Monday, March 23, 2015

Elka does not know the difference between skunks and cats

I did not witness this particular adventure; my fiancé related it to me after coming back in the house. I have no pictures of this adventure, so I'll provide you with some stock photos and you can use your imagination.









Because the backyard is still techtonically snowy and icy (spring is here or coming or something), we're still just letting Elka out the back door and into the fenced area to go potty (which reminds me, I'm going to need a new poop scooper for when that is no longer the case). We're working on self control, so she doesn't just bolt out that door as soon as it's opened, but rather waits to be released.



But anyway, he took her outside for potty, she blasted out to the fence to make sure the area was squirrel free and to check for crows (there had been crows roosting in the trees and she loves looking at them and listening to them). She trotted around, and peed, and then....

A skunk came trundling from behind the garage. It was still on the other side of the fence from Elka, so that's a small favor.


Elka, I may have mentioned, has tried to be Disney friends with every cat she's seen (whether the cat wants that or not. Protip: they never do.) Elka has never seen a skunk. Elka looked at the skunk and...thought it was a cat? My fiancé reports she got all happy and perked up and wiggly when she saw it. He kept his cool and said "Elka, leave it."

She paused and looked over her shoulder at him.


He said "Elka, here." and she galloped back to him and came into the house. The skunk was either never the wiser or didn't particularly care. Skunks are gangster like that. Not quite honey badgers, but whatever.


22 comments:

  1. I'm glad Pepe Le Pew said not hello to Elka with his special perfume-trick :o)
    easy rider

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    1. we were very, very relieved, I assure you!

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  2. Phew, glad Mr. Skunk didn't unleash his stink on you! BOL!

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    1. We are too! That's a shortcut to a bad day.

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  3. Hi Y'all!

    You are so lucky! or should I say Elka was so lucky...if she'd try to be friends with the "striped kitty" she would have been sleepin' out in that snow for a day or so plus cold showers by hose. It's that or six months before you EVER get the smell out of your house.

    Y'all come on by,
    Hawk aka BrownDog

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    1. I honestly don't even know how we'd handle it if Elka got skunked. Right into the downstairs shower, I guess. I know peroxide goes into the "deskunk" mix, but I'm not sure what it is off the top of my head. I also hear tell that our local "dog wash" has deskunk shampoo.

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  4. Lol. That sounds like a close call! Glad she left it and didn't try to become best friends ;)

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    1. I'm SUPER glad she left it. There are times she pushes the limit on obedience cues we know she knows, but then there are times that really matter (like this one) where Elka listens superbly.

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  5. Growing up in an urban environment, I can honestly say I have never seen a skunk up close and personal. That said - I'm not sure I would know what to do if I did!

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    1. hopefully you'll never have to find out!

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  6. Whew that was a close one! And I live in an urban area too and the smell of skunk in the park was so bad the other morning, I knew it was close! Love Dolly

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    1. I don't mind the smell when it's, y'know, out in the air. I'm sure I'd feel otherwise were Elka to actually be skunked.

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  7. Holy crap! That was a close call. So glad you've trained her well. I'm envisioning my own dogs. Then envisioning plenty of baths in tomato juice. Probably for all of us.

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    1. I'm so freaking proud of her when stuff like this sticks at times like that!

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  8. What a close call, that would suck!

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  9. I could tell you some stories about my dogs and skunks. We've had some pretty stinky encounters. And the tomato juice thing? Old wives tale. The correct mixture is peroxide, baking soda and Dawn dish detergent. Twice. And even then the dogs keep the smell in the fur for a year; any time they get wet, it's skunk stink all over again. You were very lucky!

    --Wags (and purrs) from Life with Dogs and Cats

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    1. I have heard that the tomato juice thing wasn't correct, so good to hear what a really working one is!

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  10. Oh wow, your fiancé & Elka got lucky!! What a good girl to come running right when he called her :-)

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    1. we were very, very happy with her. Treats were administered!

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  11. Sounds like Elka dodged a big stinky bullet! Congratulations on that extraordinary behavior.

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  12. For a second there, I thought the story would end with the skunk spraying on Elka. I guess it had better things to do that day: )

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