Sour smell

[Kathy, Harley & Roxie]

Recently Harley got into some very bad mud, took 1.5 hours to get him clean.  Used Tail and Main for the first time (usually use Tropiclean shampoo and condition, but can't find the conditioner in stock), but strongly disliked the way he smelled after that and felt it left a residue.   He had another bath last night with a new shampoo.  Today he smells "sour".  I have always allowed him to dry naturally and have never had this problem.  I just want my clean tropical smelling Harley back.  Of note, the smell is strongest on his head.  I smelled his ears directly and it doesn't seem to come from the ear canal, but the fur under the ear is smelly.  Appreciate any suggestions.  Thanks in advance DK family :-)

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

Sounds like it is coming from his ears. The oily wax can come out and stay in the hair around the ears as well. Have you cleaned his ears recently and found any black gunk in them?

[Kathy, Harley & Roxie]

I have a cleaning solution I put in his ears about every 2 weeks.  He hasn't had any black stuff come out of them.  I have noticed the hair under the ear tends to stay oily looking.

[Nancy Pyzynski]

It may be that the fur under his ears is not drying as quickly as the rest of him and that can cause a sour smell since bacteria tends to grow in warm, moist areas.  Try a little vinegar and water rinse there, comb it through if possible and then try to get that area as dry as you can.  The vinegar with take any residue out of the hair and also acts as an antibacterial.  I use a diluted vinegar/water rinse on Coco's chin and beard to eliminate that occasional sour smell that she gets from being wet there much of the time.

Good luck.

[Kathy, Harley & Roxie]

Hubby and I were discussing just this last night.  We will try it.

[Amy, Cubbie & Ollie]

Kathy, I usually try to shave a small area just below the opening to the ear.  Ollie gets the same greasy feeling to his hair in that spot and i found that if i shave a little and then then the section below it (you can't see it because it is covered by his ears anyway) it keeps him feeling cleaner there longer.

[Kathy, Harley & Roxie]

Amy how short do you clip it?

 

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

I usually shave at least 1/2 inch short or less. I use the same blade I do the tummy and sanitary cut with. It helps air flow under the air and keeps it dry. You will never see it.

[F, Calla & Luca]

I don't shave it but I keep the hair short under the ears.

[Kathy, Harley & Roxie]

We find it odd that the smell came over night....literally.  He did go to doggy day care the previous day and swam in the man-made pond, but it has two water falls and the water does circulate somewhat.  I bathed him again and the smell is somewhat less intense, but def still there.  I used lemon water around his head and ears and Hubby will get a large vinegar today.  Vinager bath tonight.  poor Harley