# Puppy Breath - Nature's New Car Smell?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puppy-breath-natures-new-car-smell/54198>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 12, 2001, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puppy-breath-natures-new-car-smell/54198 "2001-02-12T20:51:13Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\
**Post date:** [February 12, 2001, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puppy-breath-natures-new-car-smell/54198/1 "2001-02-12T20:51:13Z")

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OK, we’ve discussed new car smell and where it comes from, and how it seems to be pretty much the same no matter what make or model. Now for a discussion of nature’s equivalent - puppy breath. Nearly every puppy I’ve ever encountered has had the same breath - a little sickening, but still cute because you immediately recognize it and associate it with the adorable little animal that is either biting you with those really sharp little puppy teeth or peeing on your carpet.

So, what gives? Why do all puppies have the same breath smell?

As an aside, this does not hold true for older dogs, the breath of some have been known to peel paint (particularly after chowing down from the cat box).

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**Author:** ![Carina42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/439d5e/32.png) [@Carina42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carina42)\
**Post date:** [February 12, 2001, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puppy-breath-natures-new-car-smell/54198/2 "2001-02-12T22:27:27Z")

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Well, I spent about 45 minutes doing a Google search, and found 1,187 references to “Puppy’s Breath” chile, lots of breeder pages gushing about cute puppy breath, and quite a few poems about wonderful things in life like rainbows and fluffy clouds and puppy’s breath.

Then I gave up & called my vet. 🙂 I have the greatest vet. He says it’s the way they digest milk & milk products in the first 2-3 months that causes that distinctive smell. (Which BTW, I like.)

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**Author:** ![flyboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/4da419/32.png) [@flyboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flyboy)\
**Post date:** [February 12, 2001, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puppy-breath-natures-new-car-smell/54198/3 "2001-02-12T22:38:37Z")

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I’m sure Carina42’s vet is right, but I have to add my WAG–older dogs have a lot of plaque and gunk on their teeth. I’ve noticed (on older dogs) that the nastier the teeth, the nastier the breath, and vice versa. Puppies start with a clean slate, so to speak.

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**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\
**Post date:** [February 13, 2001, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puppy-breath-natures-new-car-smell/54198/4 "2001-02-13T17:24:19Z")

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Isn’t there supposed to be much the same thing with babies?  
If so I’d imagine it’s caused in much the same way Carina’s vet describes wrt dogs. I mean, they named a flower after  
babie’s breath, after all.