Sniffing Out the Truth: Smells That Dogs Dislike and Ones They Love!

Dogs are curious creatures, and they love sniffing anything and everything that they set their eyes on.

Because of their heightened sense of smell, they are vulnerable to some scents that can irritate their noses and potentially harm their respiratory system too. While there are many fragrances that dogs love and enjoy, each pet parent should be aware of smells that their dog dislikes that can set it off or trigger any unpleasant behavior. Let’s dive deep into the plethora of fragrances that your dog may or may not like.

Understanding a dog’s sense of smell

Just like us, our canine friends too are dependent on their olfactory receptors when it comes to sense of smell. A dog’s olfactory receptors let it smell a wide variety of smells, playing a big role in how they locate and identify things. Olfactory receptors are cells found in the nasal epithelium that detect odor molecules and allow us and our furry friends to smell. While we humans have 6 to 10 million olfactory receptors, dogs have a whopping average of around 225 to 300 million olfactory receptors! This goes to show how advanced and heightened a dog’s sense of smell is and even why they love to sniff everything as a basic instinct.

Every dog parent knows that their pet’s sense of smell can, in most cases, affect their behavior and mood. So, let’s learn more about the different smells your dog may love or hate, to make sure that you don’t end up triggering your furry friend.

Smells that dogs dislike

Here are some smells that dogs dislike the most:

• Citrus: While you may love a good citrus candle or air freshener, this is a smell that dogs hate. Citrus smells are irritating to a dog's nose and ingesting something citrusy is also harmful for them. So, it is highly recommended for pet parents not to leave out any citrus peels or anything citrusy that is remotely edible.
• Vinegar: While dogs are extremely curious, one thing that will turn their noses away is the scent of white spirit vinegar. Vinegar is found commonly in all households and while it is not toxic for dogs, keeping it away from your dog’s reach can help avoid any unnecessary accidents.
• Peppers (or anything spicy): Pepper tastes great with our food and is a basic common seasoning found in every house. However, dogs dislike the smell of pepper (especially cayenne pepper). In fact, smelling pepper can make your dog sneeze a lot.
• Cleaning agents: Many cleaning agents have chlorine or ammonia in them along with some citrus fragrances. This concoction makes one of the worst smells for your dog. While it can be extremely irritating for them to smell this, the chemicals present in these cleaning agents can also damage their nervous system and upper respiratory tract.
• Mothballs: We use naphthalene balls to store linens, clothes, and many other fabrics but these mothballs are highly dangerous for canines. It not only causes health issues in dogs but is also a probable carcinogen. On top of that, naphthalene is one of the many smells that dogs hate.
• Perfumes: A lot of the things that we use have aromas. It’s not just perfumes and deodorants but also many other cosmetics. Dogs have extremely sensitive nostrils and cannot tolerate a strong blend of smells.

Smells that are usually tolerable for dogs

While dogs don’t really like the smell of fresh herbs or spices, some of them may have the capability to calm your dog. For example, herbs like Lavender, Chamomile, Citronella oil, and ginger in moderation can be calming for your pet. Other non-citrus smells like apple and banana are also tolerable for dogs. However, it's best to remember that each dog has its own preferences. Some dogs may like to smell certain scents whereas others may not be able to tolerate these.

Smells that dogs love

Now let’s talk about some smells that get dogs wagging their tails:

• Vanilla: Some dogs may not even know what they’re smelling when they smell vanilla, but studies show that vanilla has a calming effect on canines. After all, who doesn’t love a sweet vanilla scent that’s not too strong?
• Coconut: Like humans, dogs too benefit from the consumption of coconut. Dogs also enjoy the fragrance emitted by coconuts.
• Lavender: Lavender can have a soothing and calming effect on your pet, and you can also use this scent while training your dog. Since your dog would prefer to interact with a toy scented with lavender instead of chewing furniture, this plant offers a win-win situation for everyone.
• Ginger: This aromatic root can help calm your furry pet down, especially when they’re sick or too hyper. You can use this fragrance to help your pet release some stress when you’re spending some quality time together.
• You: Dogs love sniffing their parents and friends too! So, go ahead and enjoy those hours of daily playtime together.

Practical applications for pet parents

Now that you’re well aware of what scents dogs hate and like, you can be more mindful of the products you use in your home, ingredients that can be within reach of your pets, and more. Since your pet’s nose is extremely sensitive, make sure you’re not using strong air fresheners, scented candles, cleaning agents, and more in your home. Even if you are, make sure you do it when your dog goes for a walk and the effect is neutralized. You can also use smells that they like to train them. However, always remember that each dog has different preferences, and recognizing your dog’s likes and dislikes can save your dog and you a lot of trouble.

Just like us, our dear pets also have their likes, dislikes, and quirks besides their natural repulsiveness to certain smells. As their chosen family, it is our duty to help them lead a happy and comfortable life by providing a safe environment that they can thrive in.