Wednesday, May 6, 2015

Skunked!

It's hard to believe that just 6 hours ago I was outside admiring the cosmos and how bright the moon was. This idyllic moment of time seems short lived as I woke up at dawn to a horrid stench. Yes, the dog has had her first encounter with a skunk. And it must have happened somewhere near the wwoofers cabin because the whole garden and back of the house stinks to high heaven. Maybe it was trying to break into the greenhouse again.

The dog for her part seems unscathed, just wet. I assume she went zipping over into the swamp for a good roll around before trotting off to visit the neighbours. Obviously we had to get her back which she wasn't impressed about but my goodness the whole yard now stinks. I'm going to have to re-wash all the laundry out on the line, wash down the cabin and of course the dog needs a good scrub too. I think the best thing to do is get to her ASAP and give her a good lather in de-stinking shampoo. Obviously she's tied up outside right now while I wait for the store to open and get the proper amount of peroxide. But I may mix up a quarter of a batch to use while we wait.

Yuck.

Not how I planned my morning to go.

In case this ever happens to you, this is the recipe for anti-stink shampoo. It breaks down the oils and sulphur compounds but you'll have to wear gloves and old clothes while using it and avoid getting in the dogs eyes. You'll need to lather, wait a few mins, rinse, repeat a few times so outdoors is recommended. And don't worry if your dogs coat gets a little lighter in colour, it's temporary.

What You Need:
  • 1 quart (32 fl oz, nearly 1 liter) Hydrogen Peroxide 3% (U.S.P)
  • 1/4 cup baking soda (Sodium Bicarbonate) NOT baking powder or washing powder
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons liquid soap (any dish or hand soap will work)
  • 1 quart lukewarm water (only needed for very large dogs)
  • A clean plastic bucket, bowl or other mixing container (do not cover)
  • Clean plastic utensils for mixing
  • Protective eye ointment or mineral oil (for your dog's eyes)
  • Latex or rubber gloves
  • A protective apron and eye goggles if possible
  • Plenty of towels if you're doing this indoors


**UPDATE**  The dog is washed down and tied up to a tree drying. In a couple of hours we'll shampoo her a couple more times and leave her outside a bit longer. It's a nice sunny, warm and breezy day. Perfect for drying a black dog.

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