Smelly Dog

Question
I have an 8 year old mix breed.  2 days after his bath he is smelly.  He also has small bumps on his back and scratches himself a lot, especially his paws.  He has had his anal glands removed, his teeth and ears are in shape so the smell is not coming from these areas.  I believe this may be a food allergy.  I have tried several commercial dog foods (from the grocery store) with no luck.  Should I start making my own dog food and if so can you give be some recipes.  Is there is a commercial brand that you can suggest that has been effective or ingredients that I should be avoiding?  

Answer
Hi Sandy,

If you are using grocery store brands such as Purina and IAMs, it is a great idea now to switch to a premium, higher quality food.  Many of the premium companies offer foods geared to sensitive dogs; here are a few you might look into:


http://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/dogformulas/VenDog.html

http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/dog_wellness_simple_food_solutions_index.html


http://www.californianaturalpet.com/products/default.asp?id=1326

http://www.championpetfoods.com/acana/show-product.php?formulation=pfd


I don't believe in using generic home made recipes for dogs, especially those with health conditions; it's my experience that dogs are unique and should be assessed individually and diets developed accordingly. I would be happy to discuss this with you if at any point you want to try a home made diet; for now,  you might have a look at these foods and see if any are helpful. Different approaches to the sensitive dog, but all good quality and may prove useful.
Let me know how it goes,
All the best, Catherine