Do Shiba Inus Smell? How To Keep Them Fresh

Anyone who owns a dog knows the pain of keeping them smelling their best. The bad smell from dogs rubs off your furniture, getting into the air and making your room smelly. Although Shibas are clean and tidy, you might want to know; do Shiba Inus smell?

Shiba Inus don’t smell bad at all. They’re clean, tidy, and have a self-cleaning habit that keeps them glaring all the time with a subtle smell. However, infections might make your Shiba Inus smelly. So, if you notice your Shiba developing a bad odour, it could be a health-related problem.

In this guide, we’ll take you through the tips for keeping your Shiba Inus clean and the possible causes of bad body odour.

Do Shiba Inus Smell?

Shiba Inus don’t smell bad at all and don’t have any odour problems. They like staying clean and tidy, thus the reason people refer to them as cat-like dogs.

However, when your Shiba plays in places where they get dirty and smelly, they might return home with a foul smell.

Of course, even if your Shiba has been in a dirty place, they won’t stay dirty for long. These dogs are super perfect in cleaning themselves. So they don’t remain dirty for a long time.

Shibas know how to clean themselves after they get dirty. If your Shiba Inus has a foul smell, take note of where they have been. You can do away with temporal smelling using a bath or cleaning process.

However, if the smell lasts for long, it might be a result of a health problem. As such, you might want to visit a vet for diagnosis.

Would you like to know how Shibas relate with cats? Check our post on, are Shiba Inus good with cats?

What Do Shiba Inus Smell Like Naturally?

According to an online survey involving Shiba Inus owners, Shibas generally have a subtle smell, which is nowhere close to bad. In fact, most owners like this subtle smell as it’s quite unique.

Half of the survey participants said their Shibas smell like nutmeg and bacon. One of the Shiba owners said theirs smells like digestive biscuits, but the smell comes off clean when their Shiba is asleep.

Also, other people said their Shibas are neutral and don’t smell anything. So, what’s general here is that Shibas are different from one another. They all don’t smell the same.

Also, Shiba Inus scents change over time. Shibas smell different when they get old from when they were a puppy. It can vary from a lovely clean smell to vice versa when they get old.

However, Shibas won’t smell bad unless they have dirt or health challenges. Also, allergic reactions can make your Shiba to start smelling bad.

So, if your Shiba is clean and healthy, they shouldn’t smell bad. If you suddenly notice a foul smell, you might want to take your Shiba to the vet.

Do Shiba Inus Smell Bad or Stink?

No, Shiba Inus don’t smell bad or stink. They have a unique subtle smell that’s nowhere close to stinking.

Shiba Inus are known to be one of the cleanest dog breeds. They know how to keep themselves clean and also groom themselves regularly.

Also, in case your Shiba gets dirty while playing outside, they know how to clean themselves. That’s one reason Shibas are commonly known to be cat-like dogs.

However, Shibas can suffer from some medical conditions which make them start smelling bad. This can be ear or skin infections.

Also, if your Shiba goes playing in dirty places, they might come back home with a foul smell.

As such, you have to take note of where your Shiba Inus will play. Although, if the foul smell persists even after you wash your Shiba Inus, it might be a health problem.

Do Shiba Inus Smell Like Dogs?

Shiba Inus are comparatively clean and don’t smell like other dogs. They have a subtle smell that is unique and isn’t irritating.

Shiba Inus don’t give the smell most dogs have. Besides, they are clean, tidy, and groom themselves when they have dirt on their body.

Since they’re clean, their smell isn’t foul as that of other breeds. People don’t even associate them with other dogs; they associate them with cats. So, they’re often known as cat-like dogs.

What makes Shiba Inus smell foul are health conditions that may affect their body parts, including their skin.

What Makes Shiba Inus Smell Bad?

Shiba Inus smell bad due to several conditions, including;

• Ear Infection
• Anal Gland Problem
• Skin Problem
• Diet
• Dental Issues
• Temporary Reasons

What’s more;

1.     Ear Infection

Ear infections in Shibas make them stink. Also, apart from the ear infections, wax build-up inside your Shibas ears often produces a foul smell.

Although this stinking smell goes away on its own, it’s good to consult a vet. If it’s an ear infection, your Shiba will start scratching the ear to signify some itchy effect.

That’s enough reason to book a visit to the vet.

2.     Anal Gland Problem

Anal glands can often cause a foul smell in Shiba Inus. Although this isn’t frequently the case, it sometimes happens, making your Shiba produce a bad smell.

The anal glands need some cleaning as you groom your Shiba or when your Shiba is taking a bath. Clean them by wiping the surface using a wet piece of cloth.

3.     Skin Problem

Shiba Inus experience skin challenges such as allergies and bacteria infections. These skin problems can result in a bad smell due to the sores.

When Shiba Inus have skin allergies, they scratch themselves a lot. As such, the scratching makes them develop sores that in turn produce a bad smell.

Infections are easily visible. If you observe your Shiba itching and scratching themselves, it’s high time you visit the vet for a check-up.

4.     Diet

In case you’re feeding your Shiba Inus a poor diet, it might result in them stinking or having a bad foul smell.

