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Saturday, October 29, 2011

Wherever I lay my straw...

It was just a matter of time before it happened. The fact that we've been out here in the country for three years easily stacked the odds against us. Still, I can't say it was an easy pill to swallow. I suppose, there are  some experiences in life you can never prepare for. 
Crossing paths with a skunk would be one of them. The intensity of it's aroma, how it permeates each and every fiber, of every molecule, of every object within a hundred foot radius is incredible. Just ask Callie. Trying to protect her family from the big, bad skunk in the wee woods she took one for us...right in the face.
 As she barked ferociously and relentlessly, I had visions of either the man still wanted by the police from the incident earlier this year or a kitten hiding out among our pine trees. It never dawned on me that it would be another black and white creature of a different persuasion. General chaos ensued in the dark as we realized that a skunk was on the scene. She tried to come in one door, which quickly led to a different door with a brief stop inside her manger. Thanks to quick instructions found online she was bathed before the spray dried with a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda and while she has a bit of an odour about her, we can live with it, she is a pond dog after all, she always has a bit of an odour. The side trip to her manger however, must have left a large amount of spray covering her bedding so the Artist removed the straw and placed it in the fire pit for burning.
Never have I met a more dedicated pup intent on protecting her pack or more in love with her bedding.

~Be well friends!~




18 comments:

Georgie Horn said...

What a sweet story, even if it involved a skunk.

JoLynne Lyon said...

Great story--and one that is repeated a lot in country life! Our dog got hit twice in one night. After that we thought twice about taking a moonlit walk...

Tina said...

Awe..bless her heart. She's so cute..and what a good friend she is to take on a skunk! She certainly loves her bedding doesn't she?
My son's dog took weeks to get the skunk smell off of him. I'll let him know about the peroxide and baking soda.

Deb said...

Aww what a sweet doggy! I have endured many run ins with a skunk and a dog. My sympathies.

Michelle said...

What a sweet doggy. This has happened on our farm before. Never fun, but always interesting!

Denise at Autumn Sky said...

My dog was sprayed once, ran into the house, and it took a month to get rid of the lingering odor. Whenever I hear our dogs barking in the dark, that's the time they have to come in for bedtime. So awful. There are so many remedies, it's good to know what actually worked for you.

Osage Bluff Quilter said...

I hope our dog never encounters one, Sounds pretty stinky!
Have a great weekend. Might you get snow???

Pat said...

She's such a sweetie - and so brave to protect you from other critters. Hope that's the last run-in with a skunk.

Low Tide High Style said...

Aww, those skunks are bad aren't they? Mr. Quinn had the same thing happen late one night last spring. I'm glad you got sweet Callie cleaned up quickly, she is truly a beautiful girl!

Kat :)

Buttons Thoughts said...

AAAHHH you took her bed this is a great story. Quick thinking isn't the internet great for that.
My old dog scratched at the door once I let her in and commented to My Hero that there must have been a skunk outside. I did not notice till I shut the door she had been sprayed and she was now running all around my house. Yuck.
Great post. B

Unknown said...

Good for Callie for protecting you. We haven't had that experience, yet, but there has been a big fat racoon hanging out on a few roofs in our neighbours' backyards and Remington has been on alert.

Gone Country said...

Poor Callie! What a trooper she is!

Kinda funny about her bedding though!

Lynne said...

I think you should write a children's story about . . .
Callie and the Skunk

Your pictures are precious, especially Callie curled up on her straw mat in the midst of the fire pit.

What a beautiful dog . . .

Deb said...

I have a loyal one too and he's been skunked a few times. Your dog is so beautiful. I've been jumping from blog to blog so I'm sorry I can't remember where I happened upon you but I love your blog so I am now a new follower. I love the country life and at a late age will be living it soon myself. Deb (Ontario Canada)

camp and cottage living said...

No one wants their comphy bed taken
She looks so sad.
Dogs living in the country and skunking seem to go hand in hand!

~from my front porch in the mountains~ said...

Oh, my Callie! What a protector you are, girlie :)
She is such a sweetpea! A dirty sweetpea, but one none the less!
Smooches to her..or maybe an air kiss!
LYLAS!
xo, misha

Leslie @ Farm Fresh Fun said...

So sweet (from a distance)! Love your pics!

Flat Creek Farm said...

Callie has grown up! She is a beauty, regardless of the (temporary) smell. We encountered a skunk a couple of weeks ago on our walk (2 humans, 3 canines, 2 cats). One dog, Chloe.. was the main target. Ewww, she still has a faint aroma :P Hugs to that dear Callie! -T