You love your dog. But, you probably don’t love your dog’s stinky breath. It can cause you to miss out on much-needed cuddles and make you keep your pooch at arm’s length. While certain dog treats may help, sometimes you need something with a little more oomph. Luckily, dog breath spray can do an excellent job of clearing up this problem.
We reviewed dozens of dog breath sprays to identify the best of the best. We considered effectiveness, price, ease of use, taste, customer reviews, and ingredients when ranking all the dog breath sprays.
After much deliberation, the Premium Pet Dental Spray quickly became the obvious choice for our top pick. It takes care of your dog’s bad breath on contact, is free of harmful chemicals, and has a taste your canine will love. This dog breath spray doesn’t just cover up the odor; it fits it at the source by removing plaque and tartar.
The 5 Top-Rated Dog Breath Sprays
| Editor’s Picks | Brand | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Best Overall | Premium Pet Dental Spray |
4.6 |
| Runner Up | Spray Me: Doggy Dental Spray | 4.1 |
| Best Budget Buy | Oxyfresh Advanced Pet Dental Spray | 4.0 |
| Best Organic Dog Breath Spray | Mad About Organics All-Natural Dog & Cat Oral Care Herbal Spray | 4.4 |
| Best Dog Breath and Oral Cleansing Spray | VetSmart Formulas Dog Breath Freshener | 4.1 |
*Ratings are from Amazon at the time of publication and can change
Our Top Pick: Premium Pet Dental Spray
More than 70% of pets have some sort of oral disease by the time they are three. It is not uncommon for plaque and tartar to build up relatively quickly in your pets’ mouth. After all, they don’t brush their teeth every day as we do. This build-up is usually the reason for bad breath in dogs in the first place. While many dog breath sprays only cover up the odor, the Premium Pet Dental Spray works to remove plaque and tartar, fighting the smell at its source. And, it does this without utilizing harmful chemicals like alcohol and pesticides.
On top of its effectiveness, this dog breath spray is also extremely easy to use. All it takes it to add three to five sprays to their water bowl and spray their gums two to three times. Because this spray was designed to taste good, your pet will soon react to the spray just as they do a treat and open up wide. If your pet is somewhat reluctant, we suggest spraying some on a dish and having them lick it up. Once they realize that it tastes good, many pets will beg for more! This spray is much easier than trying to force your pet to use one with a downright awful taste or trying to hold them down to use a toothbrush.
Premium Pet Dental Spray Key Features:
- Eliminates tartar and plaque
- No toxic chemicals
- Great taste
- Easy to use
Our Runner-Up Pick: Spray Me: Doggy Dental Spray
The Spray Me: Doggy Dental Spray is designed to both eliminate bad breath and improve the overall health of your pooch’s mouth. Just one spray everyday controls the build-up of plaque, tartar, and bacteria. Much like our top pick, this dog breath spray doesn’t just cover up the odor. It targets the odor-causing bacteria and plaque at the source to prevent the smell, to begin with. The mist-delivery system ensures that you can easily fully cover your pet’s mouth without excessive spraying.
This dog breath spray is made with only natural and potent ingredients. It eliminates bad breath on contact, fights the bacteria that caused the bad breath in the first place, and boosts your canine’s immune system to prevent the bacteria from forming again. It really seeks to eliminate your dog’s bad breath at every angle possible. On top of preventing and controlling bad breath, this spray also promotes a healthier mouth. It removes the plaque, tartar, and bacteria that commonly lead to expensive dental problems. Plus, this spray is veterinarian approved and comes with a 100% satisfaction guarantee. If it doesn’t cure your dog’s bad breath and make their mouth healthier, you can send it back for a refund.
Spray Me: Doggy Dental Spray Key Features:
- Freshens breath
- Eliminates tartar and plaque
- Strengthens immune system
- Natural ingredients
Best Budget Pick: Oxyfresh Advanced Pet Dental Spray
On a budget? The Oxyfresh Advanced Pet Dental Spray is a great choice for budget-conscious dog parents. After all, it’s understandable if you’re after a product that works but doesn’t cost a ton. The 100% non-toxic dog-safe spray is formulated to keep odors at bay. It’s free of harsh chemicals, parabens, dyes, xylitol, mints, tea tree, clove oils, alcohol, and other potentially unsafe ingredients.
It’s also flavorless and odorless, so your dog won’t mind whether you spray it on each side of their teeth or their water bowl. This is no doubt great news if you’re dealing with a picky dog with smelly breath!
Oxyfresh Advanced Pet Dental Spray Key Features:
- Odorless and flavorless
- Spray in mouth or water bowl
- Free of chemicals and alcohol
- 100% non-toxic
Best Organic Dog Breath Spray: Mad About Organics All-Natural Dog & Cat Oral Care Herbal Spray
Are you worried about the safety and environmental friendliness of any dog breath spray you’re interested in using? Interested in using a spray that is as natural and safe as possible? Then you will probably be interested in the Mad About Organics All-Natural Dog & Cat Oral Care Herbal Spray. It is certified organic and made with only human-grade ingredients. Every ingredient used is both safe and natural; you won’t find anything synthetic or potentially dangerous here. But, that doesn’t mean that this product isn’t as effective as the others. Every ingredient is specially picked and added to ensure that this spray is extremely useful. It utilizes peppermint and wintergreen to freshen breath, while also softening and removing plaque and tartar.
Due to its gentle nature, this dog breath spray is mild and hypoallergenic. If your pooch as allergies or is otherwise sensitive to certain ingredients, this is a safe spray to try. It contains no harsh chemical detergents, synthetic fragrances, added colors, petroleum, or animal by-products. In fact, it is so safe that is can even be used on four-week-old puppies and pregnant females. It is made in the USA, so you can rest assured that it is high-quality and meets strict quality-control standards.
