Canines have a penchant for sniffing and digging. But have you ever seen your pup turning its nose up at something? If yes, it must be odors that dogs hate. This creature was gifted with a keen sense of smell, so it might be more sensitive to those pet peeves than you think.
These scents can help you a lot in house-training your pup. Let’s see what they are!
In This Article:
Top 18 Smells Dogs Do Not Like
1. Citrus
Dogs and citrus are destined enemies. Some can’t bear a subtle hint of these fruits due to their intense zesty notes. While we humans dig this invigorating scent, pooches, with their sharp noses, can detect it from far away and really detest it. The smell of citrus can irritate them, making them sneeze a lot.
At PetSitUSA, we usually make dog repellent using a mixture of lemon juice and water, which is safe for our furry friends and equally effective. However, squeezing fresh citrus peels, like oranges, mandarines, or lemons, can also shoo your dogs away.
2. Hot Peppers
Hot peppers, such as habaneros, jalapenos, poblanos, and chili peppers, pack a fiery punch of capsaicin. A small dose of this chemical can leave our pup sneezing, wheezing, coughing, and having watery eyes.
So, be careful when cooking with this spice, especially with ground peppers. Just a few tiny particles can find their way into a dog’s respiratory system, and it might be stuck with coughing fits and constant rounds of sneezing. A pinch will do the job just right if you’re about to repel your pooch with hot peppers.
3. Onions
Onions, for canines, are not simply a source of dislike but also toxicity. Their pungent smell is anything but pleasant, and their N-propyl compound is notoriously toxic to our furry friends.
All parts of onions, whether raw or cooked, can harm dogs. So, we don’t recommend using onions as a repellent. Your pup’s diet is better off without onions.
4. Garlic
While garlic can boost our immune system, it will do the opposite to our adorable puppies. Thiosulfate in garlic is poisonous, wreaking havoc on our dogs’ health even with a small dose.
When cooking with garlic, ensure your pooch is far away so as not to cause any discomfort. Be mindful when feeding your dogs with human foods!
5. Ground Spices
Warm spices, like ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, mustard, or cardamom, give off a hot, pungent aroma that’s too overwhelming for dogs’ sensitive noses.
If you use one of these spices to deter your pups, only sprinkle a little around the area you want to block access.
6. Vinegar
We, dog parents, must all have vinegar in the house. This cooking staple excels at cleaning urine stains and deodorizing doggie smells. But little did you know that it’s also an excellent dog repellent that keeps our pooches miles away.
Its intensely sour scent is not canines’ cup of tea, so you can use it to clean any areas that restrict dogs’ access. However, when sanitizing our pups’ belongings, like eating bowls, water bowls, toys, or beds, remember to rinse them thoroughly with clean water to completely remove the vinegar hint. Otherwise, don’t be surprised if your four-legged friend turns away from those things.
7. Citronella
Citronella essential oil is a key ingredient in many bug sprays, lotions, and candles. Its citrusy note also makes it a great dog repellent. However, this plant is toxic to dogs, and it can irritate their skin and gastrointestinal system.
Remember to keep a safe distance from your pups when applying citronella to chase insects and bugs away.
8. Lemongrass
Lemongrass emits a fusion of rosy, lemony, and fresh notes, rendering it a pet peeve for canines. Its essential oil infuses a relaxing and soothing vibe into our room while keeping insects, bugs, and, of course, dogs away.
Here’s the catch, though: concentrated lemongrass essential oil can cause discomfort for our lovely furballs. Therefore, we recommend diluting it before using it, and several drops in the infuser are enough for the entire room.
9. Fresh Herbs
Fresh herbs win our hearts for their refreshing, floral hints, yet their noticeable scent is unpleasant for most dogs. That’s why our pups tend to pass on dishes with herbs. On the flip side, these plants are great candidates for dog repellents.
We often put some pots of basil, rosemary, or mint around some places to signal our pups that they are no-go zones.
10. Mustard Oil
Not many can tolerate the mustard smell and taste, and so can our dogs. Mustard oil emits a sharp, peppery, and pungent aroma, and you only have to spray it where you don’t want your pups to enter. However, this oil is volatile, so you might have to reapply frequently once it dries.
