Why does my female puppy smell like fish?

The fishy smell that both female and male puppies excrete is often an indication that the anal glands are backed up. Backed up anal glands are a common occurrence in many dogs.

The fishy odor is caused by the discharge produced in the anal glands. The scent of the discharge is naturally a fishy odor and is secreted to help dogs to identify one another. Anal glands become backed up when the glands do not drain properly. Typically, a dog's anal glands will drain when the dog has a bowel movement. When the glands do not drain, a simple trip to the vet can fix the problem.