Yep…Bear got skunked!
This story starts on Monday morning. I was awake early and Bear and I took a mini-loop walk about 6:00 a.m. …much earlier than usual but with sunrise 5:30 ish it was full light.
Walking along the driveway of the adjacent property, a skunk appeared out of the tall grass, looked at me, turned and walked north on the driveway…tail in the air. Bear was to my south, nose to the ground and did not notice.
I hastened toward Bear and grabbed him by the collar before he noticed the skunk. But he did see it and wanted to go after it and we had an uncomfortable walk/drag by the collar home. I told Bear that he would be very unhappy to get sprayed but mostly Bear was annoyed with me for collaring him.
So Tuesday walks were uneventful and I made sure that we did not go where we’d seen the skunk until 8:30-9:00 a.m. ish. This worked Tuesday.
This morning, Wednesday, Bear and I had a quick outing down the driveway (mine) and back about 7:00 a.m. Then at 9:45 we headed out for a loop walk. The sun had been up for hours.
Nearly completing the loop and 20 yards from our own property line…skunk! I was another 20 yards behind Bear. I didn’t see the skunk until the last moment. Bear took a hit of spray and immediately turned 180 pawing at his face. He ran to me and I could see the yellow of the spray on his head, jaw and chest. I told him ‘Home’! and he turned for home. As we went he tried to use the tall grass to get rid of the spray.
Once home, I retrieved the SkunkOff I keep and went to work. Skunk spray is a kind of petroleum compound. You cannot wash it off. The best you can do is chemically neutralize it and the SkunkOff product does that. Spritzing the product on the sprayed areas, rubbing it in and then letting it dry – it does fairly well for all but up close and personal. Time takes care of that.
Bear was so patient and stood quietly while I worked on him. He wanted inside but I opened the Jeep to him and that was 2nd best. He jumped right in. After he was situated in the Jeep, I moved it into the yard, right outside my window. With the Jeep windows and back open, he could see and hear me while I worked and vice versa. He settled down for the morning.
Meanwhile…Purnell, the plumber arrived to work on the water heater. Good news is that my water heater is back in normal business – yea! (heater drained and cleaned, bottom element and thermostat replaced)
After Purnell left, I went out with Bear and we took a short walk in our own woods. Bear badly wanted inside. He seemed upset. He’d taken some of the spray in one eye and the hit on his jaw…he probably got some in his mouth. He’d been drooling. I fixed the bed with some extra sheets, fed him some yogurt and a charcoal biscuit and let him in. He went straight to bed.
He ate a second helping of yogurt and his kibble and went back to bed but has also barked at deer – mostly normal behavior…but kind of a tough day for the Bear boy!
…this week’s wine abstaining plan has been abandoned. We’ll try that again next week.
***about Skunks: they are typically out at dawn and dusk but the females, if they have kits, will go out daytime to get them food and/or train them. There is a kind of “old wives tale” that a skunk out in daylight is rabid, but that is not true. I’m guessing this is a female…with kits…they have their babies in May. Skunks eat a LOT of things that are bad for us…bugs, some of the poisonous spiders…like bats, they are one of nature’s natural pest “repellents”. They are not aggressive with their spray and typically warn with a whole stomping routine before spraying, but a barking, charging dog…well. Bottom line, I am happy to co-exist. I think Bear may give another skunk a wide berth – I hope so. Karl was sprayed once a year for 3 years running and then he remembered :)!
