Sooner or later, it’s bound to happen. You open the door to let the dog in and WHAM!!! It hits you like a ton of bricks. Skunk!!!! You throw the dog back out the door and run around the house looking for dog shampoo, tomato juice, vinegar, peroxide, and baking soda…. etc, etc…. ANYTHING TO GET RID OF THAT SKUNK SMELL!!!
Well, I hate to tell ya, but those home remedies don’t work all that well. And, DON’T get your dog wet trying to get rid of the smell by giving him/ her a bath in plain old dog shampoo. That will only make the skunk smell worse, and it actually sets the skunk smell into the coat.
Follow these steps to get rid of the skunk smell on your dog…
- Put on some rubber gloves and old clothes. Tie your hair back. I also recommend that you do this entire procedure outside if at all possible. This is gonna be messy. And stinky!
- If you can, locate the area where your dog has been sprayed and blot away as much of the oil as you can with paper towels. Sometimes it will be obvious. Usually, it’s an area near the face (because your dog got nosy or tried to make a new friend), or an area near the hind end (because your dog was running away).
- Now, you need to neutralize the odor. The only product I’ve ever found that truly works is Nature’s Miracle Skunk Odor Remover. The enzymes in this product will actually neutralize the smell. You need to completely saturate the area where your dog has been sprayed. If your dog has been sprayed on the face, soak a washcloth with the product and rub it into the fur on his/her face until it is completely saturated with the product. Rub the product into the coat really well, paying special attention to the areas where your pet has been sprayed.
- Now, let the coat air dry with the product on. Yep, it needs to air dry. This product works so much better if you leave it on for a while before washing. Even for a couple of days in extreme cases. I have applied this product several times to treat really bad cases. You can leave it on for a day or two. It’s completely safe and natural.
- Once the product has dried and sat on the coat until the odor is neutralized, go ahead and bathe your dog as usual. Usually, the odor will be gone after this treatment, but you can repeat it if you need to.
This product is completely safe to use around the house on carpets and fabrics, too! Keep a couple of bottles on hand. You never know when you’re gonna need it!
Do you have a funny dog meets skunk story? Post it in the comments below!
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