11. Eucalyptus
For those who don’t know, eucalyptus essential oil is renowned for its refreshing scent that helps unblock our airways. But again, canines only deem this potent smell as an irritant.
You need to water down this oil before spraying it around your house, and only use a moderate amount. Otherwise, it can irritate your pooch’s throat or cause a burning feeling in its eyes if inhaled or exposed.
12. Coffee Ground
Coffee grounds, especially robust types like robusta, can deter dogs due to their strong smell. While you can use them as a repellent, be aware that caffeine in coffee is toxic to our canines. However, according to our experience, most pups turn their noses up to coffee for its intense aroma before they can ingest it. That said, always keep coffee grounds out of reach of your dogs.
13. Alcohol
With their smaller sizes, dogs can get tipsy with just a small amount of alcohol compared to us humans, and too much can lead to symptoms of alcohol poisoning. But it’s its strong scent that makes canines feel downright repulsive, so they are less likely to approach alcohol. Anyway, always keep these products out of your pup’s reach to prevent accidental ingestion.
14. Nail Polish or Acetone
If you’ve ever used nail polish and nail polish removers, you know how annoying the acetone smell is, and it’s no less irritating to our dogs. Just a few whiffs of this odor can throw your pups into a constant cycle of sneezing. Therefore, don’t ever use it as a repellent, and only remove your nail paint in a well-ventilated room far away from your four-legged friend.
15. Mothballs
Back in the day, mothballs were a popular choice to deter moths from clothes and fabrics. Their smell is, while nostalgic, quite unpleasant for most of us, including our dogs. You don’t want to let your furry companion swallow mothballs, as ingestion can lead to severe problems. However, it might not come close to these balls due to its distinctive smell.
16. Cleaning Products
Household cleaners typically come with harsh and smelly chemicals like ammonia, chlorine, or rubbing alcohol. Their bleach-like odor is simply unbearable for our four-legged friends. So, remember to keep your dogs away whenever you clean your house and furniture.
Besides, never use rubbing alcohol directly on your pups. Doing so can leave their skin and nose irritated. The best way to utilize this agent is to spray it on designated areas or soak cotton balls into it to reduce the concentration.
17. Perfumes
Perfumes and colognes are synonymous with attractive fragrances, but this is not true for canines. These scents are way too strong for their sensitive noses to bear, so they tend to steer clear of perfumes.
Remember that some products also contain alcohol, which is harmful to dogs. Therefore, don’t wear perfumes or only use a subtle fragrance when playing and petting your furballs to minimize their discomfort.
18. Tobacco
Like us humans, our little pups also suffer from secondhand smoke. The harsh smoke from cigarettes is quite off-putting, not to mention their harmful nicotine component. Extended exposure to tobacco smoke might result in irritation and gastrointestinal and respiratory problems in dogs.
You should only smoke outside, away from your pups, or have a specified smoking room in the house for the sake of your family and pets.
3 Ways To Use These Scents To Train Your Pups
Knowing what scents dogs dislike can benefit both you and your pet. You can improve your dog’s comfort by minimizing exposure to unpleasant odors. Moreover, these scents can be valuable tools for training. Here are three proven ways that we utilize smells to house-train our pooches at PetSitUSA:
Prevent chewing: Odors play an important role in repelling dogs from certain household furniture. For some reason, they love munching on stuff like tables, laundry, sofas, and so on. We usually spray some citrus juice and citronella, or put some mothballs near these objects to dampen their urge to chew.
Minimizing digging: Digging is an instinct part of canines, so we can’t stop them completely. However, we’ve found that placing fresh herbs or lemongrass in digging hotspots can discourage this activity.
Potty training: Accidents happen, but cleaning up with vinegar and following with a citrus, citronella, or lemongrass spray can help prevent repeated peeing accidents in the same spot. Avoid cleaning products containing rubbing alcohol, ammonia, or chlorine, as dogs might lick them.
Note: Don’t use smells that can be toxic for our furry companions, such as onions, garlic, mustard, coffee, alcohol, or acetone.
Conclusion
Dogs boast a much stronger sense of smell than humans, so what we dislike might be even more overwhelming and intolerable to them. Take note of these odors to prevent discomfort for your pups. Contact PetSitUSA if you need help when taking care of your pets!
