Dogs who play with skunks

@savypat (20216)
United States
December 27, 2010 2:32pm CST
In the country dogs and skunks coexist. If owners are alert they can keep these two species apart. In the Summer time it is a bad match at best, but at least baths may be taken outside and if necessary dogs may even be kept outside. BUT IN THE WINTER, it's a terrible affliction. Dogs must be brought inside to bath or a special heated area must be found for them. The house is closed to the weather so the smells once introduced stay longer, visitors are sure to show up unless warned off and anyway you look at it your whole week can be ruined. Guess why I know this to be factual? That's right, anyone with skunk stink cures out there?
4 people like this
9 responses
@heidibur (310)
• United States
27 Dec 10
I am a dog groomer and work for a Vet. the key to de-skunk is to get a large bottle of hydrogyn peroxide or 2 it depends on how big your dog is or how many got skunked. any way you can alawys make a double batch. here is the recipe large bottle peroxide 1/4 cup baking soda and a couple table spoons of original dawn dish soap. get them in the tub lather up and this is the fun part wait 10 min. you can use a wash cloth for the face and ears and the inside of the mouth. dont forget to save a little to soak the collar in if you dont you would have wasted your whole day. it is very important that you do not mix it together until you are ready to use it. ( do you remember the volcano experiment in school?)
2 people like this
@savypat (20216)
• United States
28 Dec 10
I never noticed this on the bottle, I will try it. Thanks
@heidibur (310)
• United States
28 Dec 10
Its not on any bottle, its an old remedy that Vets and groomers have used for a long time. the reason you usee the dawn is because the skunks anal sacks ( turbo spray ) is oiliy and sticks to the fur and dawn gets the grease out thats what they use on wild life after an oil spill.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (160626)
• United States
27 Dec 10
Ohhhh Nooooooo! Pat, your dog has gotten skunked!! I know traditionally they have said tomato juice. I do not have vast quantities of tomato juice on hand, I would probably first rub baking soda into the dog's hair, dry. Then I would douse the pooch in vinegar before rinsing and shampooing. I have heard that green apple shampoo is excellent for removing odors, but if you do not have it on hand I would say any shampoo you have on hand. Actually, the scent is probably oil based and I do know that naturalists use Dawn dish washing liquid for any oil based substance that gets on wild animals and birds, like the oil spills or birds that find their way into oil storage tanks at oil fields.
• United States
28 Dec 10
Bath in Tomato juice that is what I have to do with our dog who is a Husky because she is very terrorial . and it works but you have to soak for at least half an hour.
1 person likes this
@savypat (20216)
• United States
1 Jan 11
Maybe that's why it hasn't worked so well for us, we didn't leave it on long enough. I have also noticed that these skunks smell much stronger than the ones we had in the desert.
@paula27661 (15811)
• Australia
31 Dec 10
Oh my...It sounds awful! I have never smelt a skunk before; that’s what you get for living in the city, although there are other annoying smells there…Anyway, I see someone has already suggested how to de-skunk a dog, thank goodness. My dog rolls around in her own poop on a regular basis and it is wonderful to discover the fact after she has already jumped on the couch! That is when I have to ‘de-poop’ hope you sorted it out okay...
1 person likes this
@savypat (20216)
• United States
1 Jan 11
Well it does put a damper on the gingerbread smells you like around the Holiday time. Happy New Year
1 person likes this
@Nadinest1 (2016)
• Canada
29 Dec 10
In my part of the world(Canada), skunks hibernate in the winter...so dogs don't get tangled up with them....only in the summertime.
1 person likes this
@savypat (20216)
• United States
1 Jan 11
They must sleep in some here also, but I know it's not unusual for a visit once in a while, and we have all those dam** chickens to tempt them. Happy New Year.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
31 Dec 10
I actually don't have any remedies for a dog that has been skunked and the main reason for that is that I've been lucky enough that none of the dogs that I've ever had have encountered a skunk. I've heard that tomato juice is supposed to neutralize the smell of skunk, but I personally think that will result in nothing more than a rancid tomato smell. But, if you find a great cure, please share so I will know if I ever happen to need one.
1 person likes this
@savypat (20216)
• United States
1 Jan 11
Read the full discussion, there are some great ideas here, maybe you could copy them and store the list somewhere for use as needed. Happy New Years
@dragon54u (31634)
• United States
28 Dec 10
Oh, wow! Wasn't it you whose dog got skunked not long ago?! I've read that tomato juice will take the smell away but you'd need a lot of it. Febreeze? None of my dogs has ever experienced this but I wish you luck!
1 person likes this
@savypat (20216)
• United States
28 Dec 10
Yes this is her year. Dogs hate to get skunked but the thrill of the hunt makes them forget the last encounter.
@katie0 (5203)
• Japan
28 Dec 10
how cute, how can that be!! i find it so adorable when a animal becomes friends with other species
1 person likes this
@savypat (20216)
• United States
28 Dec 10
I don't think friendship is what these two dogs had in mind. More like murder, I sure don't blame the skunk
@GDTimothy (446)
• United States
28 Dec 10
Dogs mixing it up with skunks in the winter is a nasty situation at best! There are many remedies for destinking a dog, as I'm sure other commenters will point out, but in the winter the concern I've not seen handled effectively is how the heck you destink a house. I do wish you luck!!