odor and scratching

Question
Hi, I'm hoping you can help, my son has a part lab and part chow puppy, she is 4 months old. She has a very bad odor and giving her a bath doesn't help. She also scratchs all the time all over her body. I don't know if the scratching and odor are related or not but wanted to mention it just in case it helps to pinpoint the problem. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Answer
The first thing is to check her ears.  One of them could infected and causing a strong doggy odor.  Antibiotics from the vet is a quick fix for that.  Next thing is to cut out baths and table food.  

You should be feeding a puppy chow now.  Switching to an adult chow for the
larger breeds at 4- 6 months, slows growth and helps develop sturdier
joints.

Your dog definitely should be narrower at the waist than the hips and chest.
You should be able to easily feel the ribs, but not see them.  Each dog is
different.  Standard recommendations are a good place to start, but each dog
must have its food adjusted to its individual needs. See
http://www.purina.com/dogs/nutrition.asp?article=292

The dry dog foods are actually better for the dogs.  It helps keep the teeth
clean, and exercises the jaws and teeth.  If you feed a complete dog chow, you
shouldn't need to give the dog anything else.  Various people foods may only
add more calories without providing proper nourishment.  Look at how many of
us are too fat too.  If you don't want to pay name brand prices look for
certification of passing the AAFCO tests.    Make any changes in diet slowly
over about a week.

The premium, concentrated foods give you the assurance of a brand name.  They
produce a smaller, firmer stool that is easier to clean up.  It is easier to
maintain weight on a finicky eater.  The lower cost foods may actually have
lower fat and be better for your dog.  Many dogs would enjoy eating the larger
portions you have to feed.  In a few cases, the dogs need a little extra oil in their food, a teaspoon a day of liquid cooking oil.  

Finally, brush, brush, brush.  A soft bristle brush or the ones with large rubber cones for teeth would be good now.  later when they shed an adult coat, use a slicker brush with all the bent wire teeth.  

If you don't see any improvement in a few weeks, she may have a disease or allergies.  You will need help from the vet.  For immediate relieve while waiting for her coat and skin to improve, try a capsule or 2 of Benidryl a day.