The Red Dog Inn

Cute, but can be really smelly when provoked!

Last night we had a visitor.  Thankfully, neither Butters nor Lula were sprayed, but judging by the smell, somebody got it!  Living where we do, we get all sorts of visitors.  For the most part, the skunks leave things be unless they are threatened.   (They do give warnings by stamping their wee little feet when threatened. Then they raise their tail. This means spray is imminent!)

So, what is it about eau du skunk that makes it stink? There are 7 components to the skunk odor that make it well… stink.  Three are air activated, three are water activated (which is why the smell gets worse with a bath.) the other component, I’m unsure on.

Getting rid of Eau du skunk:

You need to OXIDIZE the chemicals and change them into different chemicals.  How do you do this?  By changing their molecular structure with this handy mixture that you will need to mix each time:

• 1/2 c baking soda
• 1/2 c hydrogen peroxide  (Some folks up the hydrogen peroxide to 1 cup!)
• 2 Tblsp Dawn dishwashing detergent (they use it on wildlife and according to what I heard from Sea World conservationists, it works best.)

Mix these three ingredients into a paste.  Wet your pet (or person) and rub onto your pet AVOIDING EYES AT ALL COSTS!  You can do some damage if the peroxide gets in eyes!

Let it sit for up to 5 minutes.  (You’re oxidizing. But 5 minutes is MAX!!! GOT IT!?)

Then rinse your pet or person and bathe him or her normally.

You need to mix this each time because it oxidizes and expands. It may burst your container if you try to store it. (READ: make a big mess)

NOTE: PEROXIDE is used to bleach hair. YOUR PET OR PERSON MAY BE BLONDER AFTER THIS TREATMENT! But they should smell a darn bit better!

SAVE THE TOMATO JUICE FOR BLOODY MARYS!

The next time someone tells you to bath your skunk victim in tomato juice, toss your head back and laugh at their lack of scientific knowledge. Tomato juice doesn’t eliminate the odor, it just makes a HUGE mess!  Tomato juice doesn’t oxidize the chemical and therefore, doesn’t change the molecular structure. According to the link I’m sharing below, the person who bathes a dog in tomato juice and declares the dog “odor free” is suffering from olafactory fatigue. In other words, the stench of skunk has temporarily numbed their sense of smell.

Source: Get more scientific here: http://www.humboldt.edu/~wfw2/chemofskunkspray.html

Lula goes head-to-head with Simple Green Dog Pet Stain Remover

We received a request from our friends at Simple Green to try a product in exchange for her honest opinion.   Lula graciously accepted.   Lula isn’t a puppy, so if we have an accident it’s because someone (that’d be me) didn’t wake up to let her out or (more likely) she has sought out mud — she is a basset hound, you know!

Well, I’ve been using the product this past weekend and I can tell you this stuff is good.  The product made quick

work of muddy paw prints and a fresh stain. The real test came from an old coffee spill perpetrated by Butters and an old stain.  It’s taking a couple of applications, but it’s working — even on the worked in stain.  It takes a couple applications for the older stain, but it’s working!

It’s easy to use and convenient.  Plus, b

est part, it smells really fresh and doesn ‘t irritate the Bird.

Stay tuned.

Folks:
The economy is still taking its toll. Our friends at the Southern California Golden Retriever Rescue are looking for foster homes for goldens. If you have room in your home to foster a Golden Retriever, please give them a call. They’ll come out and do an assessment of your property before placing an animal with you. 

Also, if you are planning on adding an animal to your family, please adopt rather than purchase! There are dogs of all ages for you and your family to consider — from puppy to adult, purebred to mixed breed.

Here’s the link to the Southern California Golden Retiever Rescue: http://www.scgrrescue.org/ 

Become a Foster Home or Adopt a Goldie!

We interrupt our regular posting for NCAA Regionals and SuperRegionals!  LET’S GO, TITANS!

BTW… did you see the shot Titan 1B Nick Ramirez (#33) belted to straightaway centerfield at beautiful Goodwin Field on Sunday?  It was gorgeous!!!

Congratulations to TITANS Christian Colon (Kansas City Royals) and Gary Brown (San Francisco Giants) on being chosen in MLB Draft!

Lemonade just GOES with summer, doesn’t it? I discovered this recipe from Food TV’s Rachael Ray, and I have to admit, it’s awesome. It’s mellower than some lemonades, and frankly, a treat in a cup! I made a BIG pitcher and took it to a horse show a few years ago. It was DRAINED!

I may have to make some this weekend!

