Do Goldendoodles Smell? 7 Reasons Your Goldendoodle Stinks
All dogs can smell. The popular Goldendoodle is no exception! So do Goldendoodles smell? Yes. There is a big difference between normal dog smell and a stinky problem.
Goldendoodles are amazing Poodle Mix crossbreeds. The cross of purebred Poodle with a Golden Retriever can yield the perfect temperament family dog. Their hypoallergenic low-shedding coats can be magnificent. They have very few health problems.
Something that can cause concern for owners is when a normal dog smell turns into a musty odour, or outright stinky Goldendoodle.
Do Goldendoodles smell? Yes, sometimes. Luckily a stinky or smelly Goldendoodle can be remedied once you identify the cause.
Why Does My Goldendoodle Smell?
One problem that can really make your beautiful Goldendoodle seem less perfect? Smell. Some Goldendoodles can stink up a storm. If you have a stinky Goldendoodle the good news is much of the issue can be easily overcome with little to no cost.
The most common causes of a stinky Goldendoodle are
- Ear Infections
- Dental issues
- Gas (or dietary)
- Atopy
- Improperly cleaned coat
- Anal Sacs
- EYE RUN (Poodle Inherited trait)
There are solutions to smelly Goldendoodles. It all comes down to identifying which combination of factors is causing the offensive odour.
From dealing with a Goldendoodle yeast infection, treating some doggy gum disease, or simply selecting the best Goldendoodle shampoo – the solutions are available.
Goldendoodle Ear Infections
Poodle cross breeds are susceptible to bad smells due to excessive growth of hair in the ear canals.
One of the inherited traits of a Goldendoodle is the shape and format of its ears. Just like a Poodle, a Goldendoodle will be prone to ear infections.
If there is an infection present, you will need to consult a veterinarian. Common signs of infection are heat, swelling, discharge, fever. If your Goldendoodle is lethargic this can also be a worrying sign of infection. Ears are delicate and hearing is very important for dogs with long lifespans. (Even Toy and teacup Goldendoodles have extremely long lifespans)
A Goldendoodle can end up with smell and odour from the ears even before an infection results. Luckily at home grooming or salon treatments can remove the excess hair that causes blockages, smells, and infections.
The ear canals of the Goldendoodle are one of the most labour intensive areas of grooming. The video below documents how to clean and trim Poodle ear hair. The process is the same for Poodle mix breeds.
You can learn how to clean the ears of a Labradoodle with our guide here.
In this Poodle ear plucking video the Groomer outlines the reasons why you wouldn’t pluck your puppy’s ears. Watch closely and consider contacting your Veterinarian for advice.
Moving beyond the ear canal, the ear hair in general should be kept short
- It is very tempting to allow the ear hair to grow as it can give a very aesthetic look
- If your Goldendoodle develops ear smells or infections then you will need to reduce the length
- If the ear hair length is trending towards appearing like a Cocker Spaniel’s than other Goldendoodles, chances are you’re letting it grow a bit too long.
- Best practice is keeping the ear hair between ½ inch to 1 inch maximum (1-2.5 centimetres)
- Shorter hair around the ears can allow for more air flow, which in turn can help prevent bacteria and wax from getting trapped and building up in your Goldendoodle’s ear canal.
Goldendoodle Dental Issues Causing Bad Breath
Like all dogs, Goldendoodles can suffer from bad breath. It is not uncommon for the stinky odour of Goldendoodle gum disease to be significantly contributing to any issues with dog odour.
Both Poodles and Golden Retrievers can suffer from gum recession. This can lead to increased bacteria present in the mouth. As a result, the breath can get stinky.
