It could have been a cold night outside for the dogs, we were lucky! General Chat

So I’m sitting inside reading, just a few minutes ago, and an odor starts drifting into the house... I ignore it for a minute, then it gets stronger and I start to get concerned, but I haven’t heard the dogs bark, or yelp. I turn on the outside light and Bandit is on the little deck and Katie Mae is laying in the yard, both seem calm. I open the door and it smells much stronger, my heart kinda drops into my stomach and I shut the door quickly. SKUNK.

I change into some different clothes and get some throw away gloves and reluctantly venture outside. I get a hold of Katie Mae’s collar and try and keep her at a distance and take a whiff, smells like dog. I get closer and seems ok, I bury my nose in her fur and just get the blessed smell of dog. Bandit gets the same treatment and he’s ok too, just smells like a dog!!!!! They are both inside now for the night.

If they’d been sprayed, they’d be sleeping outside for the night, which they have never done. Was really lucky too as I have no skunk shampoo and even worse is that my deep well pump is dead, broken, kaput, and the 5000 gallon storage tank is empty... I called on Friday and they might get out here the end of next week, but more likely Monday the 7th. Lousy time for the pump to go out.. over New Years. I’m so glad they just smell like dog, although the skunk was close and seems like it has sprayed near bye as I can still smell it inside.. Still taking some deep breaths as I was more than mildly stressed about having stinky dogs and no water to bathe them in. All’s well that ends well

Oh dear. Something we don't have to worry about, thank goodness.
Are you completely without water? Having to use bottled? What a pain, and yes it would have been dreadful if they had been sprayed.
If you got the whiff, does this mean that the skunk secretion is still on your property, and might your dogs be able to brush against it? I would be sniffing everywhere, like a crazy woman.

I have no idea what skunk spray smells like [thankfully] as like Carole we do not have skunks here. At least I do not think we do, but I know that the smell is diabolical, and with no water with which to bathe Katie Mae and Bandit I think I would have been tearing my hair out.

Does your storage tank fill from rain or is it pumped from your well? I use bottled mineral water for drinking and cooking, and the containers are delivered every four weeks, and of course the macolet sells packs of 6 x 1.5 litre bottles I think you would need quite a few of even the largest size containers to bathe your dogs though!

I do hope you can get your water problems sorted out asap and not have to wait until next week.

The storage tank is filled from the well and is way up a hillside which then provides gravity feed water to the property, it’s way up so has good pressure, when the system is functioning..

I have a spigot on top of my wellhead and the pump works enough for me to slowly fill up 5 gallon buckets for doing dishes, flushing toilet, drinking water for the dogs, etc. I can go to a friends for a shower thank goodness!! Not very convenient but it’s only temporary.

Now the cost would be a nice down payment on a newer vehicle and leaves no emergency money for the dogs or if my truck breaks down, but I’ve already done quite a few repairs on it this year so hopefully that won’t happen.

Not the best timing while I’m looking for a new job, as the guy I was working for helping to remodel his house ran out of money to pay me.. He said he can probably bring me back on in 3-4 months. I like a job that not only pays but keeps my mind active, and many available jobs that I could get are mind numbing.. Oh well, I’ll see what I can find in the new year!!

The skunk must have been behind or under the house and I’ve been outside this morning and no skunk smell, so it must not have sprayed!! More good luck!! You are lucky to not have skunks. All my previous dogs have been sprayed, and having not liked being sprayed, killed or maimed said skunks.. Another good reason to keep up on the rabies vaccination.

It takes special shampoo to get rid of (most) of the skunk smell. You all should thank your lucky stars you haven’t had to deal with them. I do figure it’s just a matter of time before they encounter one, unfortunately. At least we don’t have porcupines where I live, so that’s a plus!!!

We always get skunks around 2 in the morning and you can smell them when they walk by! Thank goodness no dog has been sprayed here yet, and skunks are everywhere.