Why does my puppy smell?

First-time pet owners bringing home a young canine often wonder about distinct odors and ask: do puppies have a smell naturally, and what causes sour or foul scents? Board-certified veterinary dermatologists explain: YES, healthy young puppies naturally have a distinct warm, slightly sweet, or corn-chip-like “puppy breath and coat scent” caused by mother’s milk consumption, harmless commensal Bacillus/Pseudomonas skin bacteria, and active sebaceous sebum glands; however, an aggressive, foul, or sour odor is NOT normal and usually stems from 4 specific clinical sources: (1) bacterial/yeast ear infections (Malassezia), (2) impacted anal glands emitting a metallic fishy scent, (3) teething periodontal breath, or (4) stepping in or rolling in urine/feces in the puppy pen.