Skunk Odor Removal

On the right is our two knuckleheads, Riley the Corgi and Teddy the Labrador. I named this pic " The Dueling Wee Wee boys". We love our boys very much, but they have a serious problem with skunk hunting. They seem to relish in chasing them and always ending with the same results, GETTING SPRAYED. I even talked to my Veterinarian about our dilemma. He said---Some dogs will only get sprayed once, while others keep going back for more. Well our two nuts keep going back for more. Luckily for them we have over 4 acres for them to roam on and we have an invisible fence to keep them on our property. We love our backyard and all of the wildlife we see, but the Invisible Fence does not keep out other animals. The main problem is Mr.Skunk sauntering onto our property, and the skunk spray is NASTY!

• 1 Quart 3% Hydrogen Peroxide
• 1/4 cup baking soda
• 1 tsp. Dawn dish detergent
• latex gloves
• bucket
• sponge

 I recommend two people to help with this process. Make sure you soak the collar in the mixture as well because chances are the collar was sprayed too. Also we hook the hose up to our basement laundry tub sink and run the hose out the basement door. We are able to do so because our faucet has threads on it to attach a hose at the end of the faucet. This is not by chance, after many dogs getting sprayed through the years we installed our beloved life saving faucet. The Stinker Saver!

I also had a Feasty Fan tell me that it removes pet odor from carpet as well. Thank you for the tip Jenny.

1. Rinse dog down completely with warm water. I highly recommend that you do this outside if at all possible. We put on another collar and attach it to our gas grill by a leash. No running away and your hands are free to clean them up.

2. Meanwhile as the dog is being thoroughly wet down with warm water have your partner mix together the skunk mixture, stir well and drop in collar and sponge.

3. Remove collar from bucket once saturated and set aside. We have nylon collars that clean up well, no leather here.

4. Now sponge the mixture over the dog spreading in well with the sponge, being careful not to get any mixture into their eyes, nose, mouth or inside the ears. When working near these areas make sure the sponge is squeezed out well so nothing runs where it should not run, but enough to clean off stink. You will need to spend careful attention to the face, head and neck area because skunks have impeccable aim and shoot for the face.

5. Now wait for 10 minutes as the mixture does it's magic. Trust me it will be the longest 10 minutes of your life.

6. Rinse mixture off well with warm water and let your furry buddy shake off what they can. Now dry your baby off and bring him/her inside.

Dawn dish detergent is a must because of it's grease cutting ability aka the oily skunk urine. Check your dogs eyes and make sure they did not get a direct hit. If so I recommend a visit to the Vet as the skunk spray burns their eyes and is a horrible irritant. I buy my Hydrogen Peroxide at the wholesale food clubs. Also I always have my skunk station set up and ready to go during skunk season.

Above you can see Teddy sleeping peacefully on his favorite blanket on our leather couch minutes after his deskunking. What a life, let the abuse continue.

I found this recipe on the internet from B.O.S.S..Boxers, JLH Web Productions and it is by far the best recipe for skunk odor removal. We have used this recipe many time with great results. Thank you BOSS Boxers!

Grilled White Peaches

Summer is one of my favorite seasons for many reasons and fresh peaches is at the top of my list. Not to mention sweet corn, home grown tomatoes, oh I could go on and on. I must admit that I am hooked on fresh sweet white peaches. Pure ambrosia!

It all started years ago when my Dad brought me some white peaches for the first time. I ate 3 of them that day and immediately was addicted. So every year I look forward to satisfying  my craving once a year. This year I decided to try grilling these sweet treasures. I  felt it in my bones that it had to be a win because I know how delicious grilled pineapple is.

• 2 ripe white peaches
• 1 Tbsp. melted unsalted butter
• Turkey Hill Vanilla Bean fat free ice cream, no sugar added
• 1/4 cup Kashi Go Lean crisp multi grain cluster cereal, slightly crushed

 Preheat grill on high for about 5-8 minutes. Meanwhile wash and dry peaches and slice in half and gently remove pit then brush melted onto both side of peaches. Crumble cereal and set aside. After grill has been preheated place peaches on grill for about 3-4 minutes per side, only turning once gently using tongs. I use a gas grill and every grill is different so your cook time may vary. Serve naked on a plate or top with one scoop of ice cream and crushed cereal.

I did not want to add much fat, calories  or sugar to my version, but feel free to Haagan Daaz it up if you want too. Be daring and choose any crunchy topping of your choice, maybe granola. I also thought about dipping the flat meaty side of the peach into brown sugar, maple syrup or honey to help carmelize it. For me the peach has a nice sweet delicate flavor and I would not want to cover it up. Sometimes simple is better, serves four. Enjoy!