that can cause an unpleasant odor in border collies is yeast infections.
Although yeast is not a typical skin dweller, it may thrive under the correct conditions.
Yeast can sometimes be found in dark, damp areas like skin folds or ears of your border collie.
The yeast can, however, infect a border collie’s skin systemically.
These illnesses are more common in border collies that have had their immune systems weakened, but they can affect any dog.
If your veterinarian diagnoses a yeast infection, therapy may include medicated baths and oral medicine.
When your border collie is diagnosed with yeast be patient, since this form of infection can last for weeks or even months.
Yeast infections can affect the border collie’s paws and skin. It’s usually in the paws since dog owners rarely clean them.
5. Unwashed Paws
Yeast infections can compromise the paws and skin of border collies. It’s commonly in the paws, which are rarely cleaned by owners.
If your Border Collie stinks, it might be from unclean paws that is caused by or a yeast infection.
Remember your border collie sweat glands are also located on her paws, so once your border collie gets too hot or exercises, she will begin sweating from her paws.
The most evident is that everytime you go for a stroll, your Border collie may step in dirt, rotting rubbish, or even animal waste.
This is not to be confused with the frequent cheesy odor emanating from their paws; this is quite natural.
6. Excessive baths
The issue is that when you routinely bathe your border collies, the shampoo or cleansing chemicals will remove the oils from their skin.
If she has too many of these oils in her coat, it will get oily, irritate her skin, and eventually stink.
Their natural oils clean her coat and maintain it robust, lustrous, healthy, and odor-free.
Her body then panics and creates an abnormally large amount of natural oil.
It may seem counterintuitive to believe that giving her more washes will make her dirtier and smellier, but it’s true.
It may seem counterintuitive to believe that giving her more washes will make her dirtier and smellier, but it’s true.
Border collies only require bathing four to seven times a year, at most.
7. Using wrong shampoo
Using the wrong shampoo on your border collie can cause avoidable irritation which can end up leading to your border collie smelling.
There are too many shampoo out in the market some of which are not good for your border collie because of the materials they are made off.
Your border collie may be allergic to some of the materials used in producing a shampoo so always contact your veterinarian before trying out any shampoo.
8. Unwashed coats
Unwashed coats are one of the most common reasons why border collies smell.
This is on you as the own for example, you allow your border collie to get in dirty places, and you just avoid them.
No matter what your dog need bathing once in a while even though some people say it removes natural oil.
If this natural oil is not removed, and it will accurate over time it becomes a problem of its own leading to your border collie smelling.
9. Dirty trapped fur
While you’re not looking, your border collie can go through bushes and roll in nasty stuff which can get struck on his fur.
It brushes up against dirty walls or swims in polluted water nearby when it goes out to play.
A foul odor might be produced by unclean foreign objects or substances on your border collie’s body.
Because border collie fur traps odors rapidly, you may notice that bad stench all over your border collie’s body.
So you’ll probably have to wipe your collie off with merely water when you go inside.
After that, if your little companion is clean, give her coat a good brushing to remove any dirt.
10. Long left wet fur
Border collies have double coats, which means they may retain water or liquid, such as after being bathed.
If the water or liquid is not adequately dried, it might stimulate the growth of bacteria, causing their skin to stink.
The yeast and bacteria that reside naturally in a dog’s skin and fur provide this distinct odor.
When a border collie get wet, the normally moderate stench becomes substantially stronger as the yeast and bacteria react to the water.
11. Absence of grooming
You’ll be shocked at how much cleaner your dog smells after a fast yet thorough washing or grooming session.
In between grooming, brushing the dog will help to eliminate any unwanted odors.
Brushing the dog’s hair eliminates filth, dead skin cells, dried saliva, and other debris from his coat.
Your Border Collie, like any other dog, requires meticulous grooming every 2-4 weeks, omitting washing.
When you take your dog to the groomer, he will be completely bathed and his ears will be scrubbed.
Border collies will smell very bad if you do not groom them over a range of time.
Read more: 10 Common Senior Border Collie Problems.
Ways to prevent border collies smelling
Here are some common ways to control or prevent border collies from smelling:
- Brush your border collie on a regular basis to also prevent shedding.
- Always clean your border collie paws after each walking session.
- Regularly check your border collie ear for any signs of infection.
- Bath your border collie after 4 to 6 weeks.
- Never leave your border collie wet.
- Avoid dehydration of your border collie coats.
- Brush your border collies teeth regularly.
- Regularly clean your border collie’s lounging areas.
- Provide a washable dog bed for your border collie.
- Provide only suitable shampoos for your border collie.
- Only use doggy wipes only your border collie when necessary.
- Always check your border collie for ear mites
