The smelly dog homes I visit tend to be ones where the bedding and dog isn't washed often enough, so start there!

As PPs have said- leather couch is good. Change your air filters and also the filters in your vacuums (yes plural- you need upright, canister and robo) frequently!

Also I think it's great that you are planning on oral care, OP! Lots of pet owners overlook that.

House train the dog, bathe it, brush its teeth, brush its fur, wash its bedding, don't let it eat stinky treats like collagen rolls or pig ears in the house, keep everything reasonably clean and you are pretty well good. Some breeds do tend to smell more 'doggy' , so keep that in mind when making a selection.

I vacuum every day. Dog's feet get washed after going outside. (simple rinse in a bucket or with a hose--do it once and see the water in the bucket and you won't think I'm crazy for doing this). Bath once a week or anytime they get wet. We go for runs every day and if it's wet, I bathe (short hair lab so this is a quick task). Never on bed or furniture. Beds have a bath sheet towel wrapped on them and those are changed twice a week (the beds are where a lot of smell can build up and get a clean dog smelly, etc. The towel is a quick way to keep it clean and not have to remove the zippered protector.

My house didn’t smell. Short haired dog, no carpet, leather couches.

Get a cat instead. Cleaner than dogs and you don’t have to worry about mice

Agree with vacuuming. Wash the collar regularly. Collars are like the armpit of dogs. I use a Hepa carbon filter in the room where the dogs are most frequently. I also put one of those odor absorbing gel canisters on top of their crate plus another on the other side of that room. I wash their bedding frequently. Wash their chew toys occasionally as well. They also sell wipes and deodorizing sprays you can use between baths that do help. Try to get unscented — one time we used a spray that had essential oils or herbal something and our poor dog kept getting up and moving across the room trying to get away from the smell on him—he was twisting his neck and sniffing like what the heck is that. Use old towels to dry him off if he is out in rain and then wash those.

wash all the blankets it comes in contact with regularly, mop often, bathe every 2-4 weeks. Those things will help a lot. I have pugs who shed like crazy, and they of course hang out in the bed and furniture because that's what pugs do. I have throw blankets on the bed and couch and wash them every week or two. Probably still smells like dog in here though.

Anonymous wrote:Honestly every house with a dog or cat stinks, whether the owner realizes it or not.

I am not a dog person and have never had dogs. I very much do not like dog smell and have smelled it in homes in the past. I am regularly told that I am sensitive to smell.

Most of my current friends have a dog. None of their houses smell. The dog might occasionally smell like dog or "dog who just came from outside" but their homes don't seem to carry the dog smell. They have shepherd mixes or mutts.

Anonymous wrote:The lackluster house cleaners whose houses stink are triggered dangerously by this thread lol

No it's the people who don't bathe their dogs.

The lackluster house cleaners whose houses stink are triggered dangerously by this thread lol

We have never let our dogs on furniture. That one will be easy if it's something you care about. Some people like snuggling their dogs on the couch or in bed but our kids just snuggle the dog on the floor.

My SIL is a vet and has a ton of pets (4 dogs at the moment plus cats and other animals) but her house is pristine. She is super Type A. She lets her two smaller dogs on the furniture. But she runs the roomba constantly, bathes her dogs every week, has all ruggable rugs that she washes every week, keeps the big dogs exclusively on the main level, and is diligent about wiping their paws every time they come in and out. She has leather couches with multiple throw blankets she is constantly washing.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What kind of dog? I've always had small dogs, who don't shed, and I wash them every other week. Zero smell. Guests love to pick them up and pet them. I get a lot of comments on how good my dogs smell too, so it's not just in my head. My dogs are allowed on furniture because we think their purpose is to cuddle on the couch, but they are trained to stay off if someone doesn't want them next to them. We only kenneled dogs for bed when they were puppies. Once they were full sized, potty trained, and could be trusted not to chew, they just slept all night in a bed next to ours.

A lot of big dogs are only bathed every 6 months and they have oily hair that rubs off on carpets. Idk how people deal with the smell. I have trouble even petting their heads.

M sized dog, mutt, we don’t know what yet, some sort of terrier. We definitely plan on routine visits to the groomers. I have mild allergies and plan on keeping the dog off of furniture, but I’m sure I’ll relent in the end

I'm a big fan of letting my dog on the couch, as I love snuggle time. That said, she's only allowed on one couch, which is a big sectional, and only allowed on the half of it I keep covered with washable drop cloths. This was not a hard thing to train at all and I promise she's not going on other couches or places she's not allowed to when I'm away. She sheds a lot and I'd be able to tell easily.

Regular brushing between baths helps - also, washing the crate linens. The crate will be the main sources of smell since he will spend a decent amount of time in it.

Wash the dog whenever you feel like it!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cover up the sofa, and let the dog on it. Bathe weekly.

They told us weekly bathing is bad for the skin, is this not accurate?

I think that's made up. We try to bathe weekly, groomer every 4-6 weeks. Sometimes we bathe more often. Dog has a beautiful coat because its taken care of. We also brush daily.