12 Smells Dogs Absolutely Hate

Dogs love smelling just about everything.

They will turn their noses up at some smells. Knowing what smells they hate goes a long way toward keeping such scents away from where your dog tends to go.

Some breeds are more sensitive to certain smells than others. The scents we chose cause most dogs to turn their noses up and zoom in the opposite direction.

Menthol

Have you ever used Vick’s VapoRub? The primary ingredient that gives it such a strong smell is called menthol. The scent doesn’t bother us very much, but it overwhelms a dog’s sensitive snout even from a distance.

From experience with my own pooch, I can tell you that he hates it! Whenever I use it, he won’t come near me for at least ten minutes.

Citrus

Citrus fruits, such as lemons, oranges, and limes, give off a strong, acidic odor. The smell irritates a dog’s nose and makes them feel itchy. If you imagine how eating a ripe lemon wedge taste, that would be similar to how a dog feels just smelling one.

A few breeds don’t mind it as much. My dog loves eating lemons, but only because his nose isn’t as sensitive as most dogs.

Cayenne Powder

If you’ve ever trained a puppy, you might have tried ground black pepper or cayenne powder to deter them from peeing or chewing on something you want them to avoid. Even a tiny amount sprinkled onto the carpet gets caught in their nose as they sniff around, causing irritation and light sneezing.

The same effect occurs when you cook using enough of the powder. The smell of your food carries that irritant right into the unsuspecting dog’s nose, making them sneeze and try to avoid the scent.

Vinegar

Vinegar causes a similar level of irritation to your dog’s sensitive nose as citrus fruits. The acidic quality of vinegar immediately disgusts dogs purely through smell, let alone if they actually try to drink it.

Vinegar tastes mildly sour to us. Dogs have 300 million olfactory cells compared to our 5 million. Imagine adding 60 times more vinegar to your food than usual, and you’ll know how strong it smells for your dog.

Chili Powder

Chili powder causes a similar reaction to cayenne pepper, only worse. Gardeners often use chili powder or curry powder in areas they don’t want dogs to sniff around or dig in.

Dogs smell the powder even from a few feet away and tend to stay that far away for the most part. Less sensitive dogs, like mine, might go right up to it before smelling it. When they do, the powder causes nasty irritation in their nose and eyes.

Peppermint

Dogs find peppermint plants smelly. What smells nice and fresh to us is repelling for them. Small peppermint plants might not cause much of a reaction, but multiple plants or concentrated peppermint, like peppermint oil, can upset your dog.

Dogs react to peppermint oil as it is concentrated enough to be toxic for them. A small amount may be safe but could cause vomiting, diarrhea, breathing trouble, and skin issues.

Alcohol

Have you ever come home from a night out where you had a few drinks and your dog wanted nothing to do with you? Most dogs find the smell of alcohol detestable. They might not mind the smell of beer or wine, but more potent drinks, like whiskeys or rums, usually set them off.

Since we start sweating alcohol after reaching a tipsy state, dogs pick up on that smell and don’t like it. So, if your dog avoids you at these times, leave them be. You’ll be friends again in the morning.

Chemical Cleaners

Chemical cleaners may not deter your dog immediately, but they will start showing signs of irritation after the chemicals evaporate. That nice bleach smell you get after cleaning your bathroom smells a bit stronger to our canine friends.

My bathroom doesn’t have the best venting, so the bleach smell lasts a few hours. I have to keep the door closed or take my dog for a walk to avoid him having a sneezing fit just from standing in the adjacent room. The same thing happens if I use oven cleaner or other chemical sprays.

Mothballs

Think twice about using mothballs when you have an indoor dog. The mothball odor extends out of the cupboard and into the surrounding air. The scent isn’t enough for us to pick up, but dogs can smell it.

Not only do dogs hate the smell, but it can also irritate their nose, eyes, and lungs, worsening the longer the mothballs remain nearby. Keeping the mothballs out of reach isn’t enough to protect your dog. Removing them from any room your dog uses will help.

Citronella

Citronella plants work wonders for keeping mosquitoes away. Many non-chemical fly sprays and insect repellents contain the plant as well.

Unfortunately, the plant happens to be toxic for dogs. Some will turn their noses up at the plant’s smell, while others might try to eat it, causing vomiting, hypersalivation, and quick, shallow breathing. I recommend learning what it looks like so you can avoid it when out for a walk.

Coconut Shampoos and Sprays

Every dog I’ve ever owned or had the pleasure of bathing hates the smell of coconut. We want our dogs to smell lovely, but they may disagree with our interpretation of what smells that way.

I use a mild lemon shampoo for my furry dog. Since he’s a Maltese-Bichon cross, his hair requires a bit more effort than the typical Labrador. Of all the conditioners and detangling sprays I’ve tried, he despises the coconut ones the most. Even if I pass the scent near his nose, he bolts for a rug and starts rubbing it off.

Nail Polish

Dogs smell the toxic components of nail polish the moment you open the bottle. Nail salon workers wear masks to protect themselves from long-term exposure, so you can imagine that a dog with 60 times our smelling power wouldn’t enjoy the smell.

Even some ‘natural’ nail polish products still contain a small amount of harmful toxins, so don’t be surprised if your dog doesn’t like those, too.