Eau De Dog: Gone With A Good Bath

Does winter smell like a wet dog around your house?

Thanks to the weather, dogs can get even dirtier this time of year than they do during the summer. And since they’re spending more time indoors, their aroma is even more noticeable to the human nose.

Here are a few dog-bathing tips from Dr. Terese DeManuelle, a Portland veterinary dermatologist and Washington State University adjunct faculty member:

* Use a mild, hypoallergenic soap specially formulated for veterinary use, not human shampoo or - even worse - dish soap. Those harsher detergents can irritate an animal’s skin. Veterinary shampoo can be used once a week without any ill effects.

* Comb out your dog’s coat before bathing. A wet, tangled coat is harder to brush out and will take longer to dry.

* Make sure your dog is completely dry before letting it back outside, or it may try to towel off in the nearest dirt pile (or worse) - meaning it’s bath time all over again.

* Dog scan: Instead of all that hassle, it sure would be nice if you could just wave a magic wand over your dog to keep it clean.

Well, you can, sort of, according to the folks at Lentek International. They say their new Sila Waterless Bath and Flea Repel Brush “gently and silently bathes your pet with up to 100 trillion superoxygenated molecules every second,” breaking down particles that cause odors.

Not only that, thanks to its exclusive “Zyonic technology,” the brush “emits ultrasonic waves set to a specific frequency that repels fleas.” (Let’s hope our nation’s enemies never get their hands on this!)

Technologically trusting pet owners can order one for $39.95 (includes shipping) by calling toll-free to (888) 353-6835; for more information, visit www.lentek.com.

* Days gone by: Animal lovers who are still looking for a 2000 calendar might want to check out “Light From Within,” featuring photographs by the late animal activist Linda McCartney. The black-and-white photos include shots of her husband, musician Paul McCartney; their children; and some of the family dogs and horses.

The limited-edition calendar costs $19.42 (the year of Linda’s birth), with proceeds benefiting People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. It’s available through PETA’s Web site, www.peta-online.org.

* Assault and pepper: Finally, in response to a recent Pets page story about dogs who, well, stick their noses where they don’t belong, reader Tom Highland of Spokane wrote to say he discovered a solution: cayenne pepper.

Highland wet his hand and shook some pepper on it, then stuck it in the offender’s face when the mutt made its move. He adds that he’s also sprinkled cayenne on his lower pant legs “to discourage overly friendly cats from scenting me.”