[sararae]

Note: this post is not about a dog getting sprayed by a skunk.

I live in San Diego near a canyon where a lot of skunks live. In the summer months especially, my dog (10yr old border terrier) can smell them in the distance and several times a day starts crying and growling, upset by the smell.

Has anyone else experienced this or do you have suggestions for how to mask/distract from the smell? Other solutions? I don't want her crying all summer again! I'm in a condo building so can't do much outside of my particular unit.

Any time I've tried googling this, I only get results about what to do if your dog gets sprayed by a skunk.

Thanks!

 

[Lillith]

Are you sure it's the smell that is upsetting her? That seems....strange. Is it just outside she does this, or in your condo, too?

I'm afraid there isn't a whole lot you can do about skunks doing their stinky thing out in the wild. You can try counter conditioning your dog to the smell by giving her treats when the smell of skunk is apparent and praising her for ignoring it, but timing is going to be an issue since she can likely smell the stench before you, and skunks are rather unpredictable with their stinky secretions.

As for masking it...no. Anything that can mask skunk stink is likely even more aggressive and unpleasant.

 

[T Lledsmar]

You could trap em and dispatch, if legal. No skunks, no skunk smell. Do not trap and relocate!!! That is how you wreck an entire ecosystem!!! Could call a wildlife relocator if you want to give the skunk a happy new home.

 

[Khecha Wacipi]

You could trap em and dispatch, if legal. No skunks, no skunk smell. Do not trap and relocate!!! That is how you wreck an entire ecosystem!!! Could call a wildlife relocator if you want to give the skunk a happy new home.

Killing skunks is definitely illegal, not to mention cruel and unnecessary.

And, if there are a lot of them, then they live there. The wildlife people are not going to come out and trap them all and relocate them because someone doesn't like the smell. That is where they live, and they lived there before human beings did.

 

[Khecha Wacipi]

Note: this post is not about a dog getting sprayed by a skunk.

I live in San Diego near a canyon where a lot of skunks live. In the summer months especially, my dog (10yr old border terrier) can smell them in the distance and several times a day starts crying and growling, upset by the smell.

Has anyone else experienced this or do you have suggestions for how to mask/distract from the smell? Other solutions? I don't want her crying all summer again! I'm in a condo building so can't do much outside of my particular unit.

Any time I've tried googling this, I only get results about what to do if your dog gets sprayed by a skunk.

Thanks!

How can you be sure that it is a smell that is upsetting your dog?

 

[Lillith]

This thread is 5 months old and the OP hasn't returned since making this post. You're unlikely to get a response. I'm closing to further replies.