How to Get Skunk Smell Off Your Dog 

“Baggins,” I called to my American Eskimo Spitz to come in. “Baggins!” I called sharper. Too late, he’d darted toward the neighbor’s house. You can guess what comes next.

The skunk odor hit my nostrils before I saw the yellow markings on his white fur as he ran back to me, yelping. This was my first skunk encounter, and like any pet parent, I thought,

“How do I get rid of skunk odor?” 

Since it was 11 p.m. on a frozen winter’s night in Upstate N.Y., there was nothing I could do but take him upstairs and put him in the bath, which was ill-advised.

At the time, I wasn’t prepared for a skunk encounter. Here’s how you can be better prepared to get rid of the smell of skunk.

What Is Skunk Spray? 

First, you probably know that skunk spray is a defensive mechanism. If skunks feel cornered by a predator, they’ll spray. Your curious pup might be as friendly as a Golden Retriever puppy, but a skunk isn’t out to make friends; they’re probably dumpster-diving and looking for a snack.

Skunks have a “spray first” approach, and you can’t really blame them for following their instincts. Then, your doggy runs to you, yelping, and you have to go into emergency mode to clean them. When you act fast, you reduce your dog’s discomfort.

In the book, The First Aid Companion for Dogs & Cats, author Amy J. Shojai says, “Musk glands on each side of the skunk’s anus have retractable ducts. If a skunk feels fearful, they can raise that fluffy tail, telescope those anal glands and spray their stinky skunk oil.” 

Their reach is far too. They can spray their stinky skunk odor as much as 15 feet away! 

Skunk spray is a chemical mixture of thiols. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, thiols are “organic chemical compounds similar to the alcohols and phenols but containing a sulfur atom in place of the oxygen atom.”

If skunk smell causes you to wrinkle your nose and hold your breath, imagine what it does to your pup who has a heightened sense of smell. 

A Homemade Solution for Ridding Your Dog of Skunk Smell 

Shojai says, “Chemist Paul Krebaum found the answer to skunk odor by figuring out how to change the thiols into other compounds that don’t smell with a homemade solution.”

The homemade solution for getting skunk smell off your dog includes: 

• Hydrogen peroxide
• Baking soda
• Dog shampoo

Mix 1 quart hydrogen peroxide with ¼ cup of baking soda and a tsp of liquid soap or dog shampoo in a bucket.

With this simple hydrogen peroxide solution, you can wash your dog, work it into his coat, and neutralize the skunk stench.

Fortunately, these are easy household items you probably have on hand. However, don’t keep it in a closed container, as the mixture can explode if stored. 

Follow These Steps for Ridding Your Dog of Skunk Odor 

According to the First Aid Companion, you first want to check your dog’s eyes. Skunk spray can burn your pup’s eyes if they take a direct hit like my dog did. Fortunately, skunk spray is stinky but not toxic.

1. Clean your dog’s eyes: If you have a saline solution on hand (for example, for contact lens care), you can use it on your dog’s eyes. Otherwise, cup your hand, splash cool water on your dog’s eyes, and wipe them with a dampened cloth. Repeat until your pup’s stress seems reduced.
2. Wear rubber gloves: Rubber gloves are a good idea to prevent the skunk spray from irritating your skin. Likewise, old clothes are a good idea too. Anything you wear while washing your dog will need immediate laundering. 
3. Scrub: Get rid of the skunk oil by scrubbing your pup. Ideally, you’ll bathe your skunked pup outside, but that’s not so viable when it’s twenty degrees outside. 

Wet your dog’s fur with warm water and work that de-skunking solution into your dog’s fur down to the skin. Let it sit for a few minutes because as it sinks into your dog’s coat, it neutralizes the skunk odor. If you can keep your dog still for ten minutes or even longer, that would be a good thing. Maybe you can distract your dog with delicious treats and a short training session.

Sometimes, people refer to the skunk scent as skunk oil, but when it’s on your dog’s coat, it’s not that oily. I don’t recall it having a texture, only a yellow cast on my dog’s white fur. You may see it differently.

No, Tomato Juice Won’t Work

Urban legend has it that tomato juice is a good de-skunking aid, but anecdotal research says it has minimal success. It may just turn your white dog pink. Likewise, white vinegar doesn’t work well either.

A better method for getting rid of skunk odor is to mix up that DIY home remedy above or keep a good de-skunking dog shampoo on hand as a skunk odor remover. If you do use the homemade solution, be aware hydrogen peroxide can bleach your dog’s fur.

After the solution sits on your dog’s coat and dog’s skin, you’ll rinse your pup well. Then, you’ll repeat the bathing process with dog shampoo. Finally, you’ll towel dry your dog.

Unfortunately, the skunk scent is powerful, especially if your dog took a direct hit. It can linger in a milder form for days. If it persists, you might need to consult a dog groomer or repeat the bathing process with a de-skunking solution.

Add to your first aid kit

It’s a good idea to have a “de-skunking” kit on hand as part of your emergency kit.

Gather your supplies:

• Rubber gloves
• Old shirt
• Old towel
• A washcloth
• Skunk odor remover like a dog skunk shampoo (it’s not safe to store the hdrogen peroxide mixture), and keep it with your other first aid supplies.

How to Prevent a Skunk Attack 

Every pet parent wants to keep their dog safe from a skunk encounter. Here are are a few ways to deter them if you smell the tell-tale whiff of skunk odor in your yard.

• Motion-sensitive sprinklers and lights: Skunks aren’t fond of bright lights, and the sprinklers startle them. 
• Mothballs: If there’s a way for you to put mothballs around the perimeter of your yard in a way your dogs won’t eat them, this smell can help deter skunks. 
• Train your dog to “come” and “leave it.” These commands can save your dog in many ways, not only from ill-advised skunk encounters.

When it comes to getting rid of skunk smell, it helps to be prepared. Train your dog, keep the ingredients on hand to make that homemade solution, or have a de-skunking pet shampoo in your first aid kit, and don’t panic. Getting rid of the skunk smell off a dog is possible and is more annoying than dangerous.

By Jen Phillips April