The primary causes of dental issues in dogs are
- Periodontal disease (gum disease) – pockets of gum recession that allow food and bacteria to be trapped near the teeth
- Calculus and plaque – if food stays on the teeth then the bacteria can grow. The soft bacterial build up (dental plaque) can be easily removed, calculus or tartar requires your Goldendoodles teeth to be professionally cleaned
- There are two options to clean your puppy’s teeth at home
- Giving your dog a dental specific treat or chew toy can allow your puppy to clean their own teeth
- Or using a dog toothbrush and toothpaste and manually cleaning your dogs teeth weekly can resolve the bad breath
The best dental chew toys for Goldendoodles are either this type of chew toy, or this type of natural tooth cleaning treat.
Do Goldendoodles Smell Due To Gas?
Poodles and Golden Retrievers can both have sensitivity to different types of food. A common cause of a smelly Goldendoodle is a gassy stomach.
If this is the cause of your Goldendoodles stinkiness, then an intolerance to a particular food is likely. Modifying the Goldendoodle diet strategically can reduce gassiness.
You won’t have to hand make all your dogs food – a balanced and nutritious diet is possible while avoiding possible foods.
Most common Goldendoodle intolerances causing gas
- Grains
- Chicken
- Preservatives
A Goldendoodle food like Canidae grain Free Salmon is grain-free and chicken free. There are plenty of options available at pet stores or online.
Atopy in Goldendoodles (Allergic reaction or skin oils)
Atopy in dogs is in relation to allergies to food or environment causing symptoms. This differs from just a gassy reaction due to food intolerance.
The symptoms can include smell, excessive itching, rashes, sneezes, watery eyes, or general skin inflammation.
Do Goldendoodles smell due to atopy or allergic reaction? Yes they can. The smell can come from oily reactions in the skin, or the leaky eye fluid drying on the eyes and causing matting.
The smell from the skin if caused by Atopy can be yeasty. If your Goldendoodle is having a yeast odour – Atopy is one of the the first concerns to monitor. (Pet MD Yeast)
Allergic reactions in Goldendoodles resulting in odour can be caused by food allergens. They are also frequently caused by dust mites or other allergens.
If the Atopy is food caused – again following a restricted but still health conscious diet can improve the symptoms. If there are other causes medication may be required. Consider consulting a veterinarian if you think this is the case.
How To Groom Away Goldendoodle Smell?
Improper grooming can result in a smelly Goldendoodle. Goldendoodles need weekly brushing and coat treatment. They also need surprisingly frequent washes. Getting a grooming table for your Goldendoodle is an easy way to make DIY at-home Goldendoodle grooming much easier.
You need to be careful not to over wash your Goldendoodle, so when you do clean your dog use the best possible Goldendoodle shampoos.
You will need to maintain your Goldendoodles
- Ears
- Eyes
- Tail
- Paws
- Muzzle
- Inside Legs
It is important to establish a routine from when your Goldendoodle is young. If you do not tend to Goldendoodle’s effectively you may end up with a stinky Goldendoodle.
Ear infections, coats with matting to the skin, and unkempt nails can result in Goldendoodle smells and discomfort.
A Goldendoodle chewing paws, or licking its paws excessively is a sure sign of a problem with the skin or fur. usually attentive grooming can resolve or lessen the irritation.
Shampoo and Conditioner for Goldendoodles
When picking a shampoo and conditioner for your Goldendoodle – you will need to consider some factors. To remedy a stinky Goldendoodle you will need to reduce dander and eliminate oils. You also need something that will help reduce matting in the undercoat.
The best Goldendoodle Shampoos are
- Balanced pH
- Soap Free
- Excellent smell (we are trying to make our Goldendoodle smell less after all)
- Biodegradable and environmentally friendly
- Does not wash off flea applications
You can find out more about the best Goldendoodle shampoos here in our review and testing of the 6 Best Goldendoodle shampoos. But seeing that you came here wondering Do Goldendoodles Smell? Here is a shortcut: The Earth Bath All-Natural Shampoo is best to make your Goldendoodle puppy stop smelling.
Do Goldendoodles Smell Because of Anal Glands?
