[aiw]

Tonight I was sitting outside with Pete when all of a sudden I notice him looking very intently at the other side of the backyard. His ears were pricked and he was scary focused. I looked over and less than 15 feet away lumbering slowly towards us was a giant SKUNK!! Aaaaahhhh!!! I looked at Pete and in my sweetest voice said "Pete-y c'mere, come one, come ON!!".... Thank god hes an attention whore and he trotted over inside for some belly rubs. Phew. We both could have been foul for WEEKS if it wasnt for Petes 'love above all else even life itself' philosophy.

 

[momtolabs]

Glad you got inside fast!! When I lived in the country my dogs came home smelling like skunks all the time. Then they would get into the house and roll on the carpet *gag*.

 

[BellaPup]

Thank goodness!! This could very easily be a "Sprayed!" post!

LOL - had ona them close calls myself when Bella was a pup. I did the same thing. Saw her staring at something - saw the skunk - said as calmly as I could "Beeelllla....come get your goodie Beeeelllaaaa...." I was soooooooo glad she didn't choose to ignore me that time like she did (does) most other times!

Still doesn't hurt to keep some skunk smell killing ingredients on hand...just in case! =)

 

[xxxxdogdragoness]

Eww eww eww!!!!! I hate skunks with a capital 'S' so much so that I used to use them for target practice with my gun before I had to pawn it.

 

[Amaryllis]

Skunks! I hate them so, so, so much. I was trapped inside my house once by a skunk. I swear they know we'd rather eat glass than get sprayed and it makes them bold. Stupid thing climbed up onto my porch and just sat there, laughing at me.

The other night, I noticed Kabota going into prey drive mode and looked ahead to see what he'd spotted- and then took off running, dragging Kabota after me when I realized it was a skunk. Yet another good reason to let the dog walk in front.

 

[Spirit_of_Cotons]

Ugh, good thing you got away with your dog! But skunks spray as a last resort, just to tell you. They'll give you signs before spraying, only if you ignore those signs will they resort to spraying. Just a fun fact.

 

[aiw]

I'll keep an eye out for the signs, he's clearly living in the neighbourhood so I'll have to be careful from now on. I'm happy to beat a hasty retreat from a skunk, unfortunately I'm not sure the two dogs feel the same way!

 

[Spirit_of_Cotons]

Sorry about that Alw--just realized I didn't say what these "signs" were. I don't remember the order they go in, but they will stomp on their two front feet first, go back and forth stomping their front feet in repetition. Then they'll sway from side to side, then they attempt to do a handstand, after that if you still don't listen, run!!! Ut oh on your dogs, I think they'll be needing some tomato juice bath!

I know this is a far cry from a skunk, but I'm really afraid of bees. I saw one and was "Luke, come on. Luke, please come on! LUKE, MOVE!!" and he was, "Why am I moving fast again?" Lol.

 

[Crantastic]

Eww eww eww!!!!! I hate skunks with a capital 'S' so much so that I used to use them for target practice with my gun before I had to pawn it.

I'm not sure I'd brag about shooting innocent animals for fun. It makes many people, including me, think a lot less of you.

I like skunks. They're quiet and they eat gross bugs. I've almost run into a bunch of them over the years (just this spring my dogs and I rounded a corner and one was RIGHT THERE), but I've never been sprayed. They only do that as a last resort!

I'd have a pet one if they were legal here... the domesticated ones are clean, quiet, friendly little guys.

 

[cshellenberger]

I'm not sure I'd brag about shooting innocent animals for fun. It makes many people, including me, think a lot less of you.

I like skunks. They're quiet and they eat gross bugs. I've almost run into a bunch of them over the years (just this spring my dogs and I rounded a corner and one was RIGHT THERE), but I've never been sprayed. They only do that as a last resort!

I'd have a pet one if they were legal here... the domesticated ones are clean, quiet, friendly little guys.

Awe, we had a skunk as a kid, they're GREAT pets!

Bragging about using any animal as 'target practice' is a good way to lose respect here. I have NO problem with shooting an animal that's eating your chickens or a threat or even hunting FOR FOOD (don't like trophy hunting) but shooting an animal that's doing nothing for pleasure, well...

