Awh cute wet puppy noses, just adorable, you boop the snoot, but wait.. What..? Puppy has a dry nose? What is that all about? Should they have a dry nose or a wet nose? It should always be wet right? Doesn’t it mean they’re sick if their nose is dry?
Don’t panic and rush to the emergency vet just yet. It’s quite a common question, – should my puppy have a dry or wet nose? and to be honest there’s more to it than one or the other. We’re here to tell you all about your pups nose and will help you understand:
- What is a puppy dry nose?
- Why does my puppy have dry nose?
- Puppy dry nose treatment
- If puppy dry nose can be prevented
We have tons of information about your puppy’s health, both physical, and emotional in our Zigzag puppy training app. We even have a personalised journey made for your pup’s developmental periods and their breed. Yes, we know every dog is different, but some quirks belong to certain breeds or groups of dogs. Understanding these motivations is an important part of understanding your puppy’s wants and needs – and simply why they do what they do sometimes!
We even have a team of expert puppy coaches on hand to answer any of the questions you might have about your puppy. You can contact them on Whatsapp, email or phone – 7 days a week. You and your pup really couldn’t be in better paws!
What is a puppy dry nose?
So back to those cute puppy snooters. A cold, wet nose shoved under your hand for some strokes, is one of life’s joys isn’t it? Let’s face it, a dry nose isn’t such a terrible thing either!
Puppy dry nose is usually just where the moisture has evaporated from a dog’s nose. It may well feel quite warm to the touch, as having a moist nose helps a puppy stay cool.
A puppy should really have a wet nose because it helps their olfactory system work – that’s the bodily system which is their wonderful sense of smell. Having a lubricated nose, means that they can trap scent particles effectively. A puppy with a dry nose, can’t smell things quite so well. Even with a dry nose though they are way better sniffers than us!
Why does my puppy have a dry nose?
If your puppy has a dry nose you’re probably wondering why and if you should be worried about it? Well, we’ve got you covered, carry on reading to find out all you need to know about puppy dry nose.
Your puppy might have a dry nose because they’ve just woken up
Much like us when we wake up with a dry mouth, our puppy has dry nose because they’ve been sleeping! They’re probably not drinking much during the night, so their nose dries out.
Puppy dry nose can be caused by too much sun
If your puppy has been lying outside and sunbathing, then they’ve probably got quite hot and their nose has dried out. Be careful as noses frequently get sunburnt, and your puppy may get a cracked and dry nose if you leave them to their own devices.
Puppy dry nose caused by dehydration
If your puppy hasn’t had any water in a while, or has been running around like crazy, and has over exerted themselves playing, then this can be a reason for puppy dry nose.
Some breeds are more prone to puppy dry nose
One-way dogs keep their nose moistened is by licking them. Brachycephalic (dogs with flat faces) breeds such as Pugs, French Bulldogs and Brussels Griffons have shorter muzzles which means they can’t lick their noses as their tongues won’t reach.
Another way dogs keep their noses from becoming dry is via the tear ducts. Some breeds such as Cocker Spaniels can suffer from blocked tear ducts so their nose doesn’t get a chance to be moisturised by the tear duct fluid.
Puppy has dry nose caused by allergies
Your puppy’s nose is part of their skin system, so irritations and inflammation in other areas of the skin, caused by allergies, can affect their nose too. This might be a reason why you’re seeing puppy dry nose. Allergies may be related to environmental reasons, or also related to what food your puppy is eating.
Puppy dry nose might be a symptom of something more serious
If your puppy’s dry nose is associated with other symptoms such as rubbing their face a lot, lethargy, lack of appetite, or diarrhoea then do get in touch with your Vet. They will be able to check your puppy over and put your mind at ease.
Puppy’s dry nose treatment
There are a few things to try for puppy dry nose before you panic and call the out of hours vet!
Give your puppy a drink
One of the easiest ways to treat puppy dry nose is just to give your pup a bowl of water, this will often help very quickly.
Puppies should always have access to fresh drinking water, but it’s easy to forget when you’re out at the park and your puppy is having a play. Always take water out with you in a travel water bowl, but also remember to take it out of your bag and actually give it to your puppy too!
By the way, we’ve heard people say that picking up water at night will help with toilet training, but that can cause dehydration, puppy dry nose and isn’t fair or ethical.
Use a nose balm on puppy dry nose
Yes, nose balm is a thing. Be careful as many puppies will lick it off, so be sure to use a pet safe one like this one by the natural dog company.
Can puppy dry nose be prevented?
If you’re finding that your puppy is getting a dry nose, rest assured there are some easy ways to prevent it.
Prevent puppy dry nose by keeping your puppy out of the sun
As the saying goes ‘only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun’ and you should try to keep your puppy out of the sun during the hottest part of the day.
Use Sunscreen if you have a particular colour of pup
For some pups who have pink or pale noses then sun protection is a good idea to prevent sunburn. There aren’t many dog sunscreens on the market yet, but we like this stick version.
Puppy dry nose can be prevented by keeping your puppy hydrated
Have fresh water available for your puppy at all times. If you go out with your puppy make sure you take a travel water bowl or bottle too.
If your pup keeps getting a dry nose consider a moisturiser
Some pups will still get a dry nose, particularly if they’re one of the breeds we talked about before. In these cases you might want to use a moisturiser at night time – we love the name of this nose balm called ‘snout grout’ and it’s all-natural and unscented which is important when your nose is as sensitive and powerful as a dogs.
So, there you have it. We hope we’ve covered all you need to know about why your puppy might have a dry nose, as well as what you can do to help your puppy’s dry nose. While you’re here you might want to take a look at our article on why is my puppy itching and scratching their ears. Oh these puppies….they are a worry at times aren’t they?
If you’d like a personalised training journey for your puppy then why not download the Zigzag puppy training app? We’ve got a team of expert puppy coaches waiting to talk to you about your puppy 7 days a week. Here to give you moral support, or just answer those ‘not sure about this…’ questions you might have about your puppy or their behaviour.
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