mbc1963 Posted July 30, 2011 Report Share Posted July 30, 2011 Last summer, in the middle of a midnight, intense, thundery downpour, my dog got skunked. I promptly bathed him in skunk remedy (see link below), then drove in my wet PJs to the all-might CVS to buy more ingredients, then bathed him again. The peroxide in the skunk remedy dyed Buddy's black hair reddish-brown, and he walked around with red ears and sideburns for a long time. Now we're at the end of his shedding season, and the only hair left unshed is up around his ruff and ears. I detangled some of his ear-mats, and teased the hair out, and lo and behold, there were the reddish strands of last year's coat, still hidden away like a secret memory bank. So... how long before a dog's coat completely turns over? At least 13 months, I'd say. And, since the baby skunks will be stepping out of their dens soon, and getting all up in the faces of dogs when they should be running away, here's a reminder of the great skunk remedy: http://home.earthlink.net/~skunkremedy/home/ I've found that it works great if you get it right on and let it sit a while - long enough to dye the hair - but it's not something you can use on a dog's face, which creates difficulty! My first go-round, the smell disappeared compeltely, but last year, Buddy took the hit in the face/eyes, and I lived with the smell for a while. Mary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrSnappy Posted July 30, 2011 Report Share Posted July 30, 2011 Just a tip for you from my friendly neighborhood groomer, who came and collected, deskunked and returned a foster dog I had a few years back .... if your dog gets hit in the face, where you cannot use that lovely deskunking remedy, use plain white toothpaste smeared on the face. Be careful not to get it in the eyes, but liberally smear toothpaste on the dog's face (don't use the blue ones, or the gel ones, or the whitening ones - just plain Colgate or whatever) and leave on for the same amount of time you would the deskunker. Wipe off with a damp cloth. Works like a hot damn. RDM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geonni banner Posted July 30, 2011 Report Share Posted July 30, 2011 When I lived out in the country I used to keep a gallon of white vinegar in the garage. It worked like a charm. You can put it all over, I use a sponge for the face and it has no effect on the coat. It does sort of make the dog smell like a pickle for a day or two, but it beats skunk-reek! And you can get a gallon of white vinegar for like two bucks at Costco. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bordercentrics Posted July 31, 2011 Report Share Posted July 31, 2011 This is a BAD year for skunks in the inland northwest. Is it everywhere???? In over 40 years, we never had a dog get skunked. Six weeks ago Meg got it, and two weeks ago Ruby got it. I guess we were fortunate that the skunk was on the other side of a cedar fence, and only what got through the cracks landed on the dogs. It was still very stinky. We used the same recipe in the link in both cases. In the first, one treatment was all it took. We had to give Ruby two treatments, and her front end still smells. We just got some Skunk Off shampoo to try (good reviews on Amazon). I don't want to shave her head and ruff, which is Steward's suggestion. I am resisting! I will say that neither dog runs to that part of the fence any more when they hear something. Only two more to go! (Arghhhh) Kathy Robbins Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alchemist Posted July 31, 2011 Report Share Posted July 31, 2011 Hmm, Mary, thanks for the "head's up" about the bleaching. I saw a good half-dozen dead skunks on the road today between me and the farmer's market. And someone (my SIL?) had posted exactly this recipe on the fridge. Were it not for your caveat about bleaching, I might have purchased some of the ingredients, just in case. (Guess they don't call them "peroxide blondes" for nothing!). Thanks, Geonni and Sheena, for the tips about vinegar and toothpaste. Last time I had a dog skunked we used tomato juice. (She got it full in the face). I can attest to its inefficacy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbc1963 Posted July 31, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 31, 2011 Well, Alchemist, honestly... the little bit of reddish bleaching is NOTHING compared to smelling skunk for 3 months every time it gets a bit wet outsdie. I worship and adore the man who came up with that skunk remedy. The red highlights are just a nice side effect. Mary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alchemist Posted July 31, 2011 Report Share Posted July 31, 2011 Oh? I'd gotten the impression it was more vivid than that - as in, a red dog with a black head. But maybe I'll try the vinegar treatment first. Tomato juice only resulted in a dog who smelled of skunk for YEARS afterwards whenever she got wet. And the bathroom looked like the scene of the Glencoe Massacre from her shaking. Won't try that again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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