Pepe 1 Buddy 0

The dog was going crazy. From midnight to one, he was whining at the kitchen window then dashing to the patio door, then running into the laundry room, then back to whine at the window some more. It was obvious that something was in the yard, but I wasn't letting him out to investigate or chase.

Shortly after 1:00 a.m., I opened the door and let him go. He leapt to the ground over the stairs and ran up one side of the house, then bolted to the back corner. Then down the fence to the other corner. Across the back again and around the other side of the house. His nose was to the ground and his shoulders were hunched as he tracked the uninvited visitor's steps around the yard. He sped around the perimeter 5 times before settling in the middle of the yard. He was alert and watchful, but appeared convinced that he'd have no trouble.

After about 10 minutes, I called him to come in, but he didn't budge.   Suddenly, he bolted up one side of the house. I heard an odd wail near the gate and Buddy came back to his spot in the lawn. I called him again, but he was staring between the houses. I looked but couldn't see anything.

I went out to bring him inside when he bolted up the side of the house again. Again I heard the wail and Buddy returned to his post, apparently satisfied that he'd kept it  at bay. I went back inside.

In less than a minute, he high-tailed it back up the yard to the gate. This time when he came back to the middle of the yard, he was diving into the grass, rolling around frantically and rubbing his face with his paws. He was snorting and coughing and diving and rolling.

Now he thought he should come inside.

He had to have met a skunk up at the gate, but it didn't smell like typical skunkiness. He pushed past me at the door, then dove into the carpet and rolled around frantically and rubbed his face with his paws. In the living room. In the dining room. In the hall.

I wondered if tomato juice was a valid remedy; not that it mattered, because we didn't have any. I had to get the stink-bombed Buddy out of the house so I could think. (I find it hard to be logical when I'm holding my breath that long.)
I decided that I needed to do 3 things: first neutralize the odor from the spray, then eliminate the odor, then wash it out of his fur.

I decided to try some old stand-bys.  I took vinegar (neutralize), baking soda (get rid of the smell) and soap (wash fur) out to the patio. I filled a bucket with some warm water for rinsing and took an empty bucket out for mixing.

I put a couple drops of soap into the bucket, added some vinegar and held the dog tightly before shaking in the baking soda. As the mixture erupted, I scrubbed it into the dog's fur and face. After a rinse, he smelled better, but it was still pretty bad.

I did it all again. Scrub, rinse, repeat. Around 3:15 a.m. I was done. Buddy seemed embarrassed at having been skunked.

Indoors needed some odor removal too. I sprinkled baking soda everywhere the dog had been inside. I let it soak up the smell for a bit then hauled out the vacuum to finish the job.

Yep, that was me vacuuming in the middle of the night.

Had I bothered to check online for a de-skunking remedy, I would have found EHow's instructions. Out of the list of required 'tools', we had only the cotton swabs, baking soda, dish soap, garden hose and rubber gloves.  I would need to make a 2:00 a.m. run to the store for

- Tomato Juice
- Dog Grooming Sprays
- Commercially Prepared Skunk Odor Removers
- Dog Conditioner
- 4 c. hydrogen peroxide (that's gotta hurt!)
- Dr. Bronner's Bar Soap
- Kiss My Face Shampoo and Crème Rinse
- Douche (?What? Why? Never mind, I don't want to know.)

I don't follow any recipe if it has more than 5 ingredients!
Here's poor Buddy, 12 hours post-skunking.  I swear he's frowning.

Robert Lowell's Skunk Hour
[Dog Sprayed by Skunk]
[Pepe Le Pew] [eHow.com]

Special News Update

We interrupt our regularly scheduled programming to bring you this news update:

Nichols Acquitted in DUI Manslaughter Trial  (link to story)   Nichols Acquitted in DUI manslaughter Trial  (link to story)

"In closing arguments, DeCarlis called Nichols a "decent guy in a bad situation." DeCarlis and Fuller contended that a "poorly maintained" road, a missing white line and a defective truck were responsible for the crash."

Nichols' attorney, William DeCarlis backed away from the original defense argument that gastroparesis was responsible for his client's BAC exceeding the legal limit after FDLE Forensic Toxicologist Ruth Vacha testified that 'If you were suffering from severe gastroparesis, you would be knocking on your doctor's door really quick.'
(Original story reported at Ocala.com )

In other news, Buddy's fine.
He barks at the letter carrier and the German Shepherd every day again. He thanks you all for keeping him in your thoughts. We haven't seen Max in the neighborhood since that fateful day.

We now return to our regular programming.

[William "Billy" Nichols]   [William DeCarlis]   [Ocala]
[Nancy Cummings]   [Holly Cummings]

[Pet First Aid]   [Dog Bite]

Revenge on Mad Max

It's Sunday, around noon.

