After a scorching summer, fall is in the air! You can’t wait to pick out all your favorite fall scents to fill your home: The warm scent of apple pie, cinnamon, autumn glow, and pumpkin spice, of course! You come home with stuffed shopping bags, and the unpleasant odor hits you when you open the door. Your puppy has had an accident. Before you clean it up, you figure you’ll just plug in a fragrance in the main room, start burning a candle in the bathroom, and grab scented shampoo before you bathe your puppy.
Not so fast! We know your home may have stinky pet odors, but think twice about the fragrances you use. Not all fragrances are safe for puppies, and as a responsible pet owner, you’ll need to familiarize yourself with safe fragrances for dogs and those potentially harmful to your puppy.
Discover safe scents for puppies with our comprehensive guide on candles, air fresheners, essential oils, and other fragrances. Learn what to avoid and how to create a pet-friendly environment in your home.
How Well Can Puppies Smell Scents?
We know you’re familiar with your puppy’s love of sniffing every single thing they can on your walk. Some puppies may have such a strong prey drive that when they catch a scent, they take off! While some dog breeds have stronger scent abilities than others, all dogs have a superior sense of smell to humans.
Much like humans, dogs prefer certain scents above others. As you may have unfortunately experienced, dogs tend to gravitate toward nasty scents humans find disgusting, but it does help to learn about what’s happening in their brains when they catch a whiff of something.
A dog’s anatomy is instrumental in capturing scents and processing information. Dogs have 300,000 million olfactory receptors in their brains, but humans only have around 6 million. In addition, a dog’s nostrils are specially designed so they can process multiple scents simultaneously, whereas humans can only process one at a time. The scent processing area of their brains is 40% bigger than humans’ as well. Their wet noses are covered in a thin layer of mucus that captures scents, and some dogs’ long ears also hold in scents. Lastly, dogs have an organ we don’t called the Jacobson’s organ that detects pheromones. All of these physiological advantages create a scent-sational advantage.
A dog’s sense of smell is so superior to humans that some medical alert dogs can sniff out diseases like cancer or epilepsy episodes with 95% accuracy, more than some human-made diagnostic tests and machines. You can only imagine how much more sensitive a puppy is to scents than humans are, so it’s important to know the safe and dangerous fragrances to embrace or avoid around your puppy.
Safe Scents For Puppies
If your puppy or house develops a funky odor, you have several options for products and fragrances safe for puppies to freshen up your home. You may address odors by using the following:
- Candles
- Potpourri
- Pet wipes
- Wax melts
- Detergents
- Air diffusers
- Dryer sheets
- Essential oils
- Air fresheners
- Finishing spray/cologne
- Shampoos and conditioners
However, you have to make sure the scents you are using are tolerated by your puppy. Some scents do more than just smell pleasant, as they can positively affect your puppy. Before you bring a scent into your home, it’s always best to check with your veterinarian first. He or she will tell you about beneficial and safe scents for your puppy and which ones to avoid. If you choose to use essential oils on your puppy, make sure you are using them correctly. Some require a carrier oil. Others are fine to use topically but not in the air. Others cannot be ingested at all, so know how to administer essential oils and other scents to protect your puppy while receiving benefits.
Keeping safety first, never leave burning candles unattended or in spots where enthusiastic tails can knock them over, place diffusers well away from curious puppies, cover electrical outlets, and store products away from puppies when not in use.
Benefits of scents for dogs
When puppies are just a few days old, breeders can introduce early scent introduction by exposing them to a variety of scents like lemon, mulch, coconut, leather, lavender, and more. Early scent introduction helps stimulate neurons to help foster those important connections in the brain, enhance confidence, and reduce stress later on in life.
Aromatherapy for dogs can release pheromones and have a calming effect on puppies. It can also help alleviate fear and stress in puppies experiencing separation anxiety. A more relaxed environment creates a sense of security for your puppy, therefore improving behaviors and training opportunities. Introducing relaxing scents during a DIY puppy spa day is the ultimate luxury experience – you should try it! Your puppy will love it, and pampering your puppy is a great way to increase your bond. Now let’s learn about safe scents for your puppy to enjoy.
