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Deskunk Your Dog
by The Editors of Yankee Magazine
Everyone knows that tomato juice is handy for deskunking a dog, but it's not the only old-time remedy that's effective for reducing the stench of skunk. 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
Reader Comments
Comment from ELLIOT GREENBERG on March 22, 2011
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!
Comment from Patricia Snyder on March 22, 2011
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\".
Comment from Kimberly Campbell on March 22, 2011
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!
Comment from Barbara Bohannon on March 22, 2011
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!!
Comment from Suzanne Bonilla on March 22, 2011
Barbara, have you tried moth balls around your feeders?
Comment from Brenda Darroch on March 22, 2011
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.
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