Puppy Breath Perfume???

[Debb, Lucy & Oscar]

We have a new puppy. 4 months of waiting for the gestation, then the delivery, then the weaning, and now, finally our Lucy is home. Day 2 so far. She is a dream come true and both my DH and I can not imagine a more perfect puppy. Neither of us has ever had a puppy together, or separately. Well, I did, when I was 7yrs old, for about a month, before the pup was hit and run over by 2 cars on our busy street (sad, sad tale, but that's a story for another blog).

My grown daughter warned me about puppy breath some months ago. I couldn't remember it from my childhood (although some part of me thought I could). She said she thought it was the worst smell, and although she absolutely loves dogs/puppies, she said she'd have to go home after visiting friends with puppies and take a shower and change her clothes because the smell was one she COULD NOT STAND.

Fast forward to yesterday, first day with a puppy in the house, when puppy breath was omnipresent and difficult to avoid. 'Will I ever come to love this smell?', I asked myself.

I just did a DK search for 'puppy breath' wondering how other people felt about it, and I was amazed at all the raves for the smell. More like surpised and shocked. Is it possible people love, love, LOVE the smell??? How is that possible? What am I missing? Is it an acquired taste (umm... or rather, smell)? Lucy lies at my feet and just took a big YAWN... Oh the deliciousness, as that acquired scent wafts over me. I think in the end, I WILL come to love that smell... but only because I LOVE the little bundle of joy that's emitting the pungent odor.

[Debb, Lucy & Oscar]

Laci, I think you are right! I haven't noticed Lucy's breath today at all! Which amazes me, because I thought it was just SO STRONG the day we brought her home. I felt I reaked of the smell by day's end.

[Holly Doodle]

I think you just get used to it! I just got some breath mint bones to give Holly twice a day which clean plaque and freshen her breath. I haven't noticed a difference but her breath isn't terrible to begin with :).

[David Statzer]

Trust me your puppy's breath is a whole lot better than whats to come. My standard poodle will clear a room. LOL. My pups breath reminded me of sour balogna, just a very faint smell though. Can you describe what your pup's breath is? I am sure that our smells are a lot stronger to them, but never offensive. Good luck to you and Lucy and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

LOL- Joyce, Jackdoodle won't kiss me first thing in the a.m. before I've brushed my teeth!

[Joyce & Wilson]

I'm wondering what our doods think about our breath sometimes!!??? LOL

[Debb, Lucy & Oscar]

Good to hear from so many viewpoints. Lucy's breath is the same as her brothers' and sisters' were, so there's no tooth decay or other mouth problem going on. I think I'm just one of those sensitive smell type people (like my daughter). My DH says he doesn't smell Lucy's breath at all, but he has sinus issues so rarely smells anything anyway unless its overpowering. One other thing... it was more than Lucy's breath I was smelling last night... she had some pretty powerful gas going on too from time to time, just to add to the mix! (BTW, she DOES eat a grain-free dog food. First Mate Chicken and Blueberry.)

[F, Calla & Luca]

Neither of my dogs who are now almost one and one and 1 3/4 have ever had bad smelling breath except immediately after eating something awful smelling like a cow hoof.

[Liza, Halle and Finn]

When my Halle (who is now 6 months old)started to develop a not so pleasant smell to her breath, I started to explore around in her mouth, only to find that she had a piece of chew toy fabric wrapped around one of her baby teeth (that had become loose). As soon as I removed it, her breath went back to that sweet smelling puppy breath.

[Frannie & Callie]

I am in the "love puppy breath" camp...It's not a great smell, like baking brownies, but it's a happy puppy smell. I think puppy breath smells like hot garlic.

On coming to love the smell...Callie has the worst morning breath of any human or dog that I've shared a bed with. It grossed me out at first (it is truly rank) but now when she comes and yawns in my face every morning I feel oddly comforted by how bad her breath is. Her breath is neutral the rest of the time, but in the morning, watch out!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I don't remember ever noticing any kind of bad breath in a puppy...older dogs, yes. Puppies have such clean new little mouths and teeth, like babies...well, they are babies, lol! But I'm the type that lets strange dogs kiss my face, so maybe I'm immune.
I'd think the smell of the breath would be most affected by the food they're eating and how well their digestive system is working, just like people.