@Saving thank you very much for the suggestions!
Not cleaning himself.
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Nerdy it is unusual for Gizmo to smell even if he doesn't clean himself as i understand Basenji's don't have a Doggy smell at all. Malaika does clean herself a bit but not excessively, she only occassionaly has a dirty behind if her stools are a bit loose, she will generaly clean herself. Are his poops generaly ok?
Could the smell be coming from his ears perhaps ? are they ok?
I can't understand why his coat would feel sticky? -
Sticky was a bad word, maybe I should say rough?
His ears are fine, no the smell is coming from his coat. Often I will see dirt spot on his leg, and it will be there for days until I rub him down.
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I know Gizmo is young, but are Gizmo's teeth and gums okay? If there is a tartar build up, it can be the reason for smelly breath in general. Even a little licking can make for a pretty funky smell. I am wondering if it would be worth to strip test Gizmo's pee. I may be way off here (and please tell me if I am) but diabetics (people and animals) can have an off odor and poor skin.
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A rough coat can be part of diet issues. Also, if you have a smell on your pants after holding the dog, it could be anal glands..also IMO diet issues.
What are you feeding your b? -
A rough coat can be part of diet issues. Also, if you have a smell on your pants after holding the dog, it could be anal glands..also IMO diet issues.
What are you feeding your b?x2 a lot of doggie smell can be eliminated through diet, you could try switching foods (main protein sources or a higher quality food)
Anal glands would smell super bad if it was them. Does he smell yeasty at all? -
Thabo cleans himself many times a day.
Zuri not so often and only her feet/legs and privates. But she NEVER smells
She has the same "nothing" on her coat as Thabo. It's a fine coat and always clean - even, when she got durty in rain.Give it a try and change his diet, when his teeth are okay.
My Bs are very different in cleaning, but the result is nearly the same.
Only their anal glands smell strange every few weeks - but they regularly clean this area then and after 2 days or so it's gone.
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A rough coat can be part of diet issues. Also, if you have a smell on your pants after holding the dog, it could be anal glands..also IMO diet issues.
What are you feeding your b?It's not his anal glads.
People seem to be miss-reading what I am saying.
His coat is fine, his diet is fine (firm stool), etc etc.
The thing is he does not CLEAN himself. The result of not cleaning is naturally turning his coat rough/sticky and develops a smell….as everything does when you don't clean something.
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It's not his anal glads.
People seem to be miss-reading what I am saying.
His coat is fine, his diet is fine (firm stool), etc etc.
The thing is he does not CLEAN himself. The result of not cleaning is naturally turning his coat rough/sticky and develops a smell….as everything does when you don't clean something.
Honestly, my girls do not groom themselves very much and they never have an odor?
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Tillo only cleans his feet when they're wet. And of course his privates..
He doesn't really take care of the rest of his coat and I don't do it either.. but no smelly dog here. I do smell 'something' when he has been out in the rain and his feet smell funny when he sleeps/wakes up, but that's not a typical dog odor 
You could try changing his food, just to see if it changes anything about how he smells.
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Well, seems that Gizmo is not the only "dirty" dog here. That's good to hear.
It's not an aggressive and dominating smell that is infesting my appartment. More like, if you go up to him and take a whiff, then you will get a "dog smell".
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Other than the typical "corn chip" feet smell, Kananga never has an odor. He only grooms himself in the usual parts, but every now and then he'll get bored and do a complete grooming.
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It's not his anal glads.
People seem to be miss-reading what I am saying.
His coat is fine, his diet is fine (firm stool), etc etc.
The thing is he does not CLEAN himself. The result of not cleaning is naturally turning his coat rough/sticky and develops a smell….as everything does when you don't clean something.
I know bs can have the tendency to clean themselves but not cleaning himself shouldnt lead to a rough sticky smelly coat. My bulldog does not groom himself (cept for the usual bits) and he is super soft, not sticky or smelly.
What are you feeding him? Just because he has firm stools does not mean it isnt his diet. -
So we understood you right
But as we said: Not cleaning doesn't mean, that they smell or have a sticky coat.
They don't clean their hole bodies - or better "can not". But those parts are fine, too.We are used to meet some friends regularly at race-track.
They have a sweet girly-B.
After touching Thabo the daughter told her mother, that his coat is much softer than the one of her bitch.
It can have many reasons, but most often it's the kind of food -
Hey Nerdy,
Is the odour more noticeable during the winter and spring seasons or during the times when your climate is at it's most humid or windy? Our B has that distinct wet dog smell after baths or when out in the rain, however the smell does not stay. He does have that funky corn chip smell in his paws when it's dry outside but that goes away too as Kairoe cleans himself like a champ when he's not sleeping.
One thing that does come into mind, is when he accidentally steps in his urine or he accidently sprays himself - usually happens when he pees against the wind! When that happens he does smell horrible and it will linger throughout the apt. and on him until we wash it out.
I think if you rub something on his coat - that is pet friendly, it may get him to want to get the scent off and perhaps train him to groom himself more frequently. - we just don't know what will work that smells nice to a human but wanting a dog to lick it off…
Cheers!
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Baby wipes, just wipe him down with baby wipes.
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Nerdy - I've been thinking around this. Cleaning themselves is normally learned behaviour from the dam - Basenjis taken away from the litter too early for whatever reason could result in not cleaning themselves (not necessarily of course). We can't watch our Basenjis all the time so it doesn't mean that because we dont see them clean themselves that they don't do it. However as you've seen dirt left on for several days it is obvious that your boy is not doing so. It is unusual fora Basenji to smell but it happens. Are you sure he hasn't rolled in something? Is the smell from all over?
I wouldn't think he'll learn to clean hmself if he doesn't now but it's not the end of the world - he is still the same lovely dog.
I don't know if you can get BactoNature? - if so clean him with that sprayed onto a cloth and it will take away his coat odours.It's still wise to get him health checked as well, just in case.
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I think I know how to make Gizmo to start to cleaning him self..
Very easy trick, just spash him with water a little bit..
He will start to licking him self..Good luck, Valen.
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I agree that the problem of you having the terrible smell could be an anal gland issue. Some of them have that, some don't, but I find that putting cottage cheese (a little, only teaspoonful) in with their food helps harden the stool, which helps them empty the anal gland. If that doesn't work, your vet will empty them for Gizmo. Shaye has to be emptied once in a while, and it's very obvious when they are full - same thing, she will leave little smelly spots when she leans her butt against us. Both Shaye and Gemma wash their private areas a lot, and their feet, but though they don't seem to be washing the rest of them, they are usually clean looking, and do not smell doggy at all. . . perhaps you should ask your vet if he can see a skin issue going on.
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@Shaye's:
I agree that the problem of you having the terrible smell could be an anal gland issue.
I have said that it's not a "terrible" smell. Just a "dog/dirty" smell. But thanks for the input.
Anyways….
After our walk today I gave Gizmo a hose down in the shower (was muddy outside), but this time I did not dry him off as thoroughly. The result was Gizmo licking and cleaning himself for a good while!
I think Valen was on to something. If I keep it up, he will be "forced" to wash, and hopefully realize if he keeps himself clean I wont have to get him wet!
