My pup was forced to sleep outside last night...

[jplinville]

Earlier in the year, my wife and kids got me a new boxer pup. They knew how bad it hit me about the dog we lost last year, one that would have taken a bullet for me and was very, very protective of me. When we lost him to cancer at the age of 11, I was devastated, especially with my health issues. He wasn't trained to do this, but that dog would pick up items I dropped, without being told to. Wherever I went, he was right by my side.

Anyway, they bought this boxer for me, and he's become a great companion, even at the tender age of 10 months. He stays with me anytime I move about the house, follows me from room to room, paying close attention to me. He's got the same coloring, attitude, mannerisms, etc of my beloved Slider. He's so much like Slider, that not only does he share a second name, his nickname is Deuce.

So, yesterday he comes to let me know that he's got to go outside to water the grounds. I opened the door to let him out, and spotted danger just as he made it outside of my reach. A skunk. A black and white polecat was in the yard, out by the tire garden, eating some of our food. That darned dog took off running after the skunk, and wouldn't stop when I gave him the command. As soon as the word "Heel" came out of my mouth, the dog was sprayed. Not just a glancing spray, but a soaking, high pressure type of spray. It knocked the pup back a bit...being sprayed in the face will do that.

So, he's been outside all night long, whimpering, barking, and crying, wanting to come back in. I've sat outside with him most of the night...up wind from him, of course, trying to let him know that it's going to be ok, and that we'll get him properly bathed when the sun comes up.

Before going to bed, my wife and kids gave him a bath in tomato juice, using nearly 2 gallons of the stuff, then a regular shampoo wash and rinsed him off.

I don't think the dog grooming place is going to be too happy with us in the morning. We plan on being there when the place opens...standing upwind from my pup.

[t walgamuth]

That is a great story Jon! Good to hear from you. It is wonderful when you can have such a special relationship with a dog.

Our little dog is about 2 now.

She and I are operating on a level now that allows me to say one word commands often just softly and she'll do what I want her to...not always immediately, often it takes a couple of seconds for her to respond...like she is translating in her head from English to Cockapoo.

Take care Jon.

[MTI]

The tomato juice bath is a old wives tale, probably to sell more tomato juice. For a home remedy, you're better off with hydrogen peroxide and baking soda, mixed with water and Dawn dishwashing liquid.

[bsharp8256]

Our 15 year old boxer (!) got hit this year. I'm a beekeeper, and skunks like to scratch outside the hives at night...the bees crawl out to defend the hive and the skunks eat them by the thousands. Luckily he took one for the team and as far as I can tell the skunk hasn't been back. The smell wore off by the end of the week, but until then he was strictly an outside dog.

[Mölyapina]

Originally Posted by MTI

The tomato juice bath is a old wives tale, probably to sell more tomato juice. For a home remedy, you're better off with hydrogen peroxide and baking soda, mixed with water and Dawn dishwashing liquid.

Tomato juice worked in our case... we were watching our neighbor's cat when he got into an altercation with a skunk and we had to wash him.

[elchivito]

Hi JP ! Most feed stores carry one or more varieties of enzyme based skunk odor removers. I'd check there. Dawn will help a bunch, eau de skunk is an oil and Dawn cuts grease very well. I used simple green and vinegar on the last cat that got nailed. Took the stink down about 80 percent. Careful with peroxide, you could end up with a bleach blond surfer dude looking hound.

[jplinville]

The groomer was able to get rid of about 95% of the bad smell...but the back yard still smells bad. We had to keep the windows closed in the back part of the house today. I've got a sprinkler going in hopes of washing down most of the over spray off the shrubs and grass.

This pup is truly a keeper. It didn't take him long to learn the hand commands that the others know. Sit and lay came easy. He's very strong willed, and is still learning stay. He is one of the best pups I've had in years.

[Skid Row Joe]

Thanks for the uplifting story, jp. Next to people, pets are hard to beat!

[Do D Do]

The hound got hit twice in one week when he was younger. The first one wasn't so bad , as the skunk got away fast...but the second one was a soaker. The dogs face was literally soaked in an oilly like substance, when he was finally finished. It was very strong. Almost smelled pungent.

Tried tomato juice...didn't work one bit, and I would tend to agree that it is a wives tale, at least for his case. Vinegar didn't work either. Even the stuff FOR removing skunk scent from the pet store didn't really work. We Used DAWN multiple times and it dimmed the smell abit, but it was time that helped the most. I took him swimming lots in ponds around that time. (He likes to chase ducks.) He too stayed outside and whined for a couple weeks.


Of course, I think only my dog could have experienced an extreme case of being sprayed by a skunk. He is tightly wound and has to go all out in everything he does. He must have played with the second one for a half hour or so... All I could hear was howling and all I could see was wheat moving about until he came back all soaked in the smell.

To this day he still runs as far from me as he can and hides if I just pick up the garden hose.

[Do D Do]

Condolences on the loss of your dog Slider. It sounds like you have a good listening pup there. My Dad had Boxers throughout his childhood. He used to tell me lots of funny stories about his dogs. Grandfather rescued a white one from breeder termination. It was my Dads first dog, named Alaska.