Linda Lou, Blog Dog, back again! Today’s blog post is a rather exciting one…I’m going to unravel one of life’s most interesting mysteries for you! Strap on your seatbelts, people and furry beings…
Have you ever lifted up the corner of a blanket to peek at your dog and been met with an overwhelming smell of Fritos? Some people liken the smell to the sweet aroma of corn chips or popcorn, but it’s all the same. What causes dogs’ feet to smell soooooo delicious? (my opinion, you can have yours)
First off, that smell is normal! The canine population has naturally occurring bacteria and fungi that live on their feet and create this aromatic phenomenon. The specific culprits of the “Frito Fragrance” are Pseudomonas and Proteus. These guys together can give off a yeasty “corn chip” smell. Yummy. Dogs sweat through their paws (did you know this??) and we also do a fair bit of paw licking to keep our tootsies clean… mix all 4 ingredients together and POOF! Frito toes!
So while this smell is natural, dog owners should still make sure that their pup’s feet and toes look healthy. If there is any redness, swelling or discharge, a phone call to the vet is in order. Infections on the feet are nothing to mess with. We were only given 4 of them, and we need to take care of the 4 we have! My mom looks over our feet every week or so when she trims our nails. Of course, if we walk over to her with a paw in the air, that warrants an inspection too.
If you are of the type who does not enjoy the delectable odor of Frito Feet, there are a few things that you can do for your pooch’s feet to reduce the smell:
Have you ever lifted up the corner of a blanket to peek at your dog and been met with an overwhelming smell of Fritos? Some people liken the smell to the sweet aroma of corn chips or popcorn, but it’s all the same. What causes dogs’ feet to smell soooooo delicious? (my opinion, you can have yours)
First off, that smell is normal! The canine population has naturally occurring bacteria and fungi that live on their feet and create this aromatic phenomenon. The specific culprits of the “Frito Fragrance” are Pseudomonas and Proteus. These guys together can give off a yeasty “corn chip” smell. Yummy. Dogs sweat through their paws (did you know this??) and we also do a fair bit of paw licking to keep our tootsies clean… mix all 4 ingredients together and POOF! Frito toes!
So while this smell is natural, dog owners should still make sure that their pup’s feet and toes look healthy. If there is any redness, swelling or discharge, a phone call to the vet is in order. Infections on the feet are nothing to mess with. We were only given 4 of them, and we need to take care of the 4 we have! My mom looks over our feet every week or so when she trims our nails. Of course, if we walk over to her with a paw in the air, that warrants an inspection too.
If you are of the type who does not enjoy the delectable odor of Frito Feet, there are a few things that you can do for your pooch’s feet to reduce the smell:
- Bathe your dog regularly! This is a good thing no matter what… monthly baths are optimal, and pay attention to scrubbing between toes.
- Keep the feet dry between baths. Bacteria and fungus loooove moist environments. Dry off feet when your pup comes inside, especially on rainy/snowy days.
- Trim long fur on the feet, because toe tufts can trap moisture and dirt. But be careful not to snip too close! You can always ask a groomer to trim any foot hair.
- Wash away dirt and debris after a walk in the woods. Who knows what you may walk on in the wild. There’s lots of smelly stuff just hanging out in the dirt.
- Wash your pets’ bedding at least a couple times a month, or weekly if you can. I mean, who doesn’t like fresh sheets? If I could, I’d wash mine all the time because my blankets always come out so warm and cozy…I just wasn’t blessed with thumbs, and I’m not tall enough to reach the washer and dryer buttons.
I hope you found this discussion to be enlightening. I am sure that you will all sleep a bit easier tonight, now that we’ve solved the mystery of Frito Feet together!
Until next time,
Linda Lou the Blog Dog
Until next time,
Linda Lou the Blog Dog
