Keeping your dog safe is a priority as a pet owner, this is true when it comes to what your pet eats, where it sleeps and the products used on it.
If your dog is sprayed by a skunk there are a variety of products that you can use to get the smell off of your pooch, unfortunately, not all of those solutions are natural.
This article explores natural ways to get rid of the skunk smell on your dog
Natural ways to get rid of skunk smell on a dog:
Vinegar:
The chemicals and acids in vinegar help to break down skunk spray. Make a skunk spray remover solution by mixing 2 parts water and one part apple cider vinegar.
Once you have the solution ready, thoroughly wet your dog with some water and then apply the vinegar mix onto your dog working it into the dog’s fur.
Make sure to avoid getting this solution into your dog’s eyes when working it in, it can sting the dog’s eyes.
Allow the solution to work on the animal for at least 5 minutes then rinse this out thoroughly.
Vanilla extract:
Vanilla extract is another natural product that will help get skunk smell off of your dog.
Make a skunk spray remover solution by mixing a cup of vanilla extract with a gallon of water and then dousing your dog in this mixture. Leave the solution on your dog for at least 10 minutes before washing it out.
Coconut oil:
Coconut oil has a myriad of uses, one use is being able to reduce the smell of skunk from your dog. Coconut oil works to break skunk oil down
Applying coconut oil onto your dog’s fur will help to isolate and trap the skunk smell without harming your pet, even if the oil accidentally gets into your dog’s eyes or mouth.
Apply coconut oil thoroughly where your dog has been sprayed and then wash it out after letting it sit in the dog’s fur.
Alternatively, you can wipe the dog off with a rag after applying the coconut oil and waiting a little while, the skunk oil and the coconut oil will come off with the rag
Baking soda:
Baking soda is said to help get rid of skunk smell off of dogs. If you decide to use this product on your dog, you’d need to apply it to your dog two or three times to get the smell off.
To rid your dog of the skunk smell, apply the baking soda, rinse the dog, apply baking soda again, rinse the dog again, and then use dish soap mixed with baking soda onto the dog, then rinse again.
Applying coconut oil after the last rinse is also helpful
Hydrogen peroxide and baking soda:
If all else fails, you may have to use a hydrogen peroxide and baking soda solution on your dog.
This mixture is your best bet at removing the chemical compounds, that cause skunk spray to smell so strongly, from your pet’s coat.
Mix 1-quart hydrogen peroxide, a teaspoon of dishwashing liquid, and ¼ a cup of baking soda to create this solution.
This is enough mix to de skunk a medium-sized dog, if you have a larger or a smaller dog then change the measurements accordingly.
Apply this mixture to your dog’s dry fur and let this solution sit in your dogs fur around 20 minutes before bathing your dog
Discard any leftover solution after use
After getting rid of the smell:
You need to wash your pet with regular dog shampoo after cleaning them up with any of the above solutions. Wash your pet and rinse then repeat this process at least twice to get your pooch all clean.
After washing, dry your pet off with a towel and let it sit and enjoy some sunlight and relax, it’ll need it after the encounter with the skunk.
What won’t work:
Tomato juice:
As much as we’d love tomato juice to work at getting rid of skunk smell on dogs, this solution simply does not work.
Using tomato juice on your dog to get rid of skunk smell will only mask the smell and stain the surrounding area.
If you enjoyed this article then you may also be interested in other skunk related articles. Here are some articles that you may be interested in: Smells Like Skunk In Apartment, Bathroom Smells Like Skunk, Why Do Skunks Spray Under The House?