Canine care: homemade dog shampoo and skunk cure

Save your dog from the wrath of skunk spray with a homemade formula, and keep its mane shiny with shampoo.

You can save a lot of dollars every time you wash your dog, by substituting this single ingredient for a commercial dry pet shampoo. Although your pet will still need the occasional soap-and-water shampoo to remove ground-in dirt, dry shampoo will keep your dog clean and fresh smelling during cold weather or when you're travelling.

       What you need:

• 1 500 g (1 lb) box baking soda

  What to do:

  1. Test for sensitivity by rubbing a little baking soda into your dog's coat between the ears (where it can't be licked off). Wait five minutes and check for reddening or other signs of irritation. If there are none, proceed.

  2. Rub baking soda into the dog's coat, working it in all the way to the skin. Be careful to avoid eyes, nose, mouth and ears. Allow soda to remain in coat for a full minute to absorb oil and odour.

  3. Brush fur with a pet brush until all the baking soda and debris are removed.Makes one or more shampoos, depending on the size of dog.

When a skunk sprays your dog, confine it outdoors and run to the bathroom supply cabinet for help. Speed is important: Dried skunk essence is harder to remove and lingers longer.

      What you need:

• 1 or more large tubes traditional-formula white toothpaste (coloured or gel pastes can discolour fur)
• 1 bottle dog shampoo
• 50 ml (1/4 c) cider vinegar

  What to do:

  1. Work toothpaste into the dog's fur from head to tail, nose to toe. Allow toothpaste to air-dry for 20 minutes.
  2. Wet the dog and apply dog shampoo, working up a full lather.
  3. In a large bucket, combine vinegar with 3.75 litres (one gallon) of warm water. Rinse the dog with this solution (double it for a big dog) and dry as usual.
  4. Repeat treatment as needed.Makes one treatment.