Prepare Your Dog for Bathing
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Home Remedies for Removing Skunk Odor
These home remedies can help remove odors quickly if you’re in a pinch or can’t get to the store:
Peroxide and baking soda solutions work to break down sulfur odor particles. This solution is an excellent one to use in a pinch since it uses household items most people have already.
Mix 1 quart of hydrogen peroxide with ¼ cup of baking soda and a squirt of liquid dish soap (not the kind that goes in your dishwasher). Use the solution like you would a shampoo, being careful to not get any into your dog’s eyes. You may need to rinse and reapply a few times, making sure to get between your dog’s toes, under their tail, and around their ears depending on where they were sprayed. After a final rinse, wash your dog with their regular shampoo.
As this solution can cause gasses to form in the bottle, do not mix it ahead of time or attempt to store it. Dump any extra solution not used after washing and rinsing your dog’s coat. Peroxide may also bleach the fur, so dark-coated dogs may have some fur lightening in places the solution was used.
A solution of vinegar diluted with water can also help remove skunk smell from dogs. This solution can be used the same way as the peroxide and baking soda solution above. Wash it through your dog’s fur several times until the odor is gone, and then follow up with a rinse. From there, you can use your dog’s regular shampoo to remove any lingering odor or vinegar smell.
While you might want to mix vinegar with baking soda to create a stronger solution, you’ll actually be creating salt water! It won’t do much to remove the odor from your dog’s coat, so if you decide you want to use vinegar and baking soda both, alternate using them between rinsing.
If you have enough on hand, you can dissolve 2 to 4 cups of baking soda into a hot water bath. After the baking soda has fully dissolved, you’ll want to soak your dog in the tub for 15 to 20 minutes, using a cup to gently pour the solution over their back, neck, tail, and head. Be careful to not get the solution in their eyes or nose as it may cause irritation, but isn’t harmful.
Once your dog has soaked and the odor is gone, drain the tub and wash your dog with their regular shampoo. You may need to use the baking soda solution a few times, draining the old water and refilling it with new hot water, until the skunk odor is completely gone.
As noted above, if you want to also use diluted vinegar to remove odors be sure to alternate between baking soda soaks and the vinegar or the two will combine to create a saltwater solution instead.
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To deskunk your dog, grab an armful of old towels, put on rubber gloves, and bring your dog outside so you can use the water hose. Next, locate where your dog was sprayed and try to soak up as much of the skunk oil as you can from its fur with a regular or paper towel. Then, apply a commercial deskunking product to your dogs coat, lather it up like regular dog shampoo, and leave it on for 10 minutes before rinsing your dog off with the hose. Finally, give your dog a regular bath as you normally would and dry off its fur! For tips on handling a dog thats been sprayed in the face by a skunk, read on!

Tip Tuesday: What do I do if my dog gets skunked
Whether you live in the suburbs or out in the country, your dog may encounter a skunk, and you may find yourself frantically searching for a way to remove the skunk smell from your dog. These creatures enjoy hiding under decks, love nibbling on insects, and may even raid your garbage. While skunks can often be smelled from very far away, your dog may be able to sneak up on one — resulting in an unpleasant spray of skunk odor to the face and body. Read on to learn what skunk odor is, how to prevent your dog from getting sprayed, and how to remove the skunky smell.