Caring for your dog and caring for its breath

If in the process of interacting with your dog you notice a strange and unhealthy odour from its mouth don't treat this lightly. There is a chance that it's something medically wrong with them. 

Bad breath can be a symptom of:
 - Teeth or gum disease
 - Tonsil trouble
 - Throat infection
 - Kidney or liver problems
 
or any number of other quite serious issues. The advice is to take the dog to the vet if the symptoms continue for more than a few days.

There are some other causes that you should be aware of that are simply "doggy things" like their tendency to eat their own and other dogs faeces. They frequently lick parts of themselves that might even be infected or unwell in some way; this is why the dogs breath is a good barometer of your dog's health. 
In the same way that you brush their fur you should look after their teeth. Dentist bills for teeth issues are no cheaper than most other treatments and they are usually easily avoidable by giving teeth the right care and attention.
Lastly if your dog consistently has breath issues and you've checked him out physically and there is nothing obviously wrong then it could be diet related and you may need to review the brand or type of food you are feeding. Try finding a brand that has a higher fiber content and also making their diet a little more varied.