Dogs butts can smell. If there is poop trapped in your Goldendoodles hair it can stink. This is a simple grooming issue to fix. If the odour is distinctive, fishy and relentless even once the butt is clean – it many be anal glands.
If your Goldendoodle has difficult expressing their anal glands there will be a noxious odour. If not properly expressed the dogs anal glands can get impacted. This can lead to infection.
A goldendoodle with inflamed anal glands will smell. A trip to the veterinarian will remedy this situation. (Vet Street Dog Anal Gland treatment information)
Eye Run (Eye Gunk AKA Eye Poo) in Goldendoodles
Goldendoodles may inherit a common Poodle mix trait. Running eyes! The resulting gunk and matted fur on the face can stink and smell.
Luckily this trait can be remedied easily. We cannot make our Poodle Mix dogs stop having this condition, it is simple and easy to remove the marks and cause of the smell.
Simply using tear-stain remover on a damp cloth can remove the gunk and prevent the smell.
It is not just super small Oodle mixes that get eye stain. Even Bernedoodles and other giant dog Poodle mix breeds can get eye-stain. Sometimes other breeds are bred with Poodle mixed (like the Australian Labradoodle or Aussie Bernedoodle) and these have less eye stain.
Do Goldendoodles Smell? A Reader Question
Lizzie emailed Oodle Life to help decide which Poodle Mix she wanted to go for. For her, smell actually was a major deciding factor when deciding which breed. (For the record she was deciding between Goldendoodle and a Labradoodle – check out a breed comparison of Goldendoodle Vs Labradoodle here).
“Do Goldendoodles smell? More than Labradoodle? Does generation matter for Goldendoodle smelling?”
Well the general consensus is Lizzie that all dogs can smell. However there is no greater or lesser predisposition to smelling bad between Labradoodle or Goldendoodle.
Author note:I asked breeders about generations, and they said they didn’t believe there was a significant difference in odour between F1 and F1b or even F2 generation Goldendoodles. This is surprising as Poodles are fairly well known as an extremely low odour dog. The F1b is 75% Poodle compared to the F1 generation Goldendoodle.
I think you will be unlikely to notice a difference when comparing Labradoodle Vs Goldendoodle with regards to smell.
So Lizzie do Goldendoodles smell? Any individual Goldendoodle may have an odour, but as you read above there are plenty of possible solutions to the most common odour causing issues.
FAQ About Goldendoodle Smells
Do Miniature Goldendoodles Smell?
Like any dog it is possible to have a stinky Miniature or Toy Goldendoodle. The causes are typically dental, diet, or grooming in origin. The smell can be easily remedied at home in most cases. Ultra small Teacup Goldendoodles are prone to ear smell.
Does Goldendoodle Smell?
Goldendoodles just like any other dog can smell. In general however Goldendoodles are a low odour dog. They inherit this from their Poodle parent breed. Fortunately the most common causes of Goldendoodle odour are self limiting and can be addressed at home.
Why Does My Goldendoodle Smell?
The seven most common causes of Goldendoodle smell are Ear Infections, Dental issues, Gas (or dietary), Atopy, Improperly cleaned coat, Anal Gland issues,
Eye runs. They can all be easily treated at home.
Do F1B Goldendoodles Smell?
All Goldendoodles may smell. Breeders say that even though the F1b Goldendoodle has a higher percentage of Poodle genetics, the F1b goldendoodle is not any less prone to smelling.
Causes of Goldendoodle Bad Breath?
The causes of Goldendoodle bad breath are bacteria. Either soft bacteria (plaque) that is growing on the teeth – or hard calculus (tartar) that has solidified and stuck to the teeth. Both can be associated with periodontal pocketing and gum disease. At home dental cleaning with chew toys and dental treats can help greatly. Sometimes treatment in a Vet clinic is required to resolve the bad breath and get the Goldendoodle mouth healthy.
For more Goldendoodle reading
