Everything that you want to know about Dog farts!

Isn’t this something? You never expected from anyone to ever write a dog fart article and on the off chance that someone wrote such a shitty thing, you googled why dogs fart and you ended up here and now on the verge of a 2000+ words post, you are thinking if there was this much to write about dog farts! Well, although some might consider it disgusting, there is one thing common between a fart and an ice cream; I fart, you fart, we all fart, so why won’t the dogs fart? When it comes to dog farts, all dog owners have almost the same set of questions. In this post, we will try to find out why dogs fart, what their farts are made of, how to prevent dog farts and how to (if possible) reduce the stink of dog gas.

Before ever this 2000+ words post starts to bother you and you rout, let us make things easier and funnier to understand. If you do not want to read the whole post to know basic facts about dog farts, have a look at our infographic, making it easy for you to understand why dogs fart, what’s in there and how to change things for good.

Infographics

Share this Infographics On Your Website

We hope you enjoyed the simple and easy information given on the dogs farting and the ways to reduce it. However, for more insight and to develop a better understanding of why Rex farts out so loud, you are advised to keep reading.

• Why dogs fart?

Well first of all, let us tell you that dogs are living beings just like other animals and human beings, and thus this question is a bit absurd, because dogs fart for the same reason we humans fart: to let out what we once let in! However, human beings are known for conducting in depth scientific research to learn more and more about a simple phenomenon. If you remember our post Why Do Dogs Wag Their Tails? Scientific Research, you would be able to recall the scientific reasons for tail wagging, that we jotted down. Likewise, there is a reason why your dog farts too much and these reasons are listed as follows:

• Hydrogen sulfide – The basic reason why dog farts smell like sulfur is because the dog farts (just like any other farts) are made of hydrogen sulfide. When the mixture of these two disturbs a dogs’ stomachs and gas in dogs disturbs them a lot, they naturally let out the gas and you come up with the most laughable facial expressions and big “Ewwweeee” out of your mouth![1]
• Sitting a lot – O yes! We bet you never thought of it, but a farting dog farts a lot also because of this reason. Dogs sit a lot and their sitting posture is one of the reasons why they fart a lot. They sit on rear legs and this puts pressure on stomach and as a result a far comes out with a bang and nasty smell.[2]
• Hasty eating – If you think that it is only humans who are into hasty eating, you are WRONG! Dogs farts a lot for a lot of reasons and one of them is making a quick job of their daily meals. Research proves that one of the reasons why a dog farts more than other dogs, is eating quickly.[3] So, if you want your dog to be a little low on the fart side, make sure to employ different techniques to make your dog take its time and eat slowly.
• What’s in the bowl – Another very important reason of why dog fart smells so bad, is the food intake of that particular dog. On the off chance that you feed your dog different food ingredients e.g. cabbage, cauliflower and soybeans, you should stop doing so. As per a research, dogs that eat a lot of these food items fart more than other dogs and their farts smell worse than those of other dogs.[4] Also, although there is no scientific research to prove or disprove it, food intake such as junk, old, poorly prepared or red-meat based food is highly likely to increase the number of farts as well as the stink thereof.
• Breath of fresh air – Yeah, we know it is always good. Perhaps not always! At least in the case of dog farts it is not very good. You might be amazed, but as a matter of fact, dog farts also increase because of the air intake. As per the opinion of Hilltop Animal Hospital, air intake causes increases dog farts.[5] So this means that while you love a lot to walk your furry and smart dog in the nearby park, the air intake occurring during the walk is actually the reason why the first thing that your dog do coming back to home, is fart.
• Breed, caste and creed – Wait a second! Before ever you blame us for being bigots or you allege us of racial profiling of your dog, it is not actually the case. Being dog lovers we love the dogs: be it a Chihuahua or a Rottweiler! However, some dogs are genetically predisposed to dog farts, and you simply cannot do anything about it.

It is not that those dogs have some stomach attributes that become the reasons of excessive dog farting, but it is because of the shape of their nose or their face. Dogs with short or flat faces are more prone to air. Thus, whether they breathe in a lot or not, they always end up inhaling more air than those dogs which are not so flat-faced. These kinds of dogs take in more air while running (dogs mostly run with open mouth), eating, drinking or even standing/sitting still. You must have heard that phrase about farting “Better out than in!”; it seems that it was said about dog farting. In case you have such a dog, there is nothing much that you can do, because whatever goes in, comes out!

• What dog farts are made of?

Another important question! Now, do you know why many dog owners end up asking this question? The reason is simple. Their dogs fart out so loud or so stinky that they wonder if dog farts are ones of their kind. It is not the case people! Dog farts are simply like any other farts and they are made of many different gases. These ingredients include hydrogen as well as sulfur. However, what actually makes a dog fat very stinky, is hydrogen sulfide. This mixture is actually what makes human or any other living being’s fart unbearably smelly and stinky.

• Are puppy farts nastier than adult dog farts?

