How to: De-Skunk a Dog

Yep, it happened. Mom's actually surprised it took as long as it did. I learned a very valuable lesson tonight: never chase the skunk in the yard. Mom learned an important one too: how to de-skunk a dog!

It started as such a simple night...Mom came home and picked me up to go hang out at Grandma and Grandpa's. I came in the house, ran right over to the backyard, and went outside to investigate the scratching I heard on the other side of the yard. I ran over there REALLY fast and Grandpa started yelling at me but I was just trying to get there as quick as possible so I could play with the furry black and white thing in the corner. Unfortunately that guy was NOT very nice and I ended up smelling...a lot. Whoopsie!

A quick Google search came up with the idea to use tomato juice to get rid of the smell and I quickly went into the bath.

My eyes were stinging really bad, as you can see in the picture above. I think maybe the little stinker sprayed me in my right eye and boy did that hurt! Luckily the tomato juice tasted good as it dripped off my face :) Oh and yes,  that's my grandmother on the floor drying me with a blow-dryer. Even when I do silly stuff like this they still take such good care of me!

I laid in my bed for a while and then Mom realized...the tomato juice only masked the smell for a little bit. Uh oh... back to Google we went. A little more digging and we found Paul Krebaum's recipe here. Perhaps the best way to remove skunk smell from dogs, it was a lifesaver! Here's the basic recipe:

16 oz. hydrogen peroxide
1/8 cup baking soda
1 tbsp liquid soap
About 12 oz. warm water

We used this all over my body but avoided my eyes because the hydrogen peroxide burns. We put it on and let it sit, lathered it up, and finally rinsed it off. I got dried...again!

Don't I look thrilled? Gee if I'd known what was going to come of this little adventure maybe I would have thought twice about it.

The new recipe really helped a lot and I'm finally starting to lose the smell. Mom thinks we may need to give me another bath tomorrow to really get rid of it completely but it's already soooo much better. I still smell a little funky but it's already a million times better. What's weird about the skunk smell is that it's different on your skin than in the air...it almost smells like oil and burning gasoline. Let's just say it's not good.

I hope you learned something valuable from my latest crazy adventure. I sure did!

My Favorites: Homemade Sweet Potato Snacks

You know what I love? Treats. Food. Any kind of snacky goodness. So when Mom and Grandma set out to make some "Sweet Potato Chews" based on something they saw on Pinterest, let's just say I was all in.

This is a sweet potato. Not the most attractive when it starts but it sure does taste good!

Be sure to peel it. Skin is yucky.

Cut into even slices so they all bake evenly. Mom did mine about 1/3" thick

Bake in the oven at 350 until they are crispy.

Wait patiently while they cool. And Grandma does the dishes.

Act uninterested when Mom waves it in your face. In truth, try to keep from drooling on the floor.

Eat the equivalent of a whole sweet potato in one night. Success.

Now Mom wanted me to tell you that the instructions she found for this told her to cook the sweet potato slices at 250 degrees for three hours!!! Um, what? Who runs their oven for three hours??? Anyways, we're thinking that the lower temperature and longer cooking time would make them more like chewies whereas these were crunchy yummy snacks. I prefer these ones, they are done in about 20 minutes. Thank goodness, the waiting is torture!!

Enjoy!

How to: Transition to New Dog Food

When we first got Kayna at our house she was really gassy and her stomach did not agree with her food. We soon learned that in her last foster house they transitioned her to a new food too quickly and that was why she was so unhappy. Poor thing!

Our (dogs) stomachs can be very sensitive which is why we have to eat the same food every day. We can have bad diarrhea, vomiting and stomachaches if we eat something new or different. I've always had Blue Buffalo brand dog food though I have tried several flavors in the last couple of years. However, the truth is that sometimes we need to change foods such as when we grow from puppies to adults, as a result of a food allergy or if the company stops making our favorite kinds. We've changed my food a couple of times and we've got it down to a science!

This isn't really FOOD perse but you get the idea!

Here is the trick. Make sure that the transition is done slowly, over the course of 10 days or so.

• For the first three days mix 75 percent of the old food with 25 percent of the new food.
• Over the next three days mix 50 percent of the old food with 50 percent of the new food.
• In the next three days mix 25 percent of the old food with 75 percent of the new food.
• On the tenth day switch to 100 percent of the new food.

Remember that our bellies might still be upset a little bit so cut us some slack. Be sure we drink lots of water and always have access to relieve ourselves in the right place so that we don't upset you if we have to "go" suddenly.

I hope that was helpful...bon appetit!