What to do when your bird dog gets skunked

It's that time of the year that dogs like to get into skunks.  And I really do think they like to get into them.  Last night we were running my two dogs and my friend's dogs on a four-wheeler on the ranch.  I saw Porter pick up scent of something and run for it like it was mission.  He reappeared a couple minutes later with the sweet smell of Mephitis mephitis, the striped skunk.

I tried the old tomato juice method to get the smell out of him.  I've always heard that you have to cover your dog in it and then let it dry before rinsing.

Either it worked or my nose just got used to the smell.  It certainly was a sight to be seen- it looked a little gruesome in fact. 

Porter was content to be bathed in yummy tomato juice.  The taste seemed to pacify him and he decided a bath wasn't so bad.

I've also read that a mixture of a quarter cup of baking soda per quart of 3% hydrogen peroxide does the trick.  Apparently it changes the chemical composition of the odor.

One thing is for sure, by the time you try either method, the smell of skunk will surround you.  I suggest you be patient, give your pooch plenty of fresh air and hope it doesn't get skunked again.

Fat chance if it's a bird dog.

Comments

[Julie Bookhout]

OMG! You dared take him into your HOME smelling like that?

[Sue Melus]

What a mess. Maybe I should have called this, "what not to do when your bird dog gets skunked. Though he smelled a lot better after.