John puts the leash on Buddy and they set out for a long walk. Buddy's exercise and weight loss plan requires a 2 km walk each day. They walk 100 yards down to the path that runs behind the school. A woman and 3 children are walking with their dog toward John and Buddy.

John discovers that this dog's name is Max after Max pulls and breaks his leash. He runs, with teeth bared, at Buddy, jumps and starts attacking. Max's owner calls his name, but he doesn't stop.

Buddy doesn't like this new dog, Max. He tries to defend himself, but the surprise attack has put him at a disadvantage. Eventually Max is contained but not before he has removed a chunk of Buddy's ear.

We administer some first aid but can't stop the bleeding from the wound. Buddy's 2 km workout turns into a 10km drive to the Veterinary Emergency Hospital.

Once cleaned and inspected, a local anaesthetic is administered and the wound is stapled close. For the next 7 days, we need to keep him from scratching or rubbing his ears. He is fitted with an Elizabethan collar, that doesn't make him feel regal in the slightest.

Wearing the cone will prevent him from removing the staples; but it also prevents him from getting a drink, ducking under the table to get crumbs, squeezing between my legs and the cupboard.

He bumps into everything. He is afraid to go downstairs. He is afraid to go up to the landing where his bed is. Every time he bumps into something, the noise frightens him. It makes him jump, which makes him bump into something, which makes the loud, irritating noise that frightens him.

Sporting his piercings and sans collar, I took Buddy for a walk last night. Not too far, not strenuous. He was begging to go - maybe showing off his new Goth style (staples with his black toenails) would be good for his spirit. I studied all the other dogs on leashes looking for Max. Two times a dog got near and Buddy stopped and just laid down.

One meeting with Max has turned Buddy into '... a shell of a dog, a burnt out, desolate dog, a dog haunted by demons, a dog who wandered out into the wasteland. And it will be here, in this blighted place, that he learns to live again... (Taken from MadMax 2: The Road Warrior)



Once Buddy gets his spirit back, you'd better look out Max!

Photo of dog wearing Elizabethan collar from
The Fun Times Guide

Tags: [Dog Bites]   [First-Aid for Pets]
[Healing and Rejuvenation]   [Mad Max]

Random Recommendation

I came upon a crew from Humane Wildlife Control Inc. while I was walking the dog. They were evicting squirrels from a home in the neighborhood.

The ad on the van indicated they offered control of raccoons, squirrels, bats, mice, skunks and birds. I asked the rep, who was at ground level, if they also offered service for chipmunk problems.

"No," he replied. "Coyotes control chipmunks. If you have a problem with chipmunks, you need a coyote. A fox might do it too." (I don't have a problem with chipmunks, I was asking for someone else who does.)

I checked out the triple extension ladder the crew used to get to the rooftop and it gave me an idea. "Would you be able to replace the downspout on my house?" I asked. We've needed this done since the fall. It was a job nobody wanted to do, so it was languishing on the To-Do List.

I explained that our extension ladder didn't stretch far enough for us to reach the eave where the downspout had disconnected.

Manny came to check it out. We had all the pieces of the downspout. We needed a screw to hold it together at the eave and some new strapping on the lower section. His son held the ladder and Manny reassembled the drain system and fastened it securely at the eave.

"Promise me that you'll replace the lower strapping today. If you wait, you'll end up with the same problem," he warned.
I promised it would be done.

He wouldn't even accept a cold drink for his trouble. He passed me a stack of fridge magnets to distribute and said, "If you have a problem with wildlife, make sure you call me."

Humane Wildlife Control Inc. offers service throughout Ontario and Quebec. If you have a problem with nuisance wildlife, call them.


Tags: [Wildlife Control] [SPCA]
[Humane Society] [Nuisance Wildlife]

Hit Parade

Stratford, the Festival City, wrapped up its day-time events celebrating Canada's 140^th birthday with the annual parade, organized by the local Kinsmen Club.

The parade wound through Stratford's downtown, from Wellington to Downie, across Ontario to Huron. More than 40 groups participated in the parade that was led by the Veteran's Association and finished with the giant birthday cake float.

Three rows deep along the 2 km route, spectators waved and applauded as the more than 40 entries marched by. At the curb, in pint-size chairs and on blankets were young children. Parents, older children and youths made up the second row, on the boulevards and sidewalks. Other families and many seniors set up in front of the businesses and on the grassy knolls.

Way to go Stratford! There is so much support from all generations. It became clear that residents had "their spots" staked out from prior years. I wonder if, in twenty years, that spot in front of the church will still be Nicole's and Rachel's.

Thumbs up to Stratford, population 30,000 - Well planned and well-attended city-wide celebrations wrapped up with fireworks display at the rec. center.

