# Why does wet dog fur smell so bad? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 23, 2000, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-wet-dog-fur-smell-so-bad/9240 "2000-03-23T20:03:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ASPA](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b19c9b/32.png) [@ASPA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASPA)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2000, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-wet-dog-fur-smell-so-bad/9240/21 "2000-03-25T19:57:00Z")
[QUOTE] Originally posted by Breckinshire: \*\*When my dog is dry, she doesn’t really have a particular smell. But if she’s been out in the rain and comes inside, she smells just awful. This awful smell will usually be gone by the next morning, when she’s had time to dry. Why is this? Oh, I just read your detailed question (instead of just the tag question). Based on my above-posted answer, and refusing to deviate much from it, I would have to suggest that may want to have the rain tested for urine content. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2000, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-wet-dog-fur-smell-so-bad/9240/22 "2000-03-26T00:06:00Z")
> [@](#): > > After a workout, humans smell due to sweat and it’s component (and, of course, the action of bacteria on the sweat). Maybe that’s the answer - wet dogs smell like wet dogs because the moisture allows the bacteria to do their stuff. That is, the sweat/oil/secretion is always there but when the dog is dry the bacteria can’t grow. ---
**Author:** ![Jois](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ea666f/32.png) [@Jois](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jois)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2000, 9:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-wet-dog-fur-smell-so-bad/9240/23 "2000-03-26T09:46:00Z")
And several hours later…a couple of years ago somebody was selling or trying to sell sweaters made of dog hair/fur. The seller was asked if the sweater didn’t smell “doggie” and the seller replied that once washed there was no smell. ## If true then that would be an indication of the odor coming from the oils in the dog’s hair/fur, wouldn’t it? Are you driving with your eyes open or are you using The Force? - A. Foley ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2000, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-wet-dog-fur-smell-so-bad/9240/24 "2000-03-26T13:17:00Z")
Handy, you stole the words right out of my mouth. I’m surprised the thread went that long without someone mentioning that we’d (and any other wet mammal) stink too if we haven’t showered in a month. I mean really, how often do you bath your dog? * * * “Life is hard…but God is good” ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2000, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-wet-dog-fur-smell-so-bad/9240/25 "2000-03-27T13:12:00Z")
> [@](#): > > I’m surprised the thread went that long without someone mentioning that we’d (and any other wet mammal) stink too if we haven’t showered in a month. But the question is not “why do they stink.” The interesting part is that usually dogs don’t smell too bad when dry, but a simple addition of clean water (e.g. exposure to rain) makes the smell stronger and different. As android209 said, it’s hard to think of chemical reasons why some substance starts to smell if you add water to it. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2016, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-wet-dog-fur-smell-so-bad/9240/26 "2016-06-17T21:39:49Z")
My new puppy (pix on request) has neither the _eau d’chien_ usually acquired after one month (he’s just turning three months), which I can understand, but what was interesting was his notable lack of wet-dog funk after (his first) rainfall. Is that a body chemistry thing or fur-type, i.e., puppy fur, thing? And no, he’s not really 16 years old. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2016, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-wet-dog-fur-smell-so-bad/9240/27 "2016-06-17T22:33:03Z")
I imagine a 16-year-old zombie dog is beyond smell, but I could be wrong. Good resurrection nonetheless. [Here’s a Youtube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9AozZLZnCU) video from American Chemical Society from a year ago explaining it all science-like. TL;DW\* answer? Microorganisms in the fur give off volatiles (smelly molecules), but lots are trapped on the surface of the skin or fur hairs until liberated by water molecules. \*Too long; didn’t watch. I mean, it’s over three minutes long. I wanted my answers **NOW**. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2016, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-wet-dog-fur-smell-so-bad/9240/28 "2016-06-17T23:52:56Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > … > \*Too long; didn’t watch. I mean, it’s over three minutes long. I wanted my answers **NOW**. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2016, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-wet-dog-fur-smell-so-bad/9240/29 "2016-06-18T03:34:01Z")
Since I missed this gem the first go-around: I don’t mind the smell of wet dog. It’s distinctive, is all. It helps if your beast is water-repellent, like Patience the Labrador (of whom it should be said that she’s a bit stinky wet _or_ dry. ---
**Author:** ![CG2305](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/35a633/32.png) [@CG2305](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CG2305)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2016, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-wet-dog-fur-smell-so-bad/9240/30 "2016-06-18T18:03:06Z")
[http://www.akc.org/learn/dog-health/wet-dogs-smell-bad/](http://www.akc.org/learn/dog-health/wet-dogs-smell-bad/) ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2016, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-wet-dog-fur-smell-so-bad/9240/31 "2016-06-18T20:01:44Z")
FWIW, it’s not just dogs. My motorcycle clothing had a very strong “wet dog” odour when it got wet. One of my happiest memories from university is that people would get up and move away when I came in from a wet trip and sat down in a lecture theatre 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2016, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-wet-dog-fur-smell-so-bad/9240/32 "2016-06-18T20:05:28Z")
[![](https://i7.ebayimg.com/03/i/03/f4/51/72_35.JPG) ](https://i7.ebayimg.com/03/i/03/f4/51/72_35.JPG) Patience on a monument But smiling at everything ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2016, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-wet-dog-fur-smell-so-bad/9240/33 "2016-06-18T22:58:55Z")
Dogs like the smell of each other’s assholes … just a little perspective [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-wet-dog-fur-smell-so-bad/9240.md?page=1)