• Dogs smell like corn chips because of the bacteria and yeast that make up their microbiomes.
• Owners can mitigate the smell by bathing dogs more regularly and practicing fold care.
• A strong, abnormal smell could be from an infection or other condition that needs veterinary aid.

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On any given day, your dog probably has a scent, and it may not exactly smell fresh. 

Maybe they smell like a trash can after rolling around on something decomposing in your yard. Maybe they just ran through your sprinkler, bringing that all-too-familiar wet dog smell into your home. 

But it's not just your dog's fur that can smell bad. Ever taken a whiff of their paws? 

If your dog's paws smell like Fritos, or another version of your favorite corn chip variety, then your dog may have what's called Frito feet. 

Don't worry, it's not a sign that your dog just gorged on a bunch of Fritos. Here's what Frito feet actually means as well as other common dog smells and how to keep stinkiness at bay.

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It's normal for your dog to smell like Fritos 

The Frito feet phenomenon is due to the mixture of bacteria, fungi, and yeast that usually live harmoniously on your dog's skin, aka, the skin microbiome. 

Sometimes, certain stinky microbes grow and out-populate others, which can cause your dog to smell. For example, an overabundance of the bacteria pseudomonas was associated with smelly, but otherwise healthy, bloodhounds in a small 2018 study.

Though it was the bloodhound's skin, not their paws, that were tested for bacteria, pseudomonas could be a player in Frito feet, according to Dr. Aline Rodrigues Hoffmann, a veterinary anatomic pathologist who was one of the study's researchers.

Pseudomonas has a distinct smell described as a sweet, grape-like, and corn tortilla-like.

Note: If your dog has Frito feet, it doesn't necessarily mean they're sick or unhealthy. In fact, most of the bacteria on healthy dogs are not pathogenic, Hoffman says. If your dog is otherwise symptom-free, you needn't worry about their health.

Dogs can pick pseudomonas up from places the bacteria inhabits in the natural environment, like soil and water. So, when you take your dog for a romp in the park or a swim in the pond, there's a chance that they will pick up pseudomonas and may get Frito feet soon after. 

But pseudomonas isn't the only organism that might be causing your dog's smelly paws. Other microbes at play may include: 

• The bacteria proteus, which some people say smells like rotten fish as well as — you guessed it — corn tortillas. It prefers moist areas like soil and wastewater.
• Yeast, or malassezia, may also put off a yeasty scent that can mix with these other bacterial smells. 

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When to worry

Usually, your dog's immune system keeps microbes and pathogens in check at healthy numbers. 

But sometimes, "when you get an overgrowth of one over the other, that's when they become opportunistic and create infection," says Dr. Joya Griffin, a veterinary dermatologist at Animal Dermatology Clinic - Louisville.

Some of the same microbes that cause smells can also cause infections if your dog's skin barrier is compromised due to allergies or an autoimmune disorder, or if the bacteria enters the skin through a scratch or wound. 

It may be time to take them to a vet if your dog is stinky in addition to exhibiting any of the following symptoms: 

• Itching or chewing at the skin or paws
• Redness and inflammation
• Bumps, lesions, or pus-filled sores
• Hair loss or dandruff

"The biggest thing is, if it doesn't smell right or look right, it's always a good idea to have your family vet take a look first. Or, if it's something that's more persistent, and not getting better, potentially seek out an exam by a dermatologist," Griffin says.

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