Citrus scents top the list of smells your dog probably hates. The scent of lemons, limes, oranges, and grapefruits is strong and unpleasant for your dog. For this reason, you can use citrus scents as a dog repellant in off-limits parts of the house. Their noses are irritated by the strength of citrus.
Your pooch will hate the smell of mothballs, alcohol, cleaning products and nail polish! However, we do not recommend the use of these as a deterrent, as they are toxic and harmful for your pet. Steer clear of these stinky products when your dog is around!
Vinegar. Just like citrus, dogs cannot stand the smell of vinegar. It seems that a dog's heightened sense of smell is not keen on acidic smells, vinegar being another very acidic substance. It is worth noting that dogs are more repelled by the smell of vinegar than they are by lemons and oranges.
The methodology of observing the dogs freely exploring the experimental area allowed us to determine the smells that were the most attractive to them (food, beaver clothing). Our study shows that dogs interacted more frequently with the scents of blueberries, blackberries, mint, rose, lavender, and linalol.
Since dogs have a very good sense of smell, the lavender oil should always be diluted, otherwise, it is too potent for any dog to enjoy. Although most dogs seem indifferent to the aromatic smell of lavender, some dogs appear to actually like it a lot even though it is quite rare.
Vinegar is one of the things that just seem to drive dogs away. It has an acrid smell that is not particularly appealing to humans, but it is a natural smell which your dogs definitely won't like. Vinegar can be used straight from the bottle to spray or sprinkle.
Eucalyptus oil is used in aromatherapy to treat breathing problems (4). The smell of eucalyptus can be very overwhelming for dogs in both positive and negative ways.
Something that is generally very effective is vinegar – dogs seem to hate the pungent, acrid smell of vinegar, and its application in a few strategic locations may do the job.
Unwanted Scents
Dogs tend to avoid scents that make them uncomfortable. For example, most dogs hate the smell of ammonia-based cleaning solvents, vinegar, and chili peppers. If your house smells strongly of scents that are unpleasant to your dog, the dog may feel uneasy and act aggressively.
Available in both granules and sprays, Critter Ridder works as a dog repellent because it gives off a smell of black pepper, which canines find offensive.
Sound or Noise Phobias
Many canines suffer from the fear of loud sounds such as thunderstorms and firecrackers. Scientist claim that sound phobias pass through genetics, for example herding breeds are more sensitive to sound.
Many dogs have sound phobias to loud noises like fireworks, thunderstorms, gunshots, and firecrackers. There is even research that suggests noise phobias can be inherited. According to Dr. Klein, herding breeds are particularly sensitive to noise phobias, perhaps because they are so attuned to their environment.
Even just a slice of lemon is too acidic for some dogs to handle and can cause vomiting and diarrhea. This is why the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has lemon listed on its list of toxic plants and it is also why certain dog-repellents are citrus scented.
Protector Dog Spray is the maximum strength allowed by the EPA. This all natural pepper spray is a strong, yet humane deterrent to most dogs in aggressive situations without causing long-term pain or injury.
While I love using vinegar for cleaning, dogs, however, don't share my love of vinegar. While the scent of vinegar is not a problem for them physically, they just don't like it. Because of that, vinegar can serve as a natural deterrent if there's an area you'd like your dogs (or cats) to avoid.
Citrus scents top the list of smells your dog probably hates. The scent of lemons, limes, oranges, and grapefruits is strong and unpleasant for your dog. For this reason, you can use citrus scents as a dog repellant in off-limits parts of the house. Their noses are irritated by the strength of citrus.
While some dogs can safely consume diluted vinegar, it's important to be aware that many dogs do not react well. Vinegar can cause gastrointestinal upset when ingested — especially when undiluted. This is especially common in small dogs, dogs with sensitive stomachs, and dogs with kidney disease.
Coffee is another smell that dogs aren't fond of — and coffee grounds are great for your garden soil as well. Just scatter them on top of the soil and your dog will stay away.
Dogs can have distilled white vinegar or apple cider vinegar (ACV) as long as you use it in moderation. Serve your dog one tablespoon of diluted vinegar in their water bowl or let it soak into their kibble. Keep in mind there is always the possibility your specific dog might have an allergy or intolerance to vinegar.