VANILLA-HONEY LEMONADE

Ingredients

• 2 cups sugar (NOTE: I used about 1 c, because I like more tart, less sweet. Honey is about twice as sweet as sugar. - RDI’s Suz)
• 1/2 cup honey (NOTE: Use Orange Blossom Honey to play up the citrus tones — RDI’s Suz.)
  2 cups water, plus more as needed
• 1 vanilla bean (NOTE: THIS IS THE MAGIC!!! — RDI’s Suz)
• 2 1/2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 24 lemons) (NOTE: unless you live in California. I think I used 6 to get 2.5 cups!)
• Lemon wheels or wedges, for garnish

Directions
In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, honey, and 2 cups water and place over medium-high heat. Cut the vanilla bean in 1/2 lengthwise, then, using the back of the knife, scrape the vanilla seeds from the pod and add to the saucepan, along with the pod. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook for 4 or 5 minutes, until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture thickens. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

Put the lemon juice into a gallon jug or pitcher. Pour the sugar syrup through a strainer into the pitcher and discard the pod. Add water to equal 1 gallon and stir well.

Serve over ice with lemon wheels or wedges AND ENJOY!!!

Click here to getImages &
Orcas Pictures

It’s been a couple exciting days for Southern California boaters, and whale watching tour operators are rejoicing!  The wild orcas are putting on a show!

A few days ago off the Ventura coast, fishermen encountered a playful female orca who really was ready for her close up!! On June 1, Captain Dave from Dolphin Safari in Dana Point video taped an 8-orca pod feeding.  (Thanks, Captain Dave and Fishermen Greg and Richard for shooting the video so those of us who are desk-bound could revel with you!) I’ve included links to the stories below!

It begs the question: Who’s watching whom?

REMEMBER: Keep our oceans clean! Make sure your trash gets into the appropriate cans and keep your cigarette butts off the street!

http://www.whalewatchingtv.com/Orca-LIVE.html

http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-orcas-dana-point,0,4262348.story

http://www.nbclosangeles.com/station/as-seen-on/Close_Encounter_With_Killer_Whale_Captured_on_Video_Los_Angeles.html

Imagine if you walked into your office one morning to find that someone had trashed it overnight. Would you be upset? Angry? These are some of the feelings my friend, TH, a surfer, experienced over Memorial Day weekend.  TH makes his living riding waves. When he showed up at his office he took a few photos of what he saw.

People who’d overnighted at the beach dumped their trash outside their RV. A trashcan was a mere 10 feet away! The beach was littered with trash. 

After watching whale rescue teams cut a giant ball of garbage off a 26 foot baby gray whale, named Lilly, the question I have is this: How can you NOT police your trash?

Lilly died, but her passing won’t be in vain. A local OC woman is planning a memorial of sorts and encouraging folks to be mindful of the oceans. READ MORE HERE:  http://bit.ly/c44NHe

Remember: Your efforts are important because all paths lead to the ocean. Putting your trash in the appropriate bins is important wherever you may be — on the beach, in the parks, on a hike.  Clean up after your dog. Keeping your cigarette butts off the streets will prevent them from getting to the beach!

Regardless of who you are or how important you think you are, make a promise to leave places you visit a little better than you find them. 

Keep our beaches clean; they're counting on us!

Today, I took the dogs with me to the barn.  I have a rule: If I can’t take them with me, I leave them at home with plenty of water and access to shade.  My great neighbors look out after them, too!  Today, I could take them.

Nonetheless, it amazes me that people still take their dogs with them on warm days, park under a tree, roll down windows and think that their dogs are safe! Shockingly, even people who claim to be “animal lovers” are loving their animals to death by continuing this practice. 

• Dogs normal body temp is about 101 degrees F.  At 103 degrees, your dog is in trouble.
• Dogs can suffer heat stroke when temps reach 110 degrees. On a 70 degree day, the inside of your car or truck can reach lethal temperatures within 30 minutes!!!   (http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn7631)
• In California, leaving your pets unattended in a vehicle is illegal (SB 1806) http://www.theanimalcouncil.com/files/CA_PENAL_CODE_SECTION_597.pdf 

Trees don’t help much and cracked windows don’t either.  Here’s a study that illustrates the point: http://www.mydogiscool.com/x_car_study.php 

While we never expect to be detained in a store or a restaurant, you never know. I never expected to pass out at the grocery store and be taken to the ER! Thankfully, my dogs were at home for that incident.

Can we please agree to leave our pets at home? Work through separation anxiety — your pet’s or yours!  But, if you are going to stop for lunch, stop at a pet friendly place or leave Fido at home!   If you love your pet, don’t put them in the oven — er, your car.

BTW… before summer heats up and power outages start, you may want to invest in a battery-powered fan or two — one for humans, another for dogs.  Check these out: http://www.aftproducts.com/Energy_Efficient_Fans_ff474071d2.dept