Mad About Organics All-Natural Dog & Cat Oral Care Herbal Spray Key Features:
- Mild and hypoallergenic
- Organic
- Extremely safe
- Made in the USA
Best Dog Breath and Oral Cleansing Spray: VetSmart Formulas Dog Breath Freshener
Perhaps you aren’t specifically worried about your dog’s bad breath but are concerned about the possibility of oral diseases. The presence of bad breath is often a sign that there might be an underlying problem. A build-up of plaque, tartar, and bacteria is often the cause of stinky dog breath, but these things can also lead to painful dental issues if left unchecked. To fight dental disease before it starts, we recommend VetSmart Formulas Dog Breath Freshener. This spray was designed to boost oral health by fighting tartar buildup and reducing plaque.
On top of improving your pet’s oral health, this veterinarian-recommendey spray also includes aloe vera to combat bad breath. Other human-grade ingredients you’ll find in this formula that balance your dog’s oral chemistry naturally include peppermint, cloves, honey, and cinnamon. Some things you won’t find in it are artificial ingredients, flavors, colors, alcohol, wheat, and soy free.
This dog breath spray is also incredibly easy to use. All you have to do is spray it on your dog’s teeth, and it will get to work on decrease your dog’s bad breath.
VetSmart Formulas Dog Breath Freshener Key Features:
- Human-grade ingredients
- Cleans away plaque and tartar
- Free of any artificial ingredients
- Easy to use
Who Should Buy Dog Breath Spray
Dog breath spray is mostly designed for pets who have above-average stinky breath. Some dogs are just more prone to odor-causing bacteria than others. If your canine has crowded teeth, tends to snack all day, or eats certain types of dog food, it can be more comfortable for bad breath to develop. If this sounds like your dog, you would likely benefit from a dog breath spray. No one likes cuddling with dogs with bad breath, making dog breath spray incredibly crucial if your pooch’s mouth is smelly.
On top of this odor-reducing effect, however, many dog breath sprays also eliminate and prevent plaque and tartar from building up. This can prevent various dental problems and is much easier than trying to brush your dog’s teeth every day (we review the best dog toothpaste in a separate review). But, this is not true of all dog breath sprays. Some only cover up the bad breath smell with fragrances, instead of attacking them at the source. If preventing dental problems is essential to you, we recommend looking closely at the product descriptions and customer reviews to ensure that the product you choose does get rid of plaque and tartar.
Important Features to Consider
A breath spray for dogs should do several things well. Here’s what to consider when selecting a breath spray for your dog:
- Safety. Your number one priority should be safety. Most high-quality dog breath sprays will contain only safe, human-grade ingredients. But, some cheaper varieties might skimp on quality and contain potentially dangerous ingredients like alcohol and artificial fragrances. When selecting a dog breath spray, be sure to pay attention to the ingredient list. If your dog is unusually young or pregnant, we recommend also making sure whatever product you choose is also safe for them in particular.
- Hypoallergenic. If your dog is sensitive to certain ingredients, it is essential that you double-check to make sure that whatever dog breath spray you choose is hypoallergenic. The last thing you want is for the product to set off your pet’s allergies and make them uncomfortable.
- Taste. Some dogs will eat just about anything, but others are incredibly picky. If your dog falls into the latter category, it is essential to purchase a dog breath spray that at least tastes somewhat good. Otherwise, you could be setting your self up for a fight every time you need to use the spray.
- Ease of Use. Always check to see how involved the instructions are before deciding on which dog breath spray to purchase. While many are extremely easy to use, others require lots of steps and must be used multiple times a day to work efficiently. Choosing a spray that is simple enough for you to use correctly is very important. If you don’t want to spray your dog’s mouth four times a day, don’t get a dog breath spray that requires it.
- Cleaning power. Many dog breath sprays also clean your dog’s mouth on top of combating their bad breath. Bad breath almost always is a sign that your dog’s mouth s full of plaque, tartar, and bacteria. These substances can cause oral problems and diseases if left unchecked. Choosing a dog breath spray that is designed to clean your dog’s mouth on top of cleansing the odor is vital for ensuring dental health.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is dog breath spray and how does it work?
Dog breath spray is primarily designed to neutralize a dog’s bad breath. As a secondary function, many are also designed to clean a canine’s mouth. Some are also formulated to taste good to encourage your dog to use it. They accomplish this through the use of various ingredients, which vary from product to product.
Why does my dog’s breath stink?
The most common cause for stinky doggy breath is bacteria. Bacteria will naturally build up in your dog’s mouth over time. It can be removed through brushing your dog’s teeth, having your vet deep clean your dog’s mouth, or through the use of a dog breath spray designed for cleaning. It is essential to clean your pet’s mouth if you notice that it is particularly smelly since bacteria can cause dental problems if left unchecked.
Bad breath can also be caused by specific oral and digestive problems. If your pet’s breath suddenly smells strange or they begin to show other symptoms of not being well, we recommend seeking veterinary attention.
How do you use dog breath spray?
All dog breath spray will have different instructions. It is essential to read them and follow them as closely as possible for the spray to be effective. It can be challenging to get your pet to cooperate, especially when you first begin using a spray. We recommend choosing a spray that tastes good. After your dog realizes that they like the spray, it is common for them to warm up to it. If your dog is particularly reluctant, you can spray the breath spray and a plate first and invite them to lick it off.
How often should you use dog breath spray?
This depends on the particular product you use. Most sprays must be used at least once a day to be effective. However, it is essential to check the product instructions for exact instructions.
