Sarah and the Porcupine

[Guest Dan]

I had my Border Collies, Sarah and Abby, out with me on Sunday in the Stanley area while I helped my father in law split wood for the winter. Together with my father in laws Schnauzer Tuffy, the dogs were having a riot running around the property. I one point I heard a strange commotion with the dogs, so I stopped to investigate. I found Sarah and Tuffy having it out with a Porcupine. Not good. Tuffy had about a dozen Quills in his back leg and Sarah, well see for yourself.

I couldn't believe how hard the quills were to pull out. A firm grip with a pair of pliers and a good yank did the trick. I felt sorry for the poor girl. I hope that she learned a lesson. But I doubt that she did.

[ralphthedog 2]

Ouch, poor girl. I remember having Ralph out for a walk behind the house in the bush, and he got on a rock hard point. I was pretty proud of him for about 3 seconds, then i realized he was pointing to the rear end of a porcupine. Luckily I called him off.

So far, 7 years and no skunks or porcupines. Knock on wood.

[Some Old Guy 968]

HI Dan,

Been there many many times. Isn't amazing how hard it is to hold a dog down and how amazing it is how those bleed after you pull them out?

I found that my dogs learned right away after an encounter with a porcupine.

Roger

[Guest Dan]

HI Dan,

Been there many many times. Isn't amazing how hard it is to hold a dog down and how amazing it is how those bleed after you pull them out?

I found that my dogs learned right away after an encounter with a porcupine.

Roger

Actually Roger, Sarah was really good when we held her down to pull them out. She hardly struggled at all. I think that she knew that we were helping her. But you're right about the blood. Man, that's scary. Those quills are barbed so that they slide in easily and very difficult to pull out. Luckily she didn't have too many in her. About a dozen or so. I hope that I don't have to do this again.

Are you busy this weekend? I have an offer for you.

[Some Old Guy 968]

I have a wedding Sat. Night.

Other than that.....Nothing. Whats up?

Roger

[Guest Big Moose]

Lucky for you she didn't have too many quills in her I remember pulling about one hundred of em out of my husky/shepard over a period of a few days we got as many as we could but old Mack didn't like the idea of being pinned down by two 250+# guys and he got a little rowdy and defencive,We ended up wrapping his big ol head in a towel so he couldn't bite as much.If he didn't learn when he got em he sure learnt when we yanked them out one at a time.Sadly after recovering for a few days he met his match one summers day on D.L.R.where Mack met a Peterbuilt and lost,To this day I'm still pissed at myself for calling him across the road when he got away ofcourse if he had come right away when I called him instead of turning around and looking at me like I was from some other planet and waiting for traffic to come then running out he wouldn't have been hit.

[Smokey 1]

Now that just looks painful.

[Guest Dan]

Sadly after recovering for a few days he met his match one summers day on D.L.R.where Mack met a Peterbuilt and lost,

Sorry to hear that Big Moose. That's got to be tough. Don't beat yourself up about it though. Your intentions were right.

[Guest aanii84]

I have actually heard that if you were to cut the quils in half the barbs on the other end would loosen or let off tention or something and pull out much easier. I've never had to do this (knock on wood) so i don't know if its a fact or not.