Skunked!

This is the face of a dog who deeply regrets her choices. Farm Dog Caraway got sprayed directly in the face by a skunk a few days ago and didn't realize how many baths would result.

I'm hopeful she's learned her lesson, since immediately after getting sprayed she started frantically wiping her face in the grass, clearly the smell was not an enjoyable experience. 

Update Fall 2024: For those wondering, Caraway has NOT in fact, learned any lessons as she was skunked twice in August/September. With further experience, I can say that best bet is the hydrogen peroxide/baking soda/dish soap home remedy APPLIED IMMEDIATELY. If at all possible, don't let the smell soak in for any length of time as it becomes progressively more stubborn to fully remove. 

If there's a chance your dog (or cat!) may get skunked, I'd recommend having the materials for this rinse on hand so you don't have to rush to the store in the dark with questionably smelly clothes... 

I can attest that applying this mixture very shortly after skunking (and one was a pretty good point blank blast) resulted in a dog that was fit to enter the house, no garage banishment required (much to Caraway's relief!) Leaving the mixture on the fur to soak for 5 minutes or more also helps improve effectiveness.

This is one situation that I don't make a soap for. Regular soap and water are useless against the power of mephitis mephitis. One of the most important factors in getting the smell under control is washing as soon as possible after the spraying. The commonly recommended home remedy of hydrogen peroxide, baking soda and dish soap seems to be backed up by some good science. So that's a good place to start out if your dog gets sprayed and you don't have anything specialized on hand.

Other home remedies like tomato juice  just cover up the smell and "tire out" your nose so you don't notice the smell anymore. Leave the area and come back and the scent will definitely still be there. 

So, over five days later (with daily baths) she is definitely still not 100% fresh, especially when she gets wet, and she is still not allowed on the furniture (which has been a rude awakening for this spoiled dog!) but her coat is the shiniest and softest its ever been and she is inoffensive enough for petting. Just one of the many hazards of farm dog life.