Yes, but why is it always the skunks in life who get to eat the best tidbits? ... Because otherwise they stink up the place for everyone else? Well, that ain't fair.
Skunks are actually very delicate and precise nibblers. They dearly love a raw egg, for example, which htey will carefully open and consume. Compare to raccoons, which are big and blustery sorts of creatures.
Skunks will ALWAYS give a fair warning of their .... opinions. Though of course, they express them....strongly.
Erika, there's a common idea that tomato juice helps remove skunk odour from a dog. Apparently there's nothing in it, but a lot of people still believe it.
Our sainted dog, Rusty, got sprayed by a skunk one evening, and we tried cleaning him with soap and water and tomato juice, and neither method worked. In truth, nothing really works to remove the odor, but by the next morning the odor was gone. The good news is that the smell doesn't last long.
Ann, thanks. Now we know what to do if it happens again - not to Rusty, of course, because he's in dog heaven.
We let Rusty sleep on the back screened porch, and he was fine the next morning. If you have no place to put your pet except the house, then a method of cleaning would be quite important.
I can attest to the efficacy of the hydrogen peroxide treatment. Don't mess about with tomato juice. We now have a skunk kit packed up in a plastic bucket.
I saw something this summer that was quite amazing. Two little skunks were on the side of the road and started to cross. As I watched, they seemed to roll over and over each other. I thought it might be courtship behavior. But then I realized that one was hurt, dragging the lower half of it's body along, and the other was coaxing and pushing the hurt one, staying close to it . When they finally got across, the skunk tried to pull the hurt one by the snout into the woods. When it didn't move very far, it would cuddle up and lie along side of the hurt skunk. Then it would run around to the head and begin pulling again. An example of faithfullness from skunks..whodathought? Glad you're home and that you had a wonderful time, Mimi! amyj
A friend's dogs calmly walk into the outdoor shower to be shampooed. It has happened more than once. Fortunately I haven't had to deal with this with Miss Isabelle who hates showers.
Yes, but why is it always the skunks in life who get to eat the best tidbits? ... Because otherwise they stink up the place for everyone else? Well, that ain't fair.
ReplyDeletePS Thanks Doug!
Skunks are actually very delicate and precise nibblers. They dearly love a raw egg, for example, which htey will carefully open and consume. Compare to raccoons, which are big and blustery sorts of creatures.
ReplyDeleteSkunks will ALWAYS give a fair warning of their .... opinions. Though of course, they express them....strongly.
Tomato juice helps.
Too cute.
ReplyDeleteSensible dog!
ReplyDeleteStill puzzling over the line "tomato juice helps"....
ReplyDeleteErika, there's a common idea that tomato juice helps remove skunk odour from a dog. Apparently there's nothing in it, but a lot of people still believe it.
ReplyDeleteOur sainted dog, Rusty, got sprayed by a skunk one evening, and we tried cleaning him with soap and water and tomato juice, and neither method worked. In truth, nothing really works to remove the odor, but by the next morning the odor was gone. The good news is that the smell doesn't last long.
ReplyDeleteFor de-skunking
ReplyDeleteWell, well, well, you do indeed learn something new every day. Thank you all!
ReplyDeleteAnn, thanks. Now we know what to do if it happens again - not to Rusty, of course, because he's in dog heaven.
ReplyDeleteWe let Rusty sleep on the back screened porch, and he was fine the next morning. If you have no place to put your pet except the house, then a method of cleaning would be quite important.
I can attest to the efficacy of the hydrogen peroxide treatment. Don't mess about with tomato juice. We now have a skunk kit packed up in a plastic bucket.
ReplyDeleteI saw something this summer that was quite amazing. Two little skunks were on the side of the road and started to cross. As I watched, they seemed to roll over and over each other. I thought it might be courtship behavior. But then I realized that one was hurt, dragging the lower half of it's body along, and the other was coaxing and pushing the hurt one, staying close to it . When they finally got across, the skunk tried to pull the hurt one by the snout into the woods. When it didn't move very far, it would cuddle up and lie along side of the hurt skunk. Then it would run around to the head and begin pulling again. An example of faithfullness from skunks..whodathought?
Glad you're home and that you had a wonderful time, Mimi!
amyj
Amy, what a lovely story! The animals too often shame us humans in tenderly caring for their own.
ReplyDeleteA friend's dogs calmly walk into the outdoor shower to be shampooed. It has happened more than once. Fortunately I haven't had to deal with this with Miss Isabelle who hates showers.
ReplyDeleteIf you have an outside shower and dogs who like to use it, that works quite well.
ReplyDelete