A good example is Shiba Inus which eats raw meat. Also, Shibas that eat processed foods with high carbohydrates might cause an increase in oil secretion, leading to a bad smell.

What Are Ways to Eliminate the Bad Smell in Shiba Inus?

If your Shiba Inus has a bad smell or stinks, you might want to check the tips below.

• Good Diet
• See The Vet
• Regular Grooming
• Brush His Teeth
• Groom His Ears
• Give Him a Bath
• Wash His Bedding

How about these tips? Let’s explore each below;

1.     Good Diet

Avoid feeding your Shiba Inus highly processed foods. Besides, as you buy your Shibas food, be selective with the type of nutrients in the food. You can as well make your Shibas food instead of always going for commercial food.

It’s best when your Shibas food has proteins. However, other nutrients should be available too. A good Shiba Inu diet should have sodium, calcium, magnesium, chloride, phosphorus, and potassium.

2.     See The Vet

Although you might try your best to keep your Shiba Inus in the best condition, they might develop some bad smell every once in a while. So, you need to visit the vet occasionally for a check-up.

Despite your Shiba looking healthy and comfy, they might have underlying conditions you can’t detect by yourself. As such, a visit to the vet every once in a while is good.

3.     Regular Grooming

Although Shiba Inus are good at cleaning themselves, you have to do some further cleaning. As such, have a regular grooming schedule for brushing your Shibas coat.

A good recommendation is to brush your Shibas coat every two weeks. However, when blowing their coat, you should brush the coat every day where possible.

Shibas that don’t shed that much don’t necessarily need regular brushing.

4.     Brush His Teeth

Although Shibas don’t like it, strive to brush your Shibas teeth more often. If possible, do it thrice a week to avoid getting a bad odour out of his mouth. Use treats before the brushing session to calm him down.

Also, ensure to use the right toothbrush for Shibas. Since your Shiba is more likely to swallow the toothpaste, use the one approved by your vet.

5.     Groom His Ears

You should groom your Shibas ears at least once a month. If your Shiba spends most time indoors, it’s necessary to groom their years more often. However, if your Shiba is the type that spends most of their time outdoors, you can groom their ears twice a month.

Use a clean, soft cloth to do it. First, deep it in warm water, and then use it to clean the ears. You can use shampoo in this case.

Just like humans, your Shibas ears are delicate. Hence, you should be gentle when doing the cleaning. Wait until your Shiba is calm before you begin cleaning the ears.

6.     Give Him a Bath

Although your Shiba might always seem clean and tidy, a bath is always necessary. You can do it twice or thrice a year. It depends on your region’s climate. Shibas living in warm climates need frequent baths.

If not after six months, bathe your Shiba every three months. That’s a good way to wash off the oils on their skin and avoid bad odour.

The standard number of baths in a year should be three. As such, your Shiba should be getting a bath after every 4 months.

7.     Wash Your Shibas Bedding

You must make sure your canine friend stays in a clean environment. Clean your Shibas bedding after maybe three weeks.

However, in case their beddings have visible dirt, clean it immediately. Shiba Inu breeds don’t like staying in untidy places.

You shouldn’t wait until your Shibas bedding is dirty and smelly; clean them after a few weeks, even if there’s no visible dirt.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do Shiba Inus Have an Odor?

Shiba Inus are clean, tidy, and have no odour issues; thus, they’re known to be “cat-like” dogs.

However, if your Shiba goes playing around dirty places, they might come home with a bad odour hence the need to clean them. So, take note of your Shibas playing ground.

How Often Do Shiba Inus Need a Bath?

Shiba Inus need a bath every 3 months. However, you can do it as frequently as weekly up to no longer than every 6 weeks.

Shibas require regular baths and grooming. Also, after bathing your Shiba, proper drying is important. Use a piece of cloth to dry their skin after the bath.

Do Shibas Like Baths?

Shiba Inus don’t like baths and tend to grown the entire time when having a bath. However, this behavior ends as they age and learn how good a bath is to them.

Since they’re naturally clean and tidy, Shibas dislike baths a lot. In fact, most Shibas don’t like coming into contact with water.

Are Shibas High Maintenance?

No. Shiba Inus aren’t high maintenance. They only require more maintenance during the shedding period.

However, during normal times, Shiba owners only need to groom their coat twice or once a week.

Do Shiba Inus Stink When Wet?

Yes. The Shiba Inus skin produces some odour immediately after a bath.

However, this odour ends shortly after taking a bath. Therefore, it’s not something to worry about.

The Parting Shot On, Do Shiba Inus Smell.

Shiba Inus do not smell bad as they tend to remain clean, tidy and know how to groom themselves. A bath every 3 months is good for your Shiba.

Also, grooming should be done weekly unless your Shiba blows their coat. When blowing their coat, groom them every day, and where possible, twice a day. That helps avoid tumbleweeds of fur on your furniture.

Also, you should be wary of the diet you feed your Shiba Inus as it may cause a bad smell. Another precaution is regular visits to the vet and washing Shibas bedding regularly.

Don’t forget to brush your Shibas teeth regularly as well.

Needless to say, if your Shiba remains unkept for long, they may develop skin infections that produce a bad body odour.