You never know if RJ wants to ride down to the barn or run. This morning I started down the road while he was still trying to decide where to pee. It is an important decision and takes him quite a bit of searching. Sometimes while driving down the hill a rabbit will bolt out of the grass and run across the road to the wooded hillside. If RJ is in the Mule he will jump out and take off after the rabbit. I try to stop or hang on to him, but he doesn't even mind rolling end over end in his quest for a good chase. I worry I will run him over.
This morning he was chasing something, but it was 0 dark 30 and I couldn't see him behind me. I could only see where the headlights were. I noticed something rustling in the tall grass to the side of the road and started slowing to allow the wee beastie to cross in front of me. Much to my dismay, I saw a small skunk waddle out across the road. Now even a skunk in a hurry doesn't go real fast, so I stopped and gave it plenty of room. It wouldn't do to make him mad or scared!
My next thought was, "Where is RJ?" I could just imagine what he would do with a skunk! Fortunately, he was still busy behind me and never noticed. I did not want to spend the next week keeping him outside and washing him in tomato juice!
As I got to the barn, I took a wide turn so I could back up to the doors. This makes it easier to load the muck buckets and then I am heading towards the compost pile. I looked up towards the house. It was still pitch dark and when I turned off the Mule I could see all the stars so clearly. Orion was above the house. That was fortunate, because it is one of the few constellations that I know.
After I finished at the barn I went up to the house and fed RJ. When I patted him on the neck and back, I found something crusty and foul smelling. I am almost gagging as I write this. He loves to roll in dead animals and other putrid smelly places, but now he had brought this in the house and I WANTED MY BREAKFAST!
I had to wash him the best I could. The rag came back dark brown and covered in long black dog hairs. THIS IS IN MY HOUSE. I cleaned him up the best I could without a full bath. I had to get to work and Lee was already gone. Can you imagine if he had had a confrontation with the skunk? I guess it wasn't as bad as it could have been.
My dog was sprayed once by a skunk (a very long time ago). Worse smell ever. And tomato juice really does not get rid of it like one might think.
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