Why Does My Husky Smell? (And How To Stop It)

It can be a very frustrating thing if your husky smells. This post will give you a number of reasons why your husky might smell and what you can do about it.

So, why does your husky smell? There are a number of possible reasons that your husky could smell. It could be that it has health problems such as bad breath, diseased teeth or gums, ear infections or excessive flatulence or problems with the anal sacs. It could also be due to rolling in smelly things, a bad diet or having been in water. 

And, what can you do to stop it? The most effective way to get rid of your husky’s smell will depend largely on the cause of the bad smell. Some general things that you can do are to take it to the vet, improve its teeth with dental cleanings, bathe it, check its ears regularly and to prevent them from getting wet as well as its fur and skin and to train it not to roll in smelly things.

It can actually be quite difficult to pinpoint the exact reason that your husky is smelly. In the next section, I will show you some of the specifics of what might be causing the smell.

Why Your Husky Might Be Smelly

There are a number of reasons that your husky might be smelly that I will mention below. Before you try to reduce the smell it’s important to figure out why your husky smells so that you can correct it more easily.

Health problems

There are a number of health problems that can be associated with bad smells.

If your husky has bad breath then it could be due to kidney failure or diabetes. It’s normal for a dog’s breath to be slightly smelly but if it’s very bad then it could be due to health reasons.

Bad breath can also be caused by diseased teeth and gums. Diseased teeth and gums can also cause increased drooling which might get caught in its fur which can cause it to become even more smelly.

Bacterial infections in the ears can make them smell bad as well. It will often be accompanied by lots of head shaking, flatulence some is normal but lots may be due to intestine problems

There might also be problems with the anal sacs. They are two small scent sacs located in the area of the anus and are types of marking glands. When a dog poos the sacs will normally get squeezed and release a smelly oily secretion. If a dog is scared or excited the glands can secrete the oily substance onto its fur. Your vet can show you how to check the anal sacs yourself and even how to empty them.

If you think that there might be health problems that are causing the bad smell then you should take your husky to the vet and get it checked out.

Related: why does my husky stare?

It’s been rolling around in smelly things

It’s common for huskies to roll around in the grass but when it does it regularly it can cause it to stay smelly for most of the time. If your husky has a habit of rolling around in the grass and it smells then you might want to take measures to reduce that kind of behavior. I have written about how to do that in the past here.

Huskies are also known to roll in other things such as mud or dirt. To prevent this you can try to limit how much it can access these sorts of things, you can make sure that there are not dirty things such as poop in your backyard and you can try training your husky to come to you on command.

Related: why does my husky attack other dogs?

It’s been in water

Another cause of why your husky has suddenly become smelly is that it might have recently been in water. If it’s been raining or if your husky has been swimming in a lake or pool then it can cause your husky’s fur to become smelly especially if the water was dirty. To get rid of the smell here you can clean it so that the dirty water doesn’t get a chance to dry on your husky’s coat and you can avoid letting it inside until you have dried it off.

Related: Why does my dog smell me when I get home?

Yeast infections

Yeast is a common issue for huskies and other dogs and it will often come with a bad smell. Smelly paws or ears are usually a sign of yeast infections. If your husky is scratching its paws or ears on a regular basis then this could be the cause and you should take it to the vet.

Skin infections

Another cause of a bad odor could be due to skin infections. If your husky is regularly itching itself it has thinning hair or it has red and flaking skin then this could be the cause.

Bad diet

Another cause of huskies smelling could be due to a bad diet. A bad diet can cause it to have bad breath and to have increased flatulence. If you think that diet might be to blame then you should consult with a vet and ask them to help you to improve your husky’s diet.

Ways to improve your husky’s smell

There are a number of things that you can do to improve your husky’s smell. The most effective method will depend on the cause of your husky’s smell.

Improve its dental health

Since bad breath is a common cause of bad odors in dogs one of the things that you can do is to improve your husky’s dental health. You can do this by giving it bones and chews to chew on that help to reduce plaque, you can make sure to give it annual health cleanings and you can even brush its teeth yourself. You should also take steps to make sure that there are no problems with its teeth or gums by taking it to the vets.

Keep it dry

When your husky gets wet it can cause it to become smelly and it can lead to infections. This is why you should make sure to clean its skin and ears after it gets wet. You should also check its ears periodically to check for infections.

Change its diet

Since a bad diet can cause huskies to smell you should take measures to ensure that your husky’s diet is how it should be. The best way to do this would be to ask your vet when you see them next.

Clean it

One way to keep your husky smelling nice is to bathe and groom it regularly. By doing this you will be able to keep its fur smelling fresh and free of odor. By grooming it you’ll also be able to remove loose fur which could be increasing its smell.

Bear in mind that huskies and other types of dogs will still be a bit smelly after bathing them but this is due to its coat being wet and should go away after you dry it.

Get it to stop rolling in smelly things

Since one cause of your husky’s smell is likely to be due to rolling around once measure you can take is to get it to stop doing so.

You can do this by training it to come to you on command, giving it exercise, keeping it cool and giving it things to keep it occupied. I have written more extensively about this in the past here.

Ask your vet

If you’re still unsure of what is causing your husky’s smell then your best option would be to take it to a vet where they will be able to examine it and to tell you what they think is causing the smell.

One thing to consider is that you can try masking the smell but it’s better to get to the root cause. By masking the smell you’ll be able to make your house smell nice temporarily but the cause of your husky’s smell will not have been dealt with and it’s important that you get to the bottom of what might be causing it.

Related questions

Why does my husky smell bad all of a sudden? If your husky’s bad smell has come on suddenly then it is likely to be because it has been rolling around in something smelly. Other possible causes could be infections or having been wet. You could try bathing it and if the smell comes back then you should take it to the vet.

Why does my husky roll in smelly things? There are a number of reasons that this could be the case including boredom, trying to mask its scent or trying to get its natural smell back. If it’s regularly rolling in smelly things then you should consider getting help from a dog behaviorist or a vet.