De-Skunking Your German Shepherd

The German Shepherd loves to be outside and will go wherever their owner will go if allowed. Thus, this makes the breed a wonderful dog to take camping, or for long walks or hikes just about anywhere. While this may be ideal for you, understand that there are certain things in the great outdoors that your dog may encounter that might not be so pleasing. For instance, if you choose to go camping, or live in a wooded area, there is a chance that your German Shepherd may get sprayed by a skunk.

If your dog is ever sprayed by a skunk, you will need to rid your pet of the disgusting odor that will stick to his fur. Your dog will dislike the odor just as much as you do, so it is important to rid it of him as soon as possible.

How? Well you could use the ever charming beer and tomato juice bath method, but you will find that there is in fact a much easier and less unique technique for ridding your German Shepherd of the smell. The best part is the ingredients you will need for the de-odorizing job you likely already have in your home. They are:

• Baking soda
• Distilled white vinegar
• Dish detergent or shampoo
• A large and deep container or bucket

You can either de-skunk your German Shepherd inside or you can choose to do it outdoors. While you may want to do it outdoors because you may not want the smell inside, you should keep in mind that the warm water makes deodorizing your dog that much more effective. Furthermore, your dog will be much happier being washed in warm water than the cold water from outside. However, if you need to, taking care of your dog outside will be sufficient.

If you decide to de-skunk your German Shepherd indoors, make sure you put the large container in the bathtub or shower stall. The reason is because when you add the ingredients to the bucket, they will likely to bubble over on to the floor. Essentially it’s a good idea because you will have less to clean up afterwards.

The following information includes the suggested measurements of each ingredient you’ll need in order to create the deodorizer –

You need just over a half a gallon of distilled white vinegar for your German Shepherd. Add ¼ cup of baking soda to the vinegar and a tablespoon of shampoo or dish detergent. After all the ingredients are in, do not use water to dilute the solution you have created.

Put on a pair of rubber gloves and pour the mixture you have created over your dog. Be careful to keep the solution away from his eyes. Use your gloved hands to apply the solution to your dog’s facial area (only if his face was also sprayed). Once you have him fully doused with the solution, do not wash it off for one or two minutes. Make sure you stay with your German Shepherd the whole time and talk to him to keep him calm.

Finally, rinse off his coat well with water, and follow this with a real shampoo. It’s a good idea to use dog shampoo or baby shampoo as these are gentle on your dog’s skin. However, if all you have is regular adult shampoo, this will work in a pinch. Try to use the most basic shampoo you can find. Bathe him normally and rinse him off.

If your German Shepherd was only sprayed once, this solution should do the trick.