I’ve decided to work backwards on my list of things to post to start with the sad, little tale of the “Stink that Will Not Quit!”. Enjoy and laugh heartily with us.

It started out as a normal morning. Actually it started out as a good morning! We were up a little early and after a nice breakfast the boys and I headed outside to take care of some morning chores. The puppy (Harley) was kenneled inside since we were gathering in the garden and he’s less than helpful there. But we took our big dogs (Buster and Gabbie) out with us.

After gathering eggs and opening the chickens into the run we headed towards the garden. Our big dogs shortly behind us with noses still in the grass looking for rabbits and mice. It was at this point I lost track of our dogs. I was knee deep in the tomatoes not to mention that the beans in the field would have probably hid their movement anyway.

By the time we reached the peas I finally heard them. barking. in the forest. That actually should have been my first clue but I dismissed it with a simple “huh must have found something.” The boys finished playing with their toads and I finished picking the peas. One more quick round to see if I missed any thing needing picked then we headed toward the house. The dogs had quieted down (my second clue) so I figured they’d be heading back shortly.

After off loading our harvest we began to close up the house because it was getting sticky. I went up to change as my shirt hadn’t fared well against a leaky tomato. That’s when I noticed an odd, sharp smell. I yelled to Jr. “Smell Harley! See if he stinks?”. Perhaps the puppy had an accident in his kennel. Jr. yelled back “He’s smells like he should! Like a dog!” ???? What the heck stinks in MY ROOM!

Downstairs I am shutting the kitchen window, pondering the funny smell, when the big dogs run past. My first coherent thought is “OH NO YOU DIDN’T!!” Then the awful overpowering smell of SKUNK knocked me teary eyed. I ran through the downstairs shutting the windows to block out the smell. Then I stepped outside hoping that I was wrong…..ACK! MY NOSE! MY EYES!.

Nope. Not wrong.

I was now the proud owner of two, skunked dogs. Two very, very skunked dogs that wanted inside my house to get “away” from the stench that was chasing them. Oh no they were not coming in until they didn’t stink!

Unfortunately the Stink Will Not Quit!

Day 1: Skunk Day – the Dogs are Awful. We douse them in tomato juice to cut the stench and then cover them in “de-skunker” that enzyme stuff that’s supposed to make them not smell.

My mud room is sacrificed to the wet, smelly mutts.

Day 2: My mud room is a loss. Recovery may be possible but additional de-skunker will be needed. Additionally I still am getting whiffs of horribly strong skunk. Where is it coming from? I take out the trash can with the gloves I wore when I scrubbed my smelly mutts.

Day 2 (Afternoon): De-skunker procured. Mud room sprayed with a diluted mix. Smell intensifies and much whining from the family is endured. The dogs are brought by for a smell inspection as the horribly strong skunk smell is STILL lingering. Buster is declared skunk free….but Gabbie still stinks. Brushing, combing and additional dousing with de-skunker is applied. As with the mud room the stench intensifies when Gabbie is wet. Additional “ughs!”, “yucks!” and “ewwwwws!” are endured.

Day 3: She STILL STINKS. I can ignore it for most of the morning but then she walks by me again. I can’t deny it. She stinks. I grouse at her but feel bad because she looks miserable. I grumble that she must have taken a direct hit in the face. Daddy says she probably tried to rub it off and ended up with it everywhere.

Have I mentioned that Gabbie is a long haired dog with a double coat? No? Well she is. Long Black Hair….lots of it. When wet she looks half the size she appears when dry.

I get the brush. The scissors. The soap. The de-skunker. And start again with our de-stink routine. My poor little dog stares at me with sad, brown eyes but I resist the sad eyes. I trim up a few bunches of tiny, spiny seeds. I wash and scrub. Rinse and douse with de-skunker.

Day 4: It’s still here but just faintly now. We’re using the sun now and hoping that a healthy soak in the sunlight will get rid of that remaining residual stench.

I also question whether or not my brain has simply been inundated. Perhaps I can only smell skunk now if I sniff the dogs?

For the record this is our third year of this occuring and by far the worst “skunking” we’ve endured yet.

Technorati Tags: , ,