Chihuahua male = expels strange odor

Question
My 1 yr old male Chihuahua is neutered.  On occasion he will "let off" this foul smell - he smells like he just rolled in garbage or something.  Sometimes nothing is going on when he lets it off and sometimes he is barking at something.  It doesn't last for long, and I am very happy that the smell doesn't stay on the furniture or carpeting.  I would guess it must be a hormonal type thing.  Do you know what is happening?  Thank you

Answer
Hi Pam,

You didn't say which end of your dog was emitting the foul odor.

If I had to guess, I'd say your dog's anal glands need to be expressed, it's probably the most common cause of doggie odor.

Anal glands (aka "sacs") are two small scent-sacs in the area of the anus. These are a type of "marking" glands. When a dog has a bowel movement, these sacs are normally squeeze, and a very smelly, oily secretion is released with the feces.
If these glands become infected or impacted (thicker secretion than normal, can't empty properly), problems result. This can be a very painful situation when they become infected! If a dog is scared or overly excited, these glands can secrete the smelly, oily substance on the surrounding fur, causing bad odor.

Some dogs require anal gland expression once a month and some require it only 6 months or so, it can help if you add fiber to your dogs diet as that helps the glands self express.

You can watch a short video that will show you how to express your dog's anal glands here:
http://www.expertvillage.com/video/8453_dog-grooming-basics-glands.htm

If you'd rather, your vet or dog groomer could also do this dirty deed.

I hope I've been a help.
Best of luck,

Patti