Aurora, population 47,000, cancelled its Canada Day parade due to lack of support.

Some of the groups who participated in the parade:

Stratford Concert Band	Perth Pipe Band
Bethel Church	Stratford Builders' Association	Playmakers Theatre School
Perth Regiment Re-Enactment Unit	Orr Insurance (that's their truck, above)	Stratford Lions Club
Mocha Trumpet Band (London/Woodstock) and the RoadRunners	Dukes of Hazzard chased by Enos	Jubilee Christian Fellowship Band
Saddle Up Stables	Wellington-Waterloo Hunt & Riding Club	DaMax Kennels (thank you for the loot bag for Buddy)
Stratford Motor Products	Gary Stockie Chev-Olds

Red & White Sale on Now at

The Pro Shop

Tags: [Stratford] [Canada Day] [Aurora Cancels Parade]
[Stratford Country Club]

Lassie?

Just after I posted about the intelligence of different dog breeds, this story breaks:

Dog's Barking Leads To Rescue Of 2 Kayakers (Print Story)
	(Video Link)

Of course, the Hero was a Border Collie (#1 intelligent breed).

A dog is not 'almost human' and I know of no greater insult to the canine race than to describe it as such. -John Holmes

Tags: [Pets] [Heroic Animals/Pets] [Animal Planet]

Every Dog Has His Day

I Stumbled Upon The Top 10 Smartest Dog Breeds page at petmedsonline.com.

We rescued our dog from the shelter when he was a very young puppy. We named him Buddy Homer. He had been found in a rural area with his mother, a Beagle. Nobody was sure where his 5 brothers or sisters were. Just Buddy and his Mom. It's obvious that Buddy's father is a black Labrador.

The vet told us not to waste money on obedience training for him. We'd never win against a Beagle/Lab mixed breed. "It will only be a frustrating experience for you," he warned. "But the mix is great for families. You couldn't ask for a friendlier dog," he quickly added, like that would make up for the fact that he'd just told me that our newest family member wouldn't ever sit or stay.

Buddy has proven himself many times to be of above average intelligence. As a puppy, he used to slide the lever on his crate to open the door and let himself out. The first time we boarded him at the kennel, he lifted the latch and roamed the aisle driving all the other guests crazy. "You should have told us that he's a very smart dog," the proprietor chastised when we went to pick him up.

Other times, I'm positive his membership in Canine Mensa is going to be revoked. He has a neurotic fear of vacuums. He won't walk past the vacuum if it's parked in the hall. It doesn't have to be plugged in or running... the entire appliance scares him. He used to hide bones under the couch cushions and in the magazine rack, not in the yard. And that footwear fascination is pretty old now.

Labrador Retriever is listed as the 7^th-smartest breed of dog. I scrolled down to see where Beagle fit in. Beagle isn't in the top 10.

There's a link that will take me to the 10 least-intelligent breeds...and there it is. Coming in at #9 is the Beagle. Well, at least he wasn't sired by a Bloodhound (#6).

Maybe we should've gone with Homer for his first name, after all.

Tags: [Pets] [Obedience Training]
[Dog Breeds/Breeding] [Canine Psychotherapy]
[Homer Simpson] [Stumble Upon]

Random At Random

Man's best friend can go online to find his own friends now.

Pet Palio, is a website geared to pet owners looking to find friends for their pet. Aaron Rodrigues, 17, from Auckland launched the site after he " 'contacted all the pet stores and they didn't have anybody to connect me with other pet owners. They told me to join clubs, which were offline, and it was such a hassle, I thought there has to be a better way to do this ...' "

Sure, Aaron, the better way to find a playmate for Lasie, your Bichon Frise, is to search online, rather than meet people and their pets in person. There's just nothing more fun than a virtual trip to the leash-free park!

Want to know how many playmates Lasie has found? So far, he's the only pet listed on the site from New Zealand, although the article declares him to be "taken".

[Pet Palio] [Online Dates] [Forums for Pet Owners]

Fast Snacks

It's a conspicuous silence when I'm not updating the sites, sending email, or offering more than a few lines in response to an email I receive. I'm grateful to have you checking up on me. Nothing and everything is happening:

I have been suffering with symptoms of low iron for a month, which, I can track back to be almost one year, to the day, of when we started arranging iron infusions last year. Until my levels improve, my energy is low. When I stop 'doing' and pause my mind and body, I fall asleep. Never for very long, but basically, when I stop and relax, I drift off to sleep. Guess I wasn't into the conversation around the dinner table this evening...stood up, rolled the IV to the couch, laid down, went to sleep.