Yes, we have also heard of that. There are people who believe that puppy farts are smellier than dog farts and there are people who stop keeping puppies for the same reason. However, considering the basic scientific approach, we have to disagree. Puppies are cute little dogs in their childhood and they are not any different than adult dogs. Thus, more or less, their farts should be similar to adult dog farts. We have talked to many dog-oholics about this, and while a very few believe that puppy farts are nastier than dog farts, most of them only laughed and nodded their heads in No.

However, it was only recently that we found an article on www.sheknows.com and that article reinforced our belief. The writer opines that puppy farts are just as bad as dog farts, and the only reason why owner of those cute and little puppies believe otherwise is because they hold those cute puppies so close to their heart and therefore their nose; this is why whenever those pups let the steam out, their owners think that pups fart worse than dogs.[6]

• Which breeds of dogs fart more than others?

Look who’s being a racist now! It’s alright! Just a joke! You are perfectly within your justified limits if you want to have less gas and more barks. After all, we adore dogs for their cuteness and their loyalty, and not for the farts. Well, there is no scientific research to show as to which breed of dogs fart less and which breed has more dog farts, but there is this website http://zomoetdat.nl/thefartfacts.com/ that claims that of all the dog breeds, Labradors and Retrievers fart more than other dogs. We know! We know! Labrador and Retriever lovers make a big number of the dog loving population and we do not want to get into a heated argument, but whether you rely this information or not, is totally up to you.

• Are the dog farts contagious or cause any health issue?

Come on now! What wrong an occasionally occurring dog fat may cause to you? There are people who get paranoid and ask if the dog fart is contagious. This question is not totally out of context considering how dog saliva is known for causing many health issues. However, unlike dog saliva, dog farts are not known for causing any health issues. Apart from being disgusted from time to time, there is nothing that you have to worry about.

• Should I take my dog to a vet on account of excessive dog farts?

Well, this is one sensible questions. When we humans get a bad stomach and we fill a small room with too much hydrogen sulfide, we do worry about the health of our stomach and we do go to doctors or pharmacies to get this fixed. Same rule applies to dog farts. You should take your dog to a trusted vet if your dog farts too much. However, there is no need for panic and there is not much cause for concern. But if the smelly fart comes with vomiting, it is a sign of gastrointestinal problem and it might need medical assistance.[7]

• Is the type of food intake one big reason for excessive and nasty dog farts?

The answer to this question is Obviously! Dogs are not human beings, but they are our best friends and thus we should be able to understand that just like us, when they eat specific type of food, it ignites the gases in their stomach: hence the notorious dog farts. However, food has only its limited effect on amount of dog farting and its nastiness.

We have already covered the foods that increase the number and nastiness of dog farts. These foods include, but are not limited to, cabbage, cauliflower, soybeans and yes, eggs. Eggs are one big reason why your dog farts too much.

• So, what kind of foods can reduce the amount and nastiness of dog farts?

That’s a good question. Only one type of food items can counter the effects of another type of food. Well, you are lucky because there are a whole lot of options available for you. Change your dog’s diet slowly and make sure that the items below gradually replace the food items which have been mentioned above.

• Zinc acetate
• Charcoal
• Schildigera

As per the researchers, these are the elements that, if added to your dog’s daily feed, can reduce the amount of gases and make sure that your dog farts less than other dogs; that too without nasty smell.[8]

• What other measures can be taken to reduce the amount and smell of dog farts?

Apart from changing their daily diet, you can do a lot of other things to make sure that your dog farts less and that too with minimal smell. First of all, you should reduce the use of cabbage, eggs and beans etc. in your dog’s daily diet. Secondly, you should make sure that your dog eats organic, healthy and fresh food. Make sure that junk food is a no go area for your canine. Another very effective method is to walk one’s dog a lot; this helps them boost their digestive system and thus there are little chances of a massive gases gathering in the dog’s stomach.

Conclusion

In the end, all what matters is a healthy and straightforward approach towards the solution of a problem. If dog farting is a problem, you should first look at the various reasons of why a dog farts too much and with so much stink. Let’s suppose that your dog farts too much because of the amount of air it takes in. Now this reason belongs to the dog’s genetic code; it has a flat face or a big nose. In this case, changing the dog’s diet or any other schedules will go in vain. So, act wisely and make sure that you have a do with less farts and those too with minimal stink! And what you must make sure is to do this without causing much pain to the dog.

References
[1] https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/dog-spies/dog-farts-part-1-what-are-dog-farts-made-of/
[2] https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/dog-spies/dog-farts-part-2-how-to-make-dog-farts-less-stinky/
[3] https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/dog-spies/dog-farts-part-2-how-to-make-dog-farts-less-stinky/
[4] https://www.rover.com/blog/why-do-dogs-fart/
[5] https://www.rover.com/blog/why-do-dogs-fart/
[6] http://www.sheknows.com/pets-and-animals/articles/1124381/dog-farts
[7] http://www.sheknows.com/pets-and-animals/articles/1124381/dog-farts
[8] https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/dog-spies/dog-farts-part-2-how-to-make-dog-farts-less-stinky/