TonTon is all clean once again. In fact I would go so far as to say he is the cleanest he has ever been in his short life. So here is how I did it.
When I first smelt the fresh skunk smell it was the middle of the night so he was left a few hours before washing. By then the smell had dissipated somewhat. And I was able to wash the dog without actually gagging. I wore rubber gloves of course.
I washed him outside with the hose. It would have been cold, poor wee fella. First he was lathered thoroughly with good old dishwashing liquid. I used Dawn. This is what my vet uses when cleaning an animal. Fleas hate Dawn. We used the frangipani scented one! 
Rinsed. Then tomato juice. Pour it over, rub it in and leave it on the dog for a few minutes. I am assuming the acid in the juice strips out the sticky skunk spray. 
He was still obviously smelly. So then I lathered him with a strong solution of bio green clean. This is what I use to clean my house. But is supposed to be animal friendly. It comes in big jugs and you mix it up yourself. It is made from plant products, and is an all American natural cleaning product. I like to buy products from the country I am living in. It has no nasty chemicals in it, no perfumes or colours and can take the grime out of an oven. Once again I lathered it up and left it on for a few minutes. Then rinsed. This cut straight through the stink. He was almost clean. 
Then I poured a few gallons of fresh milk over him and rubbed that in because I had it and Cleopatra bathed in it so I thought what the heck. Don’t tell Daisy. 
Then good old dishwashing liquid to finish.
And tons of rinsing. There was a wee bit of hiding under the car, but generally he is pretty good about having his bath. And will stand without shaking. And stand to be rinsed.
Anyway he was quite clean by now. Only a tiny residual smell on his face where I could not use soaps so close to his eyes. Next time he decides to do the tango with a skunk (apparently he is a slow learner) I shall use the hydrogen peroxide remedy which you can read about here (thank you Bill) and here (thank you Joss and your daughter). And report back. 
It seems to me that the skunks are walking past the bedroom doors about the same time every night. Both strikes have been about 2am. So TonTon has to stay in at night all night for the meantime. So just to be sure he was clean, last thing before bed he had the vinegar rinse. 
He was reluctant. He is not trying to jump out, he stood like this for quite some time avoiding my eyes before finally capitulating and lowering himself into the bath to be rinsed in the vinegary water. 
Of course his biggest fear was that someone might see.
Good morning. Thank goodness we got him clean. I have read so many horror stories that I was actually surprised that we got it out so quickly.
Last night about 1am he thumped his tail on the floor to wake me, asking to go out, sitting at the door staring out intently. I smelt the slightest of skunk smell wafting in through the doors. They were parading past again. Go to bed I growled from my pillow. He glared at me then went back to his bed and that was that.
If they keep to their nocturnal routine and I keep to mine we will all get along just fine. The Tall Teenager said trap them. No, I said nature loves a vacuum. If I take them out a hole will be left in my farmy ecosystem and it might be filled with something worse. We will learn about them. They can wander about the garden looking for grubs and mice at night. And if we do not bother them, then I am fairly sure they will not bother us. There is a lot of rabies in the small animals in this country so keeping out of their way seems like a better option.
Today is going to be very hot again, so I will start the chores early and get everyone set up with cold waters and mineral under their trees for the day. Yesterday we carried 100 bales of straw into the barn. Our preparations for winter are coming along just nicely.
Have a lovely day.
celi
On this date a year ago. murder in the chook house and a little about how tiny Mary’s Cat come to be on my porch that morning!
The Kitchen's Garden 
95 responses to “How to wash Skunk Stink off your Dog.”
Goor morning! Great photos, c, particulalry TonTon’s hesitant paw in the tub for the vinegar rinse. Glad all’s well on the farmy!
I’m thankfull that I have never smelt skunk. and vicariously enjoying your (or shoudl I say TonTons) misadventures from a safe distance is fine by me! At least he didn’t have to suffer the final indignity of a blow dry as it’s so lovely and warm outside!
If TonTon ever needs to go through this drawn-out bathing process again and he is worried that someone may see, post a guard at the end of your driveway. That is what we did when I was growing up, when we bathed/showered (not sure which word to use) with a garden hose outside on sultry summer evenings while growing up. We did not have a bathroom and we needed to wash the barn stink and grime from our bodies. No tomato juice or milk baths necessary.
