Deskunk Your Dog
Everyone knows that tomato juice is
handy for deskunking a dog, but it’s not
the only old-time remedy that works
to get rid of skunk odor from your dog. Some
other ingredients to keep on hand in
quantity in case of emergency include
vanilla extract, apple cider vinegar, and
hydrogen peroxide.
Try dousing a skunked dog with about
a cup of vanilla extract mixed in a gallon
of water, says Hazel Christiansen, a longtime
professional groomer and former
president of the American Grooming
Shop Association, in Lewiston, Idaho. Let
the dog soak in the solution for about 10
minutes before applying dog shampoo
and rinsing.
For the vinegar remedy, mix 2 parts
water with 1 part apple cider vinegar, and
set the solution aside (the total amount
you’ll need to mix depends on the size of
your dog). Thoroughly wet your smelly
dog’s coat with water. Now, work the
vinegar solution through the fur. Let the
solution sit for about 5 minutes; then
rinse thoroughly. Work carefully and be
sure the solution doesn’t drip into your
dog’s eyes (it would sting).
If neither of the concoctions above
seems to work, here’s one last skunk-smell
removing remedy that’s been
passed on from one generation of dog
lovers to the next. Mix 1 quart hydrogen
peroxide, ¼ cup baking soda, and 1 teaspoon
dish-washing liquid. Apply this
mixture in the same way you would the
vinegar solution. The quantities listed
should make enough deskunking solution
for a medium-size dog (30 to 50
pounds), so use less or more as needed
for the size of your dog.
Yankee Classic about Skunks: How in the world Do You Get a Skunk out of a Bottle?
Excerpt from 1,001 Old-Time Household Hints—brought to you by Skyhorse Publishing
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I have effectively used the last remedy – hydrogen peroxide, baking soda and DAWN (grease-cutting) dishwashing liquid. I discovered this remedy on the University of Texas Veterinary School’s website several years o.k. and it worked. THANK GOODNESS!
This last solution works DEPENDING on the dog and the specific type of fur they have. Our English Springer was just recently skunked, and he has been before. I have used this solution and it definitely cuts the odor, but does not rid the dog of it. With our dog, he still carries the odor after 4 weeks. He has been to the groomers twice AND had the peroxide solution twice. You must be careful when using the peroxide solution. If you give the dog more than one bath in this, the fur can become “bleached”.
Pat, you’re 150% correct on your peroxide solution! I live in Vermont where It’s my opinion that the skunks outnumber domestic cats! My Boxer/Blood Hound Mix discovered a REALLY big kitty in our backyard last summer and ended up getting sprayed! I, too, looked up a de-skunking solution and found the peroxide recipe online. It absolutely, positively works! I highly recommend it for any animal that’s done the Tango with a Pole Cat!
We don’t have any pets as of now, but does anyone know how we can keep the skunks away from our house?? They like to rummage around right under our bird feeders every night. We don’t want anything that will harm our birds, but we don’t want the skunks there either!!
Barbara, have you tried moth balls around your feeders?
Barbara–According to our archives of Earl Proulx’s solutions, hanging one or two room deodorizers near your feeders should encourage the skunks to leave. Please let us know how that works for you if you decide to try it.
Patricia–I also have an English Springer Spaniel. Fortunately, we have only had to give him the peroxide treatment once.
A CUP of vanilla extract?!? That is a very expensive solution!!!