2 min read Why Do Dog Paws Smell Like Fritos? There's actually a reason.

Some people say it's more like the smell of popcorn, others say it's distinctively Frito-esque, but the reason a salty snack-like smell comes from pups' paws has long been a mystery for dog lovers. Rest assured. The smell doesn't speak to the quality of the grub you're feeding your dog. It isn't that your dog is eating food with a lot of corn used as filler that makes his paws smell like corn chips.

The Frito odor, it turns out, is a totally natural and common effect of the bacteria that live on even the cleanest dog paws. But why does that odor smell like Fritos? There are particular bacteria called Proteus or Pseudomonas that emanate from their paws and give off a yeasty, snacky smell and look like this:

If your dog's "Frito feet" affliction is strong enough to make you crave a trip to the vending machine, there are things you can do to keep the odor under control, like keeping the fur between his nails trimmed and making sure his paws are scrubbed. Of course, if Frito feet gets so strong, it's always a good idea to get a veterinarian to check for infection.