Heaven-scent remedies for malodorous mutts

Summer trips to the ocean with my dog are risky. Whenever my Border collie sprints ahead at 40 miles per hour, her nose low to the ground and fixed on some alluring scent, I know I'm in trouble.

I see her tiny body far on the horizon as she swan-dives straight up and right down into whatever odor she has found. It could be a clump of stinky seaweed, a rotting fish carcass or a decomposing bird. After coating herself completely in stink as I run to catch her, she looks up at me and gives me a victorious smile.

So when the weather gets nicer and we spend more time outdoors, my thoughts turn to the search for some serious anti-stink doggie products.

The first stop is Railey's Leash & Treat in Fremont, where I found the handy, portable Pet Towelettes from Herban Essentials. Company co-owner Deborah McCormick developed the aromatherapy wipes a few years ago for her English bulldog, Ruckus. She found that the all-natural lavender essential oils worked well to clean the folds of his wrinkly face, and it had a calming effect on him.

The Good Clean Dog soap, also sold at Railey's, is another favorite of customers with questionably smelling pups, according to Railey's owner Mark Smith. Created in Seattle with all natural ingredients, including comfrey root, the soap smells better than some products I have swiped from the bathrooms of fancy boutique hotels. If it wasn't for the "insect repellent essential oils," I'd probably use it on myself.

Sometimes the source of a dog's stink is not easily identifiable. "It might be a diet of corn, wheat or soy," says Jennifer Rivera, co-founder of PetDaddy in Greenlake. "Or it can be that a certain breed is just difficult to wash."

That's the case for Edmonds resident Paul Townsend. "In a pinch, I use Carpet Fresh," says the owner of Zu Kafe, who occasionally sprinkles the carpet freshener on his 150-pound Giant Newfoundland, Abraham. "Friends say, 'Hey he smells so good! Did you just give him a bath?'"

Townsend's dog is larger than the tub and dog hair clogs the drain immediately, so baths are difficult until summer comes around and Abraham can be bathed outside. "If he gets a bath, I get a bath," says Townsend.

Instead of Carpet Fresh, Rivera recommends bathing a smelly dog at least every other month and using Deep Clean from Environgroom ($11.95 for 16 ounces). The organic, locally made solution is left on the dog's coat for five to 10 minutes and then rinsed to reveal a sparkling clean and fresh-scented dog -- no matter how bad he smelled to begin with.

In addition to grooming services, PetDaddy stocks a variety of good-smelling products. Earth Bath's Grooming Wipes ($11.95) come in Green Tea Leaf, Mango Tango or Fragrance Free. And the often sold-out Honey and Almond-scented Fresh Groom from Bark Basics ($11.95) comes in a spray bottle, perfect for an after-bath spritz or for chasing your dog down the beach while screaming, "No! Stop! Leave it!"

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