It was bound to happen sooner or later. I just knew it. I just didn’t know when it would happen. It was this weekend that our streak (no pun intended) ended and Lyndsey came face-to-face (or rather ass-to-chest) with a skunk on Saturday night when we were at my grandparents’ house. She must have been right on the polecat’s ass, because when she returned back to the house, she had a bright yellow spot on the white of her chest. The odor was beyond overwhelming, and because the smell was so strong, we even considered she might have gotten into a chemical substance of some sort, such as paint thinner. But, nope, she was skunky.
How to De-skunk-it
1 quart of 3% hydrogen peroxide (for best results, use fresh hydrogen peroxide)*
1/4 cup of baking soda
2 teaspoons of dish detergent (such as Dawn)
* Or vinegar, but hydrogen peroxide is preferred.
Combine the ingredients in an open container (do not store in a sealed bottle, because it will explode). Work the bubbling mixture well into the fur. Be sure to concentrate on the area that was sprayed. Keep mixture away from your dog’s face and eyes. Let the mixture stand for a few minutes before rinsing off.
Matt repeated this several times in the evening, then the following morning he repeated it once more before bathing Lyndsey all over. I have to say I was surprised at how well the solution worked. We then de-skunked everything else. Matt washed his hands in orange automotive hand cleaner to kill the stench from his hands. We threw away the shirt he was wearing and deodorized the house with Lysol disinfectant and Oust. I personally think the Oust worked better in attacking the odor.
The following night Matt went outside with the dogs, where, lo and behold two skunks were slinking around the back yard. Not wanting a repeat of Saturday night, we ended up letting the dogs out the front yard to do their business, alone.
