How to De-Skunk Your Dog in 20 Minutes: An Effective Quick, Easy, and Inexpensive Home Remedy

Ok so your dog has come back from a romp, but what is that smell? Enough to make the average person vomit for sure, skunk has to be one of the rankest natural smells I know of. We currently have three dogs, so unfortunately we are familiar with the skunk dilemma.

First, do not let your dog in the house, if he/she rolls on the carpet or jumps on the couch it is extremely difficult to get the smell out depending on the type of fabric. It is better to tie your dog up outside while you mix up the remedy. They are just as uncomfortable with the smell as you are, and they desperately want to get it off of them. Oddly enough, my dogs seem to forget about this part and still chase skunks. *sigh*

The solution is actually pretty easy, and this defiantly works. I can't count how many times I have used this to alleviate that awful smell and de-skunk my dogs. The best part is most people have the 3 items you need right in their medicine cabinet.

You will need two large bottles of Hydrogen Peroxide, two tablespoons of any type of dish liquid, and two pairs of rubber gloves. For smaller dogs you can use one bottle of Hydrogen Peroxide and one Tablespoon of dish liquid, however, you still need two pairs of gloves. Mix the solution in an easy to pour container. I cross tie my dog to the railings on the deck, using two collars and two leashes, one to each side. This keeps them in one spot so it is easier to apply the mixture without chasing them all over the place. It is much the same as tying off a horse for brushing and saddling, just make sure the leashes are tied short enough to prevent tangling, and long enough for your pet to be comfortable.

Put on your rubber gloves and start applying the mixture like you were shampooing your hair. Be careful and avoid the face, eyes, mouth, nose and any open wounds your pet may have. Not only will this cause irritation, it could hurt your dog, Avoid anywhere you would not want peroxide on your body, that is a pretty safe rule of thumb for application purposes. Lather the mixture well on his/her coat.

Take off your rubber gloves and dispose of them properly, preferably in a garbage can outside. Let this solution stay on your dog for about 20 minutes. When the time is up, put on a new pair of gloves and hose off your dog, make sure you get all of the solution off of their fur so it does not stain your carpets or upholstery. Towel dry or air-dry your dog. The towel will pretty much be shot, so you might as well use an old one, you will most likely need to throw it away afterwards. Dispose of your gloves as listed above.

This solution actually works great for light colored dogs; it makes them look brand new when you're finished. It could however change the color of some darker colored dogs. If you are unsure, you could do a spot test on an unnoticeable area of fur to see if there are any undesirable color changes. Using hydrogen peroxide is a lot like dying your hair and similar precautions should be used.

So if you have dogs like mine who just can't seem to stop chasing skunks and getting sprayed, you might want to pick up a few spare bottles of hydrogen peroxide and keep them in your medicine cabinet just in case. It is an inexpensive and quick solution to a really smelly problem.