Stinky Dog Update

Last night there was no question about it: Dog smelled bad. So did the house. I'd washed his head and face three times and the smell of Pepe Le Peu was still there. But I couldn't do any more. It was late, I was tired, we didn't have the proper deskunking ingredients so we just went to bed.

Morning came. Stinky Dog was still stinky. The house smelled like the skunk had moved in. I took Dear Child to school and went to work for an hour and a half. Then I went to Safeway and purchased three apparently everyday items in the hopes that they would change our life.

Hydrogen Peroxide.

Baking Soda.

Dawn dish soap (I bought the lavender scented one!).

I didn't use them right away. I went home, picked up my granddaughter from preschool, had lunch, took a nap with Stinky (who was still feeling pretty miserable and needed to cuddle), picked up my DC from her school and waited for Hubby to get home. Why? Because I knew from my reading that I needed to do this outside and I wanted help! Dog had cooperated well to start with last night (probably because he really wanted the spray out of his eyes) but got tired of the process after the first shampoo and rinse. If he was reluctant today I knew it would go much easier with 4 more hands.

We changed into old clothes and went outside with the ingredients and a bucket. I mixed it up (a 500 ml bottle of peroxide, plus 1/4 cup baking soda and a couple of teaspoons of Dawn) and used it right away, lathering up his entire head, muzzle and throat. We let the mixture sit on him for 5 minutes, then rinsed him off under the hose bibb. There was still some smell so I did it all again. After that the smell was very faint so we towelled him off and went inside. We sprayed the house with Febreeze and I dumped the rubber gloves I'd used last night into the garbage and threw the 2 towels into the wash.

Then I went to my class and to work. After that I stopped at Superstore so I didn't get home until after 11 pm. I walked into the house and took a deep sniff.

The house smelled almost normal. Wow. I peeled Dog off me (he was very happy to see me) and sniffed him. He doesn't stink! He doesn't smell at all. No wonder he's happy. Dogs have much more sensitive noses than we have. Imagine how horrible the past day has been for him. I just hope he's learned his lesson about skunks. He's been sick as the proverbial dog after eating chocolate a couple of times, but that doesn't stop him from trying to get it.

So, now you know. If you or your pet gets sprayed by a skunk wash the oil off with a combination of Hydrogen peroxide, baking soda and Dawn dish soap!