The Truth About Fragrances, Safety, and Better Alternatives
If you've ever snuggled up with your dog only to be met with that unmistakable "Eau de Wet Pup" smell—or just a general whiff of the great outdoors—you’ve probably thought: "Can I just spray a little cologne on my dog?" It seems harmless, right? After all, we humans do it all the time. And, nobody likes a stinky pet.
But before you reach for your designer bottle or even a pet-specific fragrance, it’s important to understand how dogs react to scents, what’s safe, and what fragrances or ingredients could actually cause harm.
Let’s dive into the dos, don’ts, and safe alternatives when it comes to keeping your dog smelling fresh.
Why You Should Think Twice Before Spraying Cologne on Your Dog
1. Dogs Have Super-Sensitive Noses
Dogs experience the world through their noses. Their sense of smell is estimated to be 10,000 to 100,000 times more sensitive than ours. What smells nice to you might be completely overwhelming—or even distressing—to your pup.
A spritz of cologne that’s pleasant to humans might feel like being trapped in a room filled with overpowering air freshener to your dog.
2. Many Colognes Contain Harmful Ingredients
Most human fragrances contain alcohol, essential oils, synthetic chemicals, and preservatives. These can cause a range of health issues for dogs, such as:
-
Skin irritation or rashes
-
Respiratory problems
-
Allergic reactions
-
Gastrointestinal distress (especially if they lick the area)
-
Toxicity (some natural oils, like tea tree and eucalyptus are toxic to dogs)
Even some pet-specific colognes may contain ingredients that aren't ideal for sensitive pups, so always check the label.
3. Your Dog Might Lick It Off
Unlike us, dogs groom themselves by licking. If you spritz cologne on their coat, they may ingest it—especially if it’s on their back or sides. Ingesting even a small amount of chemical-laden cologne can cause vomiting, diarrhea, drooling, or worse.
Are There Any Safe Colognes for Dogs?
Yes—but with caveats.
There are pet-safe grooming products and dog colognes made specifically for dogs that dog owners can use. Let's face it: no one likes a stink puppy! So let's only use the best products on them. These products are:
-
Formulated with dog-safe ingredients
-
Lightly scented or made with hydrosols (floral waters)
-
pH-balanced for canine skin
Still, even with pet-safe colognes, you should:
-
Do a patch test first (spray a small area and wait 24 hours to check for irritation).
-
Avoid spraying around the face, mouth, or eyes.
-
Use sparingly, and not more than once or twice a week at first
-
Monitor your dog’s reaction (if they sneeze, scratch, or avoid you, skip it).
Introducing PROUD, The Scent, by PRIDE+GROOM. You will be spraying this all-natural scent whenever you get the chance. We've spritzed the dogs and anything else that would sit still since first completing the formula. Made from the finest ingredients, with notes of bergamot, citrus and ylang ylang, it’s fresh, unusual, and just like your dog, an instant mood lifter. If we were sentimental, we’d say it smells like unconditional love. But we’re not. Although, to be fair, it kind of smells like unconditional love.
Best of all? It's free of any sulphates, paragons, silicones, toxins, dyes and gluten, so you can be sure you are only spraying your dog with the finest ingredients.
Additional Ways to Keep Your Dog Smelling Fresh
Here are some simple, safe, and dog-approved methods to keep your puppy or dog smelling their best:
🛁 1. Regular Baths
Use a gentle, pH-balanced dog shampoo. You don’t need to bathe your dog every week—every 2-4 weeks is plenty for most breeds.
🧼 2. Dog Wipes
Pet grooming wipes are great for quick cleanups and spot-treating smelly areas (like paws and bums) between baths.
🌿 3. Apple Cider Vinegar Spray (Diluted)
A 1:1 mix of ACV and water can help neutralize odors. Just avoid spraying on broken skin or near the eyes.
💨 4. Brush Regularly
Brushing removes dirt, loose fur, and odor-causing debris—plus it spreads natural oils for a healthy coat.
🐶 5. Check Ears, Teeth, and Anal Glands
Sometimes bad smells aren’t coming from the fur at all. Funky odors can stem from ear infections, dental disease, or full anal glands. If your dog still stinks after a bath, it’s worth a trip to the vet.
The Bottom Line
So… can you spray cologne on your dog? Technically yes—but you really shouldn’t unless it’s specifically made for pets and vet-approved. Most human colognes (and even some pet colognes) are packed with ingredients that could harm your dog or make them uncomfortable.
If your goal is to keep your furry friend smelling good, you’re better off with safer grooming habits, healthy hygiene, and pet-friendly products designed with canine comfort in mind.
After all, your dog may not care how they smell, but they definitely care about how they feel.
WHO IS PRIDE+GROOM?
PRIDE+GROOM was born because a group of New York City dog lovers wanted the same level of grooming products for their dogs that they themselves enjoyed. They looked (hard) but nothing was up to snuff. Or sniff. Like so many, we love our families and take pride in our homes, and we consider our pets to be integral parts of those entities. That said, we could not find an effective way to coif them that was on par with the way we tended to our children, our homes, or ourselves. These beloved pets are allowed on the furniture and in our beds, and yet even when fresh from the groomer, we knew they did not smell or feel as good as they could.
With the development of our coat-specific shampoos, conditioner and deodorizing spray, we think we found just the way to say thanks for being the best and the sweetest MVP of the house.
PRIDE+GROOM is the first dog grooming brand launched under a beauty platform, with formulas made in a clean beauty and scent lab. We know beauty is not only skin deep. We did a ton of research to create the entire line. Each product is formulated with its own unique blend of essential oils sourced from around the world.
IN DOG WE TRUST
Shop our entire line: www.prideandgroom.com