I am working on an outside shower for just this purpose, i am growing a lilac garden all around the space i have chosen.. i love to wash outdoors, my godmother has an outside shower and has a bell on her gate, if she hears the bell she will duck back inside through the washhouse!! c
Thanks, Celi. This is good to know. My dogs have been skunked in the past and Max is sure to get it again, be it in my back yard or in Michigan. And thanks for the tip about bio green clean.
Poor tonTon. I’ve seen that look in Max’s eyes as he’s being bathed. Of all the indignities!
Morning John, hopefully by keeping him in all night he will not have another ‘meeting’ . I need to do some more research and see if skunks have little walking tracks like sheep do.. c
TonTon is so cooperative (maybe he doesn’t like the smell either – or being shunned!)
You are right – skunks do develop a regular routine and it is like a parade each night.
During one dry summer we found a family was coming to drink water out of the large dog bowl. If they are refreshing themselves around your house maybe put out fresh water far away from the house? Still best to keep dog up until they move on.
Oh, and about trapping skunks – there’s an art to it – check with an expert. Must all be done at night…the trapping isn’t to hard – it’s the relocating without upsetting them. (Skunk experts are pretty interesting people…the skunks somehow trust them and never spray…very unusual)
Enjoy your day!
That is a good idea to keep water filled further from the house. i do have a few down the back but with our developing water crisis i have been neglecting them, and the water barrels and overflow dishes are right by the house, in fact under a bedroom window.. an aha moment i think.. thank you mouse.. c
Skunks are cute ( and I’ll be the last one to deny living things water)..but they need to keep their distance! Hope it alters the nightly parade. Stay cool!
Poor TonTon…hopefully his numerous baths will help to remind him that skunks don’t make good playmates! I hope I never have to go through that with our dogs, but seeing that Abigail will chase anything, including Moose, I can’t imagine that a skunk would stop her.
Now I have all the techniques in one place. Thanks for the advice! ~ April
Oh dear, your abigail chasing a moose does not sound good!! c
Blargh, sounds like quite an undertaking! Glad it’s all over now, hopefully Ton Ton will avoid the skunks if only to avoid a repeat performance of extended bathtime.
One would hope so.. have a lovely day carolanne.. c
I’m glad the whole ordeal’s over! There’s so much bathing… just because of one skunk! I hope Ton Ton has learned not to get near skunks from now on!
Ha ha – you’d think the colour of Dawn alone would do it! Poor Ton Ton. I’m sure there’s a least one Garrison Keillor story about being skunked (and a worthwhile read). Your mention of skunks marching past the house did make me wonder if there’s a natural skunk deterrent…
That is a very good thought, that is something i will research as well, hmm, well done mad.. morning mad!.. c
haha a thorough clean for TonTon!!
morning ksenia.. !
sorry the tomato juice didn’t work, maybe it only works on people’s skins. but glad u got the smell out of him
I think the tomato juice cut right through the smell, and is probably good for lifting the gunk off the pelt. Then the biogreen clean took out the last of it. Anyway that is what i think.. the milk would have worked like conditioner.. it was a useless experiment because i just used everything one after the other!! certainly not scientific! morning terry.. c
So glad to see Ton Ton squeaky clean.. it was like a heavenly dog beauty parlor today.. all that pampering 😀 xx
Morning barb i am not sure he actually saw it as a pamper, I am sure i heard him say ‘I hate you and you are ruining my life!!’.. c
😀
So glad you got the stink out!!!! About the balance in your ecosystem – hheeehee – better the devil you know than the one you don’t!
I agree completely natalia, in moe ways than one!! c
Sweet Ton Ton. So patient and cooperative. We only have a cat, and so I hope he never encounters a skunk. He would not take to a bath, I’m afraid!
Ton has been trained to stand still to be washed but oh my, i stretched his patience yesterday! c
As for your comment to Barb….I’m sure he thought you were being way over zealous on that wonderful smell he had such a blast getting!
Linda
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