My husband can't stand my dog

Thanks everyone. He’s not actually that stinky... personally, I think all dogs have a bit of a smell, even if some people claim they don’t. You know those houses where you walk in and the doggy smell is just everywhere? I often ask visitors to be honest and tell me if our house smells of dog and they say no, but my husband thinks it does. He even tells me that once the dog's gone, it’ll take years to get rid of the scent. He’s an old boy, and apparently old dogs smell more, and some people say males do too. Others reckon Beagles are the smelliest breed, so basically, I’ve picked the perfect dog... an old male Beagle lol. It is a bad smell, but interestingly my husband admits it’s not exactly a "doggy" smell, but something else, a bit rancid, like old leather or something weird like that. To be honest, if you’re right next to him or his bed, it’s not great, but further away it’s perfectly fine and I don't notice anything. But my husband can smell it and it makes him so sick that he leaves the room to go to bed instead of watching telly with me because he feels like he's going to be sick. I used to think he was being dramatic, but I think it genuinely bothers him. It’s the same in the garage—my husband was retching when the dog was sleeping in there. He wants him to stay outside. I’ve always lived with dogs and cats, and I’ve never thought they stunk. Not at my place, my dad’s, my grandparents’, or my aunt’s... everyone in my family has pets at home. My dog Loulou, who’s a rescue dog, is a 13-year-old Dachshund-Labrador cross and he doesn't smell particularly strong. He probably smells even less than my dad’s dog, Hetna, a Boxer who is about 3 years old.

He doesn't want us to give him up, but in his mind, the dog should live outdoors. Actually, we were originally meant to have one dog, then my husband finally agreed to two, but on the condition they lived outside. I said OK because there’d be two of them, so it felt less cruel. We’d bought two insulated kennels for a bouncy young Lab and the old Beagle, but when it came to picking them up, the man at the rescue (who I knew as I used to volunteer there) told me he’d had a rethink. He preferred I took the old Beagle on his own because he wanted him to have a lovely life and thought a hyper Lab would just exhaust him. As a result, we came home with one dog who lived outside at first. But after two days, the dog was just staring at us through the glass of the patio door with those Beagle eyes all day long, and I caved and let him in during the day. For about two months, he still slept outside at night, but then the weather turned cold. I tried to get him to sleep in the garage, but he’d have none of it and preferred being outside. I was so stressed at night because it was freezing; I’d get up in the middle of the night to check on him and find him sleeping outside his kennel, shivering with the cold. I felt terrible leaving him out there. I asked my husband if he could come inside, and he eventually agreed, saying that if there was any trouble, like scratching at our door etc., he was going straight back out. He’s been an absolute star though and has slept indoors for a year now. I feel much better now he’s with us, but my husband isn't happy about it. I don't think I can put him back outside now that I’ve welcomed him in—he’d see it as a punishment, wouldn’t he? And getting another dog just so they can be outside together probably isn’t a good idea either, is it? I’ve looked and looked for a solution but I can't find one, even though I'd love to. My dog won't sleep in the garage because he can't stand being in closed rooms. He can only sleep in the lounge where it's open to the dining area and the hallway (otherwise he has panic attacks because he was locked in for a week after his owner committed suicide before being discovered in his own mess, and then he spent four years in a kennel at the rescue. It’s actually an ordeal going to the groomer’s when they shut the door, or to the vet...). @Jador, I’m a bit wary of those diffusers—are they not harmful to health? I have two children who are prone to allergies, and it worries me a bit when you see all the negative studies about things like incense and candles...?

Thanks everyone. He isn't actually that smelly... I reckon all dogs have a bit of a scent, even if some people claim they don't. You know those houses you walk into where the "doggy" smell is just really lingering? I often ask visitors to be brutally honest and tell me if our place smells of dog, and they say no. But my husband reckons it does; he even says that once the dog's gone, it’ll take years to get the smell out. He’s an old boy, and apparently senior dogs smell stronger, as do males according to some. Others say the smelliest breed of all is the Beagle, so I’ve really picked a winner there... an old male Beagle, lol! He does pong a bit, but weirdly even my husband admits it’s not exactly a "dog" smell, but more of a rancid, leathery scent or something like that. It's very odd... To be honest, if you’re sitting right next to him or his bed, it’s not great, but further away it’s perfectly fine and I personally don’t notice a thing. My husband, however, can really smell it and it turns his stomach so much that he’ll leave the dining room and go to bed instead of watching telly with me because he feels like he's going to be sick. At first, I thought he was overreacting, but I think it genuinely bothers him. It was the same with the garage; my husband was actually gagging when the dog slept in there... now he wants him to stay outside.

It’s a tough spot to be in. Washing the dog too much can actually lead to more skin issues, and the smell often comes back quicker and even stronger. You're doing all the right things by keeping the house spotless. Personally, I use a plug-in air freshener. You can change the intensity, and they’re also quite handy after cooking chips!! Perhaps a bit of a compromise—maybe the pup could sleep in the garage at night, for example, just to cut down on how much he smells the house up? But is he really that "stinky"? All living things have a scent... but to be that bothered by it? Every home has its own smells, whether it’s from cooking, building materials, or the fireplace...

Thanks for your replies, I’ve cleaned with a steam cleaner and put a drop of deodoriser on the mop. I’ve already tried talking to him, but just as I can’t understand how he can’t like the dog, he doesn’t understand how I can stand the smell. To be honest, I’m not a fan of the "doggy smell" either, but I look past all that because I love my dog. As far as he’s concerned, the only solution is for the dog to stay outside (my husband is even more stubborn than a beagle!) because he refuses to put up with animals for the rest of his life... I’d love to find a way to resolve this...

One thing’s for sure, nothing and no one should force you to get rid of your dog. Try talking to him and getting him to accept him. It’s usually the other way round, but maybe your husband is just jealous of your dog lol 😁 (only joking!). Apart from washing your dog and cleaning your house regularly, there’s not much else you can do.

Ah... that's a real shame... my partner has a bit of a moan sometimes too! Before it was about Yoyo, then nothing for a while, and now he's at it again with Sushi the cat... so I know exactly where you're coming from! As for the odours, I’m not sure what you use, but personally, I clean the floors with a high-pressure steam cleaner! It’s worlds away from using a floor cloth or a string mop, which just spread the dirt and the smells around! Then I use an essential oil diffuser! Works a treat!

Thank you so much docline for your non-judgmental reply. I hadn't thought about scented plants; we have air fresheners, candles and incense, but my son has allergies and can't cope with them. And yes, I use bicarbonate of soda as a dry shampoo for the dog and on their beds...