Get rid of that stinky dog smell with this homemade dog deodorant that smells like refreshing lavender. I certainly don’t have a lot of dog, but despite his small size he can get pretty smelly at times. Wet fur from the rain or a swim in the ocean is par for the course when you have a pooch. I love getting outside with him no matter what the weather, but that means that I have a whole lot of extra washing to do to keep his clothes, toys, and bed from smelling like wet dog.
Meatball gets regular baths, of course, but he does have sensitive skin and bathing too often can cause irritation, so this spray-on dog deodorant is just the thing to keep him smelling fresh between baths no matter how much dirty, stinky fun he’s been having outside.
A Note on Essential Oils and Pets
All pets are different and may have different reactions to essential oils. I often get questions about using essential oils on cats and I choose not to use oils on cats at all. I do use oils in my dog recipes though, and they have worked really well, for my dogs. I make sure that they are very diluted and test a small patch on my pup to be sure that there isn’t a reaction. I think that when heavily diluted, essential oils be less unpleasant for the pooch than the synthetic fragrances in many common pet products. But keep in mind that with all home recipes, they have not been put through independent testing and so it’s best to approach with caution (ie: don’t make a huge batch and douse your dog without testing first).
For more information, Lea Jacobson has an EO profiles book that lists what is safe or not safe for all ages, pregnancy, breastfeeding, dogs, and cats and Nourishing Joy has a set of printable Essential Oil Safety Cards that list what is safe for Adults, Kids, Dogs, and Cats (spoiler alert – there are few that are safe for dogs and none that are safe for cats.).
Ingredients/Materials
Make it!
Fill your spray bottle with ¼ witch hazel and ¾ water. Add about 5 drops of lavender essential oil to the mixture. You can add a bit more essential oil if you wish, but don’t make the scent too strong as your dog probably won’t like it. After all, dogs enjoy their natural scent (even when we humans find it a little unpleasant, to say the least).
Lavender is my preferred scent combination for deodorizing our pooch because it is gentle and helps to neutralize odor. I have also used rosemary and peppermint for this dog spray (and other things around the house that need refreshing), which work great as well.
That’s it, you’re done! Spritz this dog deodorizer on Fido’s fur, bed, toys, clothes, and anywhere else that gets that wet dog smell.
Be sure to test a small amount on your dog’s skin before spraying them all over with it. Different dogs have different sensitivities, and although this deodorant is all-natural and very gentle, you never know what could cause your pup to have a bad reaction and it’s better to test first. Spritz a little bit onto a small patch of your furry friend’s coat and wait at least 24 hours to make sure she or he is unaffected by it before using more.
I also like to pamper Meatball with the occasional home-baked treat! Well, not that occasional. These squirrel cookies were a big hit. Actually, it surprised me to no end how nutso he went for these cookies, given the very basic ingredients. I thought that store-bought cookies would certainly trump the homemade, with all the delicious duck scent and all. But nope, my pooch loves his homemade squirrel cookies and you can get the recipe here.
I made your stinky dog spray as directions stated. My dog broke out in hives. Thank God for Benedryl.
Oh no! I’m sorry to hear that, Kristin! It sounds like your poor pooch had an allergic reaction to one of the oils. I always recommend testing it on a small area first, because everybody and every dog is different. I would also have a look at the ingredients to make sure that it was pure witch hazel with no additives, and pure essential oils (not fragrance oils) as there can sometimes be hidden ingredients that are causing the issue. Perhaps patch test the pure witch hazel and if that is OK, then add a few drops of lavender and patch test again. Ironically, witch hazel is great for treating inflamed and itchy skin, like hives so it should have helped his/her skin not caused a reaction. Thank you so much for reporting back your experience, it is valuable information to share. All my best, Stephanie
Why on earth would you give your dog Benadryl. It has more dangerous chemical properties that makes it totally unsuitable for pets. Pets and Hives or nasty rashes including Yeast infections are treatable with more topical treatment than an ingested product to suppress behaviour (scratching) but to show signs of distress or worsening condition.
Stephanie is right in saying PURE Witch Hazel is a soothing agent rather than a cause of a reaction because it is used in many animal product bases including shampoos and conditioners but you probably need to read the label of ingredients to understand human products are not for pets. Phoning your Vet can advise the best solution when your pet reacts badly to something you decided was o.k. and they can tell you weather you need to have your pet checked over, because smell dog may be an infection in the early stages which you cannot see signs of distress or unusual behaviour. Dogs are very good at masking pain or conditions we’ be off to our doctor to address and please stay out of the human medicine cabinet for your pet’s sake.
Vets have told me that benadryl is not only safe for dogs but recommended.
ok mr know it all, where does kristin say her dog ingested it? if you’re going to be snarky online you better think it through. benadryl is as often used topically as internally. topical benadryl on dogs is fine…
I am looking for a spray to get rid of urine smell on my 10 year old lab mix. He’s always squatted instead of lifting leg so he “gets” some of his from leg peed on. The baby wipes are just not cutting the smell even though he gets groomed every 4-6 weeks. If I make your spray and he licks it, will the oils be harmful to him to ingest? Can’t seem to find an in between fur spray that says he can ingest. Thank you for your help.
Hi Mary Ellen, I’m sorry but I don’t think this would be the right option. I think the licking is what is going to keep him the cleanest, and this spray may deter that.
If Benadryl is so harmful, I wonder why my Vet said to give it to my fur baby every day?
I agree with you. Was told to give my dog Benadryl in the past. Glad I did.
Hi there, would this spray also help with my allergies? The dander from my girl wreaks havoc with my asthma And don’t have time to wash her all the time. Thanks
Hi Mel, I really can’t say whether or not it would help, it’s just meant to help with a bit of odour, I don’t think there would be any benefit to keeping the dander down. I’m so sorry that you are going through that. Sending hugs.
I am loving this spray: easy to make and my choice of oils. I have a GSD who doesn’t seem to be allergic and doesn’t mind that I put it on rather thick. Lol he now smells like lemongrass, orange and peppermint. Thank you for the recipe!