Why do dog paws smell like corn chips?

Courtesy of American Greetings

Why we smell different when we sleep is a question that’s been bothering my mommy for a long time, and there are few definite answers available online. Lots of people seem to report noticing a popcorn/corn chip smell that comes from their dogs when they are asleep. Riley is the one who emits the greatest smell in our house, but Ripley smells funny too!
We could smell like worse things, so a corn chip smell isn’t so bad, but we’d still like to understand why this happens. We’ve come up with a few explanations for you, but we can’t say for sure if any of these are the right answer.
1. Body chemistry – some have suggested that our body chemistry creates a different odor while we sleep as it is emitted through pours
2. Yeast infection – other dog owners have reported  that vets have told them it can be due to an internal yeast infection. The smell comes from the paws and ears. I have a hard time believing that this is the issue in our house since our vet has never noticed signs of an infection
3. Breathing – when we are sleeping, we breath deeper (of if you’re Riley, you snore!). The smell could be due to breathing more heavily through our noses…but this is just mommy’s personal theory.
We thought it was important to write about our unique doggie odor since no one seems to have the right answer, but many seem to wonder what it’s all about. You might have thought you were imagining this with your dog, but you’re not crazy! If you have other theories about why we dogs smell different when we sleep, please do share!


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4 thoughts on “Why do dog paws smell like corn chips?”

  1. Very interesting articles, I have never checked my dog paws before, but I guess everything is normal. We visit veterinarian clinic pretty often and I think doctor will find if there is something wrong.

  2. A very well done explanation about the question “why do dog paws smell like corn chips?” Honestly, I have noticed that smell so many times with my dog. I didn’t mind it because I believe that it was just his normal odor. Hehe..

  3. Oh I love the smell of corn chips, thus I love the smell of my dog’s paws. Lol! Thanks for letting us aware of the reason behind this “corn chip” smell on dogs, specifically on their paws.

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