If there’s one thing a dog is good at, it’s getting into trouble faster than they can get out of it. So if you ever come across a skunk, it’s very likely your pal is gonna wanna chase it, and if you don’t catch ’em first, things will happen. The not-so-good things.
So I’ve got some advice for anyone else out there with an exceedingly smelly dog that has been utterly skunked beyond belief. And it works even on the fuzziest of dogs.
Luckily, all you need is a few common household items:
A box of baking soda and a pint of hydrogen peroxide are your main ingredients. I’m not too sure if there’s any special ratio, but I used half a small box of baking soda and a pint of hydrogen peroxide and it did the trick. To help with the sudding, a few squirts of some dawn dish soap helps lather and starts cutting the smell too. Mix them all together in an old one-gallon water jug (cut the top off so you can stick your hand in it), and now all you need is a stinky dog and your choice of the yard and the hose…or do you dare take them inside and wash in the bathtub? It’s up to you, but when the source of the stink is gone, the smell fades away pretty quick, so inside isn’t too bad of an idea if you think it’s too chilly outside.
Do note that the baking soda will keep on sinking to the bottom after you’ve mixed it, but I used that like a paste in those really stinky spots around the eyes and whiskers where you want to be a little more careful and maybe need a stronger dose of anti-skunk stuff since it’s most likely your pal got skunked in the face. You know dogs, sticking their noses in places where they’re mischief to be had.
Once you’ve got all the ingredients, chosen your spot for the washing, and you’ve tagged your pal for a bath, sud your bud with the mixture and really massage it into their fur and scalp. You don’t have to bathe them entirely in the stuff, just focus on the areas that got sprayed, which will probably smell a lot like burned rubber when you’re up close and pup-sonal. You’ll know, just follow your nose.
As a precaution, don’t get it in their eyes, in their nose, or mouth. And be ready, they’re gonna start licking as soon as they feel the bubbles around their snout, which does make it hard to wash the area without getting it in their mouth. It’s definitely not an appetizing drink, but my guess is that the bubbling effects of the hydrogen peroxide tickle and the licking is just a natural reaction. Regardless, it’s not something you want going in their belly, which is why I used the clumps of baking soda that accumulated at the bottom of the jug for this, sort of scrubbing with my finger and keeping my pal’s tongue away with the other hand.
Keep in mind that hydrogen peroxide has mild bleaching effects, so don’t leave the suds on them for too long. That is, unless you want your pal looking like some sort of hair-band front-man from the 80’s.
After you’ve rinsed all the stuff off thoroughly, wait a few minutes and do a sniff inspection. You’ll be able to tell if you’ve missed any spots, like behind their ears or under their chin. Then it’s time for a regular bath with some dog shampoo. It’ll help rinse out any residue and hopefully give them a not so stinky after smell.
Hopefully you never have to deal with a skunky dog. It’s not fun. But just in case it happens, I know it happened to me and it was the last thing I was expecting, I figured I’d pass on the advice.
