::sniff:: Ugh. 2 dogs + 1 small house = need help

[luvmygsp]

Anyone have rec's for any products...air fresheners...whatever to help combat dog smell in the house??

I clean weekly, which includes vacuuming, & I wash the blankets on each of their beds (which are out in the living room) every other week. The dogs get bathed....ehh...about as much as dogs should, but they do not stink by any means...Im pretty OCD anal about cleaning & smells & stuff so if they stunk I would be bathing them all the time (even though its not good for them). We do not have a very big house, its a ranch style & there is only carpet in the living room.

The smell when I walk in the door drives me bonkers! Before we got Taylor I could rarely smell dog when I walked in the door, but now its totally there....& It bugs me!! I don't want to get knocked out/overwhelmed by some yucky perfumy type smell, I just don't want to smell dog! I have a ton of those Bath & Body Works Wallflower things, 2 in our kitchen (which is our main entrance/exit), & 1 in our living room, 1 in our bathroom & 1 in our bedroom, but I cannot smell them at all.

Anyone have any great odor neutralizing stuff they can recommend?? I have candles & those wax warmer thingys, but obviously we don't use those when we aren't home.
TIA!

[dexteroni]

Chances are it's either the carpet or the furniture. Do you sprinkle PetFresh or anything like before you vacuum? I would try it on the furniture as well. I think Nature's Miracle makes a powder; maybe try that. Febreze is the only air freshener I've found that seems to remove smell instead of competing with it.

[Deleted]

I agree that textiles are probably a culprit. Any chance of having all hard flooring? Could you sprinkle baking soda and let it sit for a while before vacuuming all the textile surfaces (Costco is great for huge bags of baking soda)? Have you had your duct work cleaned recently (by a company that vacuums all the way back to the furnace and disinfects the whole system)? Is it too cold there to air out the house by opening windows/doors occasionally? Fresh air is the best smell buster I know. What about beds? All our dog beds from Costco seem to have cedar chips inside, so our dog usually smells like cedar Are their beds smell-free? Could you air them out in the sunshine for a while if they aren't? I've read those fresheners are super unhealthy for indoor air quality, so I'd try to find another solution.

[midnightmare81]

The new dog you got is older, right? I hate to say it, but some of them have a smell no matter what you do. Sometimes its just impossible to get that smell out, sorta like some older people "smell old". What about trying the scentcy type plug in warmers? They sell them at Wal-Mart, and work well.

How often do you consider "normal" for bathing your dogs? Some dogs will have that dog odor but as someone who smells them all the time, you don't notice. Add in an additional dog and it doubles the pain. We have always recommended bathing every 6-8 weeks as long as they have no skin issues that would require bathing more or less often. You could also try bathing them in an oatmeal shampoo to help with any minor skin issues that go unnoticed. Make sure you get a good brand though, not a crappy brand like Hartz

[Deleted]

I would spray the dogs and the air with a water/white vinegar solution in a spray bottle (if the dogs don't get frequent baths). This helps eat the odors in the air and on the dog. I'd also sprinkle baking soda on the carpets and wash your floors with a vinegar/water solution as well.

[riverpestie]

Jan 11, 2013 9:26:37 GMT -5 doglove said:

I would spray the dogs and the air with a water/white vinegar solution in a spray bottle (if the dogs don't get frequent baths). This helps eat the odors in the air and on the dog. I'd also sprinkle baking soda on the carpets and wash your floors with a vinegar/water solution as well.

ITA

[calico]

White vinegar/water mix. Spray that stuff all over. Wash as many textiles as possible that the dogs lay on. If Cooper didn't smell like "dog" then the culprit is your new girl. Our pup stunk even after baths b/c the food she was eating at the shelter was trash. Once we got her on good food, she stopped stinking after about 6 weeks or so.

[luvmygsp]

Huh. Interesting responses! Thanks everyone! Now that you point it out, it must be Taylor (totally Loling @ the old people smell comment, I work in healthcare, & that is SO true!)

I guess I will have to cave & bathe them both (yep I use the "good" doggie shampoo) wash their blankies, spray their beds & the furniture (even though they aren't "allowed" on there ), & get that carpet sprinkle. I used to Febreeze & use that carpet sprinkle before, but I was trying NOT to be so OCD about cleaning so I stopped.

I'll see if that helps & let ya know! Thanks!