Chamomile
Chamomile is a daisy-like plant that is one of the safest herbs for dogs. Used primarily for its calming effects, puppies can ingest chamomile-infused water, eat it in treats, or experience it in products for eyes, ears, and skin. Chamomile is an anti-inflammatory protecting against ticks, parasites, and bacterial and fungal infections. In addition to serving as a light sedative, chamomile can help with your puppy’s upset stomach.
Lavender
One beautiful plant used by humans and puppies alike is lavender with its gorgeous purple blossoms and pleasant scent. Lavender contains calming properties that can relax your puppy just like humans experience. People can use lavender around puppies through air mist spray, diffusers, candles, shampoos, conditioners, and pet wipes. Lavender can also help with skin irritation in dogs. Lavender should not be ingested due to potential gastrointestinal issues, and always dilute with a carrier oil like coconut oil before applying it to the skin. Puppies experiencing sleep problems, anxiety, or fearfulness may benefit from lavender.
Rosemary
Another wonderful-smelling plant safe for puppies is the herb rosemary. Often used in foods and body products, rosemary also makes a room smell fantastic. Rosemary can help repel fleas, prevent digestive issues and epilepsy episodes, is rich in antioxidants, and has antimicrobial properties. Most people opt to use it in a spray. It is safe for dogs to ingest rosemary, but be sure to administer it correctly. A teaspoon of rosemary can be sprinkled on their food, but use sparingly and do not overfeed. When using rosemary oil, avoid applying it directly to your puppy’s skin or fur.
Other scents safe for dogs
If you are looking for more safe scents for dogs, look for products that contain the following:
- Mint
- Myrrh
- Vanilla
- Ginger
- Bergamot
- Geranium
- Citronella
- Cucumber
- Lemongrass
- Frankincense
Harmful Scents to Avoid Around Puppies
Unfortunately, many fall scent aromas we love may negatively affect your puppy. Fragrances harmful to dogs ingested, inhaled, or absorbed through the skin can cause major damage in puppies, including burns, irritation, behavioral and respiratory problems, digestive issues, neurological effects, and more. Here are scents to avoid around your puppy to ensure their safety.
Artificial scents
Several products available in stores utilize artificial scents that mimic the real thing. These products are full of chemicals that could potentially harm your pet. While some are safe, others have not been tested around animals, and manufacturers are not required to list the exact ingredients used.
Cinnamon
A staple in fall, winter, and holiday scents, cinnamon oil can cause major problems for puppies. Cinnamon spice can be safely used in small quantities in dog treats, but it can become a problem when inhaled or in oil form or ingested from decorative cinnamon sticks. Cinnamon can irritate a puppy’s sensitive nose and cause major respiratory issues.
Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus is a popular scent found in candles, diffusers, room sprays, and fragrant decorative plants, but beware of using eucalyptus around puppies. Oil from the eucalyptus plant is called eucalyptol and acts as a neurotoxin. Effects of eucalyptus poisoning range from discomfort, seizures, depression, and confusion to severe gastrointestinal issues like diarrhea and vomiting.
Other scents to keep away from puppies
It’s best to go shopping with a list of pet-safe scents and those that will cause harm to your puppy. Here are other scents to avoid around your canine companion:
- Pine
- Anise
- Garlic
- Citrus
- Thyme
- Cloves
- Juniper
- Tea Tree
- Perfume
- Nail polish
- Pennyroyal
- Peppermint
- Wintergreen
- Some scented cleaning products
Your Perfect Pawrade Puppy Awaits
If you’ve been looking on your own for a puppy to join your home, you may be frustrated at finding dead ends or pet adoption opportunities that are too good to be true. Long wait lists from breeders and shelters may discourage you as you hope to find your furever buddy. However, it doesn’t have to be this difficult to find the puppy of your dreams.
At Pawrade, we’ve done all the difficult searching for you because we have a network of trustworthy breeders. From a tiny Chihuahua to a giant Great Dane, we have puppies to fit everyone’s lifestyle and preferences. Check out our puppies for sale to bring home your next best friend!