We are lucky to know terrific people. A couple of weeks ago, I put a call out asking friends to drive the afternoon carpool for me one day each week. Together they implemented a plan whereby Kathy, Shari, Gloria or Arlene is driving the after-school carpool for us three days each week. These guys are no slackers! Each wears the hat of Professional/Mother/Sports Fan/Daughter/Sister/Wife/Neighbor/Friend throughout her day. They've got it all under control. More proof that when something needs to be done, just ask a busy person to help out. Thank you. Really, truly.

I can sleep right through the IV Pump alarms, but the dog's snoring is pretty disrupting. Before we check him out for apnea, we've got to try a nasal strip or something!

I am beginning to notice that Christmas is approaching. No, the house isn't decorated. No, the shopping's not done. Obviously, no presents are wrapped. I do not wish to discuss Christmas baking, thank you very much. We kind of have a plan to get everything taken care of. Fourteen days can be a lot of time. Especially if we skip that whole baking thing.

Part of The Plan: John and I spent the day together to shop for Christmas. One problem: Medication did not reach the correct temperature to infuse before we left. Nature of the day was stop and go, so running it in the car wasn't going to work. Just moved ahead.
Another problem: John and I shop alike. We look for the present that you didn't know you wanted/needed. We know what we're looking for, we just need to find it. We ran into Kari and caught up a bit. We found some unique stores, but after several hours we had 2 raffle tickets, 1 gift card and something on hold at a different location. We saw a lot of the same same-ness in a hundred stores.
Shortly after we arrived at the new location, we had a bag to carry! We hunted around a little more.
Another problem: I don't need to stop to eat. I don't get hungry. My stomach doesn't growl. I was still nursing the same drink from when we left the house. I didn't deny John the opportunity to refuel...It's just that I sometimes forget that other people eat.
Unresolved problem: THE GIFT is out of stock...everywhere...across the country...I hesitated and missed the chance to scoop it online. It's gone from there, too.

Andrew has almost completed his shopping. We committed to hitting a few places in particular tonight to try to wrap it up. Andrew is a great shopper. Last year, on the Saturday before Christmas, we went to Sherway together (yes, on the Saturday before The Big Day) and, using his eagle-eye, we quickly found everything we were looking for (and you didn't know you wanted).

It's a two-part process to subscribe to this blog. You enter your email address in the box in the sidebar, verify the letters on the screen and then a confirmation email is sent to you. The reader clicks the link in the email and Presto! You're in. My Mom hasn't confirmed her subscription...I'm going to need therapy.

Speaking of...my Mom, not therapy...We spent yesterday together. She stopped me as I was about to get into her car. "Wait. The phone," she said, referring to her Nokia 2100 floor-mounted car phone, circa 1987. "It interferes with your pacemaker."
"Ma! I don't have the pacemaker anymore, remember?"

We think we'll survive without the ooey-chewy-double-chocolate cookies we make each year, but are we ready to give up the fudge?

Make fudge or take up knitting? Fudge.

Is the Dog in the House?

The dog got out of the yard the other day. Around 12:30. Do a quick check inside the house, slide open the cheese drawer in the fridge and take the lid off the bucket of treats. When that doesn't bring him out, I know he's not at home.
Outside, I look for clues of which direction he went: no tires screeching, I don't think he ran across the road, but then again, it's a really hot day in Suburbia, so there's not much traffic. No dogs barking at all, so either nobody in the neighborhood has their dog out, or he's farther than I think. It's been less than 5 minutes since the search began.
We split up: Andrew takes the path across the road, David, our neighbor, rides down the street, Annette, another neighbor, follows the path on our side of the street and I take the ground below her at the creek.
"Buddy. Buddy" Four different voices. Four different whistles.
I hear a jingle. Sounds like his tags. Other side of the creek. Where is the safest spot to jump across the creek? There. Did it. That jingling noise belongs to the dog being walked by a boy named Shawn. He tells me that Buddy was following them until he and his Grandma's dog ran down the bank to the creek. So I go up the bank to the park. There's a picnic going on at the Natural Garden. [Well, all the plants are gone now, so it's really just a sandy area surrounded by log benches, but I still think of it as the natural garden.]
Two adults, six children...one boy, around 3 years old is crying. I'm just about to ask them if they've seen a fat, black dog when one of the girls calls out, "Hey, we've got your dog!"
As if on cue, Buddy raises his head and a space is made in the circle that had surrounded him, and here he is. Once he's on leash, I go over to say thanks and find that Buddy has squished all the juice boxes and eaten the crackers the toddler had in his hand. No juice, no crackers, 95 degrees, I'd probably cry, too.

Take the dog home. Put some juice boxes, and some water, and a box of snack crackers in a bag. Back to the park to replace the lost food. And we're all good.

If you plan a picnic at Munn's Creekk Park, the biggest pest isn't the ants; it's Buddy.

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