Some spaniels are known to have an odd smell to them. You may have heard that Boykin spaniels are fantastic family dogs that will make a great addition to your home. However, knowing how your pup will smell is an important consideration. So, do Boykin spaniels stink?
A healthy Boykin spaniel shouldn’t have an unbearably bad smell. However, Boykin spaniels are prone to ear infections, which can cause them to stink – tooth or skin infection can also cause unpleasant odors. If your Boykin went swimming, it would have that distinctive wet dog smell until it dries.
Properly grooming your Boykin spaniel is crucial in ensuring it doesn’t stink. Therefore, we will discuss possible reasons why your Boykin spaniel might be stinking and how to stop it from smelling bad. Following the tips we share will help you keep your Boykin spaniel healthy and smelling fresh.
Why Do Boykin Spaniels Sometimes Stink?
Boykin spaniels make excellent house dogs. However, having a smelly dog on your furniture is not an option. While Boykin spaniels don’t generally stink, they can sometimes have an off smell. So what causes a Boykin spaniel to stink? There are various reasons for your dog developing an unpleasant odor.
1. Your Boykin Spaniel Went Swimming
Boykin spaniels were initially bred to retrieve ducks and other small prey while hunting. They were also bred for hunting from a boat. Therefore, Boykin spaniels love swimming and playing around in puddles. If your Boykin spaniel has access to a water source, it will likely play around in it. This can cause your Boykin spaniel to smell damp or nasty if the water isn’t clean.
2. Your Boykin Spaniel Rolled In Something Outside
One odd thing dogs sometimes do is roll around in unknown substances outside. For example, your Boykin spaniel may take a roll around in the grass out and accidentally roll through some poo or something else with a bad smell. This can also cause your Boykin spaniel to stink.
3. Your Boykin Spaniel Ate Something Smelly
Because Boykin spaniels are retriever dogs, they often find the strangest things while exploring outside or if they are out on a walk. It’s possible that your Boykin spaniel found something odd to eat, causing its breath to smell bad.
4. Your Boykin Spaniel Has An Infection
Another reason your Boykin spaniel may stink is if it has an infection. Ear infections are quite common among Boykin spaniels, especially if they are in the water often. Your dog also may develop a tooth infection that causes its mouth to stink. Skin infections or cancer sores might also cause your Boykin spaniel to stink.
How To Prevent And Treat A Boykin Spaniel From Stinking
Now that you know what may cause unpleasant odors, you might wonder how to prevent it from happening. Fortunately, most causes for your Boykin spaniel’s stench are easy to solve and require minimal effort.
We will discuss several methods for stopping and preventing your Boykin spaniel from stinking. The biggest key to doing so is to ensure your Boykin spaniel is happy and healthy. These are some tips for preventing and treating a Boykin spaniel from stinking.
1. Brush Your Boykin Spaniel Weekly
Boykin spaniels have a double coat of fur. They have a thick, dense coat that keeps them warm and dry while swimming and playing outside. They also have wavy, medium-length hair. This makes a Boykin spaniel perfectly adapt for hunting and retrieving ducks.
However, a Boykin spaniel’s coat might get matted or tangled because of its long hair. In addition, grass and other materials can get stuck in its coat, possibly causing it to stink. To prevent this, you should brush your Boykin spaniel with a specialized, double-coat brush at least once a week.
This will untangle the hair and remove any foreign objects from your Boykin spaniel’s coat. You can brush your spaniel more often, especially in spring when it sheds more than usual. This will help keep your Boykin spaniel’s coat clean and healthy and should prevent it from stinking.
2. Bath Your Boykin Spaniel Occasionally
Of course, if your Boykin spaniel rolled around in poo or some other smelly substance, you will have to bathe it to get the smell out. You can also wash your Boykin spaniel once every six to eight weeks to ensure its coat is clean and healthy.
Don’t bathe your Boykin spaniel more than once every six to eight weeks. Doing so will strip its coat of the oils it needs to be healthy. This may dry out your Boykin spaniel’s skin and cause it to shed more. It might also lead to a skin infection, which can cause your Boykin spaniel to stink. Only bathe it when necessary.
3. Wash Your Boykin Spaniel’s Bed And Toys
Although you can only bathe your Boykin spaniel every two months, you can wash its bed and toys as often as needed. If you notice your Boykin spaniel’s bed is starting to stink, wash it with a dog-safe detergent and hang it in the sun to dry. This helps to remove any bacteria that can cause the bedding to stink.
You can also wash your Boykin spaniel’s toys using an enzyme cleanser. Enzyme cleansers inhibit the proteins found in your dog’s saliva. These proteins can sometimes cause allergies and may also develop a bad smell.
4. Watch What You Feed Your Boykin Spaniel
A big part of your Boykin spaniel’s health comes from its diet. Therefore, we recommend feeding your Boykin spaniel high-quality dog food. You can add some vet-approved snacks to its diet too. If you decide to feed your Boykin spaniel raw foods, discuss the situation with a vet first and only feed it vet-approved foods.
Some food, such as organs and pâtés, can cause your Boykin spaniel’s breath to stink. Don’t feed it smelly foods if you don’t want its breath also to smell bad.
5. Brush Your Boykin Spaniel’s Teeth Weekly
If your Boykin spaniel has bad breath because of the food it eats, you can solve this problem by brushing its teeth weekly. If you start brushing your Boykin spaniel’s teeth while it is a puppy, it will grow used to it. However, if your Boykin spaniel doesn’t like it when you brush its teeth, you can also give it a tooth cleaning stick to chew on.
In addition to brushing its teeth, you can add breath freshener drops to your Boykin spaniel’s water. You can find these drops at the vet or a pet shop. Use them as directed for a fresher doggy breath. However, if you notice your Boykin spaniel’s breath is getting worse, or nothing you do helps solve the problem, you should take it to a vet.
6. Take Your Boykin Spaniel To A Vet
Skin infections, ear infections, tooth infections, and cancer sores can also cause your Boykin spaniel to stink. Therefore, if none of the tips we discussed above helps treat your Boykin Spaniel’s stink, it might be time to take your pup to the veterinarian.
A veterinarian will inspect your Boykin spaniel. If they notice an infection, they will prescribe medicine for your dog to help treat and rid it of the stink. Overall, a healthy Boykin spaniel shouldn’t have an unpleasant smell.
Conclusion
Boykin spaniels shouldn’t stink if they are healthy and cared for. However, they may eat something or roll around in something that can cause them to stink.
While most causes for a stinky Boykin spaniel are easy to solve, other causes must be treated by a vet. For example, if your Boykin spaniel has an ear, tooth, or skin infection, it may start to stink. In this case, you should take it to a vet to have it checked out.
References
https://wagwalking.com/breed/boykin-spaniel
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/the_doghouse/1323820-So-tell-it-to-me-straight-Do-spaniels-just-stink
