If you have a pupper or a doggo, you might have noticed that their paws smell like popcorn or the popular corn crisps, Fritos. Nope, it’s not cuz you’re always hungry and I doubt it’s your dog sneaking into your snack cupboard. But how do you explain that delicious but strange smell?
This problem is commonly related to as “Frito feet” the peculiar popcorn/Fritos odor is caused by yeast and bacteria, specifically, a byproduct of the yeast and bacteria! 🌽🌽
For those that want a scientific explanation, the bacteria Proteus or Pseudomonas is particularly responsible for the snacky smell and this is because bacteria release unique odors when working 🐾 When your dog goes out and about, there are certain types of natural bacteria that the paws will pick up from soil or water. Just as humans sweat, dogs sweat too and the sweat gets trapped in the paws along with the bacteria in between the fur 🐕
This odor is definitely not a problem but if you feel like your baby is excessively licking its paws or the smell turns more into a stench, it might be an infection worth taking your dog to the vet 👅 But do remember, dogs do lick their paws to clean themselves and remember where they’ve been that day (how cute is that?!) 🐶🐶
If you’re tempted to eat your dog’s paws, you can always give them a good scrub but rest assured that this smell is perfectly normal and is definitely a better alternative to stinky human feet! 😜
Written and Researched by Serena Sibi
