Smelly breath and dog food choices

    • Gold Top Dog

    Smelly breath and dog food choices

    My Mom got a shih-tzu and has been feeding him Taste of the WIld. SHe hated the way his breath smelled on the salmon, so went with another flavor. SHe still thinks he has smelly breath.  My dogs eat it, and I don't think their breath is great, but I don't really care either. She does. She called me yesterday and said she had bought Beneful. I explained why she should be feeding something better and she said she will take my advice on what else to feed. I suggested trying Blue. I also suggested making his food, but she wants to feed kibble and I don't blame her. I think the problem may be the 10+ a day canine griller bacon treats he gets, but I don't think I can convince her to cut them down. He will only eat a select few treats and she thinks he needs one everytime he does something right or goes out to pee. I am surprised he has only gained a pound, and he needed that anyway.  ANy advice on the stinky breath? Treat related, food related, a different good food to try that may not be so potent as TOTW? Julie

    • Gold Top Dog

    Might want to suggest she has his teeth checked.  I've never noticed smelly breath from any particular brand of food but I don't switch foods often.  There is another thread concerning bad breath around with links to some other medical reasons that could be causing bad breath.  It's in the Health section.

    • Gold Top Dog

     Teeth, for sure. Shih Tzus have notoriously tough to care for teeth, due to their short muzzles.

    • Gold Top Dog

    Yep, my dogs eat TOTW (the fish version currently) and no one has any breath issues.  Definitely have the teeth checked.

    • Gold Top Dog

    I will let her know that, and see what comes of it. he has been recently to the vet a few times, I wonder if they did any teeth checking then? J