Dogs and wild animals with a smelly defense system

I was thinking about just telling another chicken story this time, but providentially the daughter’s dog had an encounter with a “Puddy cat with fluid drive” as my dad used to say.

Our “daughter” Angie has been doing the irrigating and haying on the place this year. She is learning and doing pretty good. Up until a week or so ago, she would normally leave her two dogs in their pen while she went irrigating, afraid that they might chase wildlife, but then she started letting them run with her through the fields and the water to get some exercise and be with her. 

A few days ago the younger of the two, Missy, an Australian Cattle Dog, did take off after a jackrabbit and it took a bit to recall her, but she didn’t ever go out of Angie’s sight. Angie’s other dog, Blue, is an Australian Shepherd and frankly he is one big doofus. He seems to spend most of his time trying to find a brain cell. I can’t say he is dumb, he isn’t. He learns tricks, he is obedient, he is a good watch dog, but he is also just a big fluffy, well, doofus is the best word I can find. 

Saturday night was his Waterloo. He met his first skunk. And apparently the skunk didn’t want to play. There was no polite introduction. That skunk didn’t even ask if he was friendly or not, which it would have found that he is; I don’t think he would ever hurt any animal, but the skunk didn’t know that and it just reacted. Blue didn’t know what hit him, he got the full onslaught of the spray, right between the eyes. Angie could even see the yellow streak on his fur. 

At least it wasn’t too late, probably about 9:30 p.m. Angie called to see if I had any “Skunk Off.”  I didn’t, but I did have a recipe that does a pretty good job. I mixed up a jar full and she came up to get it. She told me later that at least she could stand to have him in the house after a bath in the home remedy. He is going to be smelly probably for most of the summer, but it will be okay as long as he can be tolerated in the house.

Here is the recipe, it is easy to mix, works pretty good, the one time I had to use it, Scotchy met a skunk at about 2:00 a.m. Giving a dog a bath in the middle of the night is absolutely no fun, but I knew I wouldn’t be able to let her in the house for weeks unless I got her. 

Home Made Skunk Scent Remover

1 quart hydrogen peroxide

¼ cup baking soda

1-2 teaspoons dish soap 

Mix well and lather into the area of dog that got sprayed. DO NOT put water on first.

Putting water on that skunk spray will set it into the hair.

Work the shampoo into the hair well and then rinse well.

I always shampoo with regular dog shampoo afterwards then dry well.

I like to keep a bottle of hydrogen peroxide and a half pint of baking soda in a box together in the place I keep my vet supplies.

That way it is always handy.