dog – CreativeCritters

I was out in the back garden the other day when the powerful smell of skunk hit my nose. My first thought was “Where’s Dewey Dude and what’s he gotten into now?!” I know my dog, and I know what his response to seeing a skunk would be. “Oh boy! A funny looking black and white kitty! I wonder if he wants to play?”

I didn’t see the offending skunk, but there was no doubt that Dewey had seen him- that boy was ripe! And do you know the first thing he wanted to do when he came trotting up from the barn? Rub on Mommy! I don’t think so puppy- 6 feet back! Hey now, there’s a great tool for social distancing- skunk spray! LOL

Luckily I had a de-skunking dog deodorizing recipe handy. Dewey Dude hates getting a bath, so I put on his harness and wrapped his leash around a pole on the porch so he couldn’t run off. He may not remember that skunks themselves are bad news, but I have a feeling he’ll remember the bath that followed his skunky adventures.

Here’s the recipe that I used:

1/4 cup baking soda

1-2 teaspoons dish soap

2 cups warm water

1 cup apple cider vinegar

Mix all the ingredients in a bucket and use a soft rag to thoroughly soak the fur and rub in the mixture, starting at the area that was sprayed and moving outward. The Dude was hit on the neck, so I started with his head, carefully avoiding his eyes and nose and moved all the way down to his tail, using up all the solution (it can’t be stored and has to be used immediately). Let the solution sit on the dog for at least 5 minutes. This was probably the hardest part, with The Dude sitting there looking at me so pathetically like, “What did I do to deserve this?” 😦 After it’s had time to work rinse the solution off with warm water. I filled another bucket with warm water and slowly poured it over him, using a clean cloth to be sure I removed all the vinegar and baking soda. Then I dried him off and let him loose. Of course he promptly went and rolled in the dirt. *sigh* Well he was really clean for about 2 minutes. At least he doesn’t stink any more. By the way, I highly recommend doing this whole process outside if at all possible, and be sure to wear gloves, unless you want to smell like skunk too 😉

Thanks for stopping by!

~Michelle

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It’s that time of year again- time for Spring chicks! I got my day old Rhode Island Red chicks about a month ago and Dewey Dude has been helping me take care of them from day one. He loves the little fluffy baby chicks and is so gentle with them. I’ll hold one of the chicks for him to smell and he’ll give her tiny gentle kisses on the cheek. He is just the most loving dog I’ve ever known! (He’s great with the cats too)

The chicks are growing fast and I wanted to give them more room to stretch their wings and play, so I fenced off an area in the greenhouse where I just pulled the old lettuce and hadn’t planted anything new. This was the first time the chicks had been out in the sunshine and felt dirt under their feet. At first they weren’t sure what to do with all this freedom and space, so they didn’t go too far from the food. It didn’t take them long to get comfortable though. Within a few minutes they were running around (chicken zoomies!) flapping their wings and having lots of fun.

I let them play out in the greenhouse during the day, frequently checking on them, with Dewey Dude’s assistance, of course. So far I’ve only had one chick get out of the enclosure, and Dewey Dude came and told me a chick was in trouble. I heard her squawking as I approached the greenhouse. She was up against the fence, just trying to get back in to be with her sisters. I made the fencing more secure (she had slipped out under the fence) and I have the row cover on top to keep them from flying out. I haven’t had any more escapes so far. Dewey Dude keeps a good eye on the chicks though, and I’m sure he’ll let me know if they’re in trouble.

In the evening, as the temps start to drop (before it gets too cold) I load the chicks back into their carrier and take them back to their cage with the heat lamp in the garage. Dewey Dude leads the way, prancing along, tail held high, like he’s doing the most important job in the world. Once in the garage he watches very closely as I put each chick back in the cage. I always let him kiss at least one of them 😉 Whenever I go out during the evening to check on them that hard working dog has to come with me, even if he was sleeping. It’s his job to protect those chicks, and he takes his job very seriously. And the chicks quickly come to love Dewey and see him as a bit of a Mamma Hen. They’re not scared of him, and actually seem comforted by his presence. And that continues even as they grow to maturity. Dewey hangs out right in front of the chicken coop, and a bunch of the hens will be laying right up against the fence, as close to the dog as they can get. So far Dewey’s raised four batches of chickens.

I surely was blessed when this wonderful dog came into my life! He brings a smile to my face every single day, no matter what else might be going on.