To the backyard chicken-keeper, skunks are pests, disease-carriers, feed-thieves and killers. As we all know, they also boast a
unique defense mechanism that has the ability to continue to offend its victims for days or weeks: the stink factor. My neighbor, “Miss Sarah,” as my daughters call her, has a beautiful Akbash farm dog named Peanut, who recently had the misfortune of meeting the south-bound end of a north-bound skunk- face first.
The mention of this skunk encounter on my Facebook page prompted the sharing of a ‘recipe’ for a de-skunking solution by Shelly W. Several others, seasoned dog groomers included, vouched for its effectiveness and contributed tips that I now invite you to keep handy in the event you should ever need it.
De-Skunking Shampoo
1quart hydrogen peroxide
1 Tablespoon baking soda
1Tablespoon Dawn dish detergent
2 quarts warm water.
Mix all ingredients well. Work the solution into the pet’s fur, hair, skin, feathers, whatever, thoroughly for at least five minutes. Rinse thoroughly with water. Repeat if necessary. Follow-up with De-Skunking Rinse.
De-Skunking Rinse
Mix a solution of 9 parts water to 1 part white vinegar. Rinse the pet with this solution. Do NOT rinse.
NOTE:
Shampoo should be mixed prior to each use, never mixed and stored.
Shampoo is drying to the skin. May require follow-up with a leave-in conditioner.
May bleach fur.
