How to Get Rid of Skunk Spray on an Outdoor Dog

When your dog gets sprayed by a skunk, it may seem like a disaster, but if you move quickly you can get rid of the smell. When a skunk sprays your dog, an oil is released. If that oil is given enough time it will soak into your dog's skin and coat and leave a lingering aroma. There are many de-skunking products you can buy to neutralize the odor of skunk spray, but chances are you won't have them on hand when you need them. Fortunately, there are a number of common items that can also do the trick.

Things You'll Need

  • Gloves
  • Old clothes
  • Tomato sauce or tomato paste
  • Hydrogen peroxide
  • Baking soda
  • Dog shampoo
  • Towels
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Instructions

    • 1

      Don't let your dog inside your home if at all possible. If you cannot bathe your dog outside, take your dog straight to the bathroom and put him in the tub. You do not want the oil from the skunk to transfer to anything in your home.

    • 2

      Change into old clothing you do not care about. Cover as much of your skin as possible to protect yourself from transferred skunk oil. Put on a pair of rubber gloves.

    • 3

      Shampoo the area of your dog that got sprayed by the skunk. Do not shampoo your entire dog unless you don't know where your dog was sprayed. It is best to start off by shampooing the area that was sprayed first to prevent spreading the oil to other areas of your dog.

    • 4

      Rinse the area you shampooed and towel it dry.

    • 5

      Apply tomato paste to your dog's fur. Rub the tomato paste in as if it were shampoo. Cover your dog entirely. Let the paste sit on your dog's fur for at least 20 minutes.

    • 6

      Rinse the tomato sauce from your dog's fur. Shampoo your dog's coat. Repeat this treatment if necessary.

    • 7

      Wash your dog with a mixture of 4 cups hydrogen peroxide, 1/4 cup baking soda and 1 tsp. of dog shampoo if your dog still smells like skunk after two tomato baths. Lather the mixture into your dog's fur. Let the mixture sit for about five minutes, then rinse thoroughly. Towel dry. Repeat if necessary.