 

[alphadoginthehouse]

Eww eww eww!!!!! I hate skunks with a capital 'S' so much so that I used to use them for target practice with my gun before I had to pawn it.

So, what you're saying is that any animal you dislike a lot, you will kill. Does that go for *****, porcupines, possums, rats to name a few that most people don't like? I, for one, am glad you had to pawn the gun.

 

[The_Monstors]

Eww eww eww!!!!! I hate skunks with a capital 'S' so much so that I used to use them for target practice with my gun before I had to pawn it.

Yeah, I'm with Crantastic. It is not cool. It is cruel to use live targets just because. What if someone didn't like ACDs? Is that OK to shoot dogs because you hate them so much? HELL NO I'm sure is the answer to that because you own them and love them. Animals are animals no matter pet, or wild and should be respected as they are still a life with a purpose. I "dislike" a lot of things for irrational reasons (like some parrots are shady little characters so I dont trust them) but it doesn't give me right to be hurtful. Please leave alone what isn't harming you. Guns are for hunting or protection and there are hunting simulation ranges or sporting clays if you want something less static than a paper target to practice.

 

[PatchworkRobot]

I'm not sure I'd brag about shooting innocent animals for fun. It makes many people, including me, think a lot less of you.

x100! I couldn't have said it better.

 

[Losech]

Heh, I've got a "resident" skunk somewhere around here. Likes to visit my trailer in the middle of the night, right around when I am usually going into the house to get ready for bed. (I am one of those "20-somethings who's still living with Mom... but at least I've got a trailer) And thankfully Conker hasn't met the skunk face-to-face yet. He's seen the bugger, but I was able to get him to not bark so the skunk wandered off without incident.


I wouldn't shoot any animal "for fun" or even to get rid of it if it was bothering me no matter how much I disliked it. As a hunter, I find it incredibly distasteful when people brag about killing for no logical reason whatsoever, and it gives the rest of us a bad name. I don't trophy hunt and I don't shoot indiscriminately, I hunt for food only. I am very careful which animals I take and use every piece possible. And honestly, sometimes I get so caught up with just watching the animals that they often get away. Might seem like I am a walking contradiction, but I love the natural world and think every part of it, even the not-so-great parts, are simply amazing.

 

[Tofu_pup]

Eww eww eww!!!!! I hate skunks with a capital 'S' so much so that I used to use them for target practice with my gun before I had to pawn it.

I'm glad you pawned your gun; the skunks probably are too.

 

[Crantastic]

I'm also fine with people hunting for food. I eat meat, so it would be hypocritical of me to oppose that! I'm against hunting for sport, though, and especially against shooting animals just because you "hate" them. I hate the stupid noisy mourning doves that sit in the tree outside my window and coo all morning (my last dog, Scout, used to growl at them, too!), but I'd never kill them.

 

[Abbylynn]

I am glad you escaped the wrath of the skunk! I worry about that every time I walk out the back door in the dark ...... :/ There have been a couple leave their scent fairly close to the house!

I have known a couple skunks that were pets. They are really nice animals.

 

[BellaPup]

I love skunks....they are soooooo cute! Wouldn't wanna get sprayed by one of course. I used to watch them in the yard at night, digging for grubs....doing their thing. One came right up to my feet when I was sitting on the stoop (they can't see too well, so I didn't move) - he sniffed about and kept going. I almost had the urge to pet it like a kitty.....but I didn't. LOL

 

[xxxxdogdragoness]

Its not just skunks we hsve to worry about.... I forgot to mention that we had a close call of the slithery kind Sunday at my folks ranch: we were packing up getting ready to leave, from the back door's window I saw Josefina barking & circling something under my truck, at my folks we have probs with tarantulas, scorpions & various lizards so I thought it was one of those ( couldn't see it, whatever it was was behind the tire of my truck facing the axle). When I walked out to out something in the back seat I heard a rattling sound, the cicada's are deafening right now so it mixed in with their sounds but when they lulled I looked down to see about a two foot rattler!!! I got all the dogs inside, located our gun & fiancée shot its head off