A dog’s glands produce natural odors. These glands are found around the nose, ears, paw pads, and anal area. Other odors are caused by environmental contaminants or diseases. For some reason, dogs tend to smell worse when they are sleeping, and you may be wondering why. We’ve gathered the facts on why dogs smell different when they sleep.
There are fewer odors in the air to compete with her bodily smells.
During the daytime, all kinds of things are happening. You are likely cooking, cleaning, working, and possibly even doing crafts, so all types of smells are likely to fill the air. However, at night, when your dog lies down to go to sleep, all the activities of the day are over.
The aromas of different foods have dissipated. The smell of the bathroom disinfectant has gone away, and the odor of hot glue has disappeared. All that’s left are the odors that your smelly dog is emitting.
Your dog is still and in closer proximity to you.
You probably notice the fact that your dog smells different during sleep more at night than when she naps during the day. During the day, your dog is up and roaming around. She is playing, killing time, and investigating her surroundings, so she is likely seldom in one spot, so you aren’t likely to notice any odor she may be giving off.
At bedtime, she settles in one spot, and when you are in closer proximity to her, it only stands to reason that you would smell her body odor more than you would during the daytime when she is up and about.
Most of a dogs apocrine glands, or sweat glands, are concentrated in the pads on their feet. These pads are surrounded by fur and create damp and warm crevices that become a terrific breeding ground for all kinds of bacterial growth. With all this reproduction comes a number of accompanying smells, most of which are related to bacterial byproducts.
You probably dont go around smelling your dogs feet all the time, but if you did, the odor might remind you of something … crunchy. As it turns out, there are many dogs of all breeds and sizes whose feet smell like corn chips. Or popcorn, some say. Or nacho-flavored tortilla chips.
Although the smell and its interpretations vary, most people who sniff their pets odiferous feet are convinced their nostrils are picking up some kind of crunchy snack varietal — think the corn chip brand Fritos, in particular. But why? It has everything to do with microorganisms.
The average human body comprises 30 trillion cells, and is topped by skin covered by 40 trillion bacteria, but this ratio may be even greater for dogs. In particular, the nooks and crannies of dog paws pick up actinobacteria from soil, where the bacteria lives and multiplies.
Even if youre not a fan of corn chip paws — some pet owners call the odor “Frito feet” — your health may benefit from exposure to doggy bacteria. Studies have shown that pregnant women who own dogs have babies with a more diverse microbiome, and that children who grow up around pets arent as prone to suffer from allergies. Most researchers agree that exposure to a greater number of microbes enhances immune system functions. No word, yet, on whether simply inhaling those microbes and their byproducts by huffing puppy paws does the trick. Cant hurt, though, right? Now Thats Cool
FAQ
Do dogs put off an odor when they sleep?
How do I stop my dog from smelling like corn chips?