Two Stinky Things

[bunn]

1) the drain outside our house got blocked. I lifted the manhole cover, and found the shaft down to the drain was full of Horrible Awful Stinky Things that had risen to lap at the very edge of the cover (and had been leaking out if anyone had a bath in the house). I poked around with a spade, but was unable to dislodge anything.

But! we called a Drain Clearance man, who came within an hour, stuck a Device down the drain, twiddled it, and it was fixed! He did charge £180, but for that, we got someone who knew exactly how to do it, AND showed Pp where to buy a similar inexpensive Drain Twiddling Device, and how to twiddle it next time. Which makes it seem like that story about £5 to fix it, £175 to know *how*.

2) I took Theo to the beach, and he found a really, really manky runny dead seal and rolled in it. I brought him home and ran him under the outside hose. The Seal Smell remained. I used the usual dry dog shampoo. Still there.

I've just given him scrub scrub scrub, rinse, repeat with mint-scented dog shampoo under hot water in the shower. I can still smell it. Not sure if it's really still there or if I'm imagining it at this point.

Comments

[seascribble]

Oh no, Theo. He would love North America and the chance to encounter a skunk, I imagine.

[bunn]

I imagine a skunk would trigger a lot of VERY LOUD barking. He's bad enough with foxes and badgers.

[grundyscribbling]

Yikes to Theo rolling in Dead Seal. (I also winced at the previous commenter's suggestion he would love to encounter a skunk. Though in fairness, he might well enjoy it. Skunks can be quite sociable.)

[bunn]

I am devoutly glad that Theo and skunks are separated by a vast ocean.

He's not usually a roller, but there is apparently something very exciting about rotten seal.

[marycatelli]

More to the point, it is simple to deal with Skunk Smell. You wash the dog in tomato juice.

[grundyscribbling]

Oh, that sparked a thought. I think lemon juice helps neutralize the decomp smell? That's what they say to use on human hair, anyway - worth a try for Theo?

[bunn]

The mint shampoo seems to have done the job for the manky seal, but I shall make a mental note of lemon juice for next time (inevitable, I fear, though I hope next time it will be a rather less mature example)

[grundyscribbling]

Sympathy in advance if Theo has a fondness for eau de dead seal!

[bunn]

Well, the mint shampoo seems to have done the job for the manky seal. I hope never to have to deal with skunk!

[hhimring]

Oh dear, hard times for your nose!
I hope Theo no longer smells like dead seal to you.

[bunn]

I have been sniffing him suspiciously this morning, and I think it's gone. I think. I hope!

[mecurtin]

1) and that is, in fact, the definition of expertise

2) Why do they DO that?!?!! Clearly there is some *massive* allure to the scent of an animal too rotten to eat, but (speaking as a biologist) it has never made ANY sense to me. And yet, WOW it sure makes sense to dogs. *reminiscent shudder*

The skunk thing is different. Dogs aren't *attracted* to the scent of skunks, they just get interested, want to chase/play, and then Play!Friend turns into ChemicalWarfare!Friend. But (as you've probably heard) getting the smell off the dog is extremely difficult, regular shampoo isn't up to the job.

[bunn]

I hope never to have to deal with skunk!

I don't understand the allure of melty seal at all, but clearly it is EXTREMELY powerful.

[wellinghall]

I thank the Lord that the worst I have ever known my father's dogs to roll in is long-dead rabbit.

[bunn]

Long-dead rabbit would be much preferable. Much less juicy and fishy.

[chainmailmaiden]

Glad you got the drain sorted and have a fix for the future, I know how nasty that can be thanks to the neighbour who used to flush adult nappies down the toilet and block the sewer near us. Fortunately we don't seem to have had that issue for a few years so I live in hope that they stopped doing it...

I don't envy you having to get the smell out of Theo, he's not a small dog to clean off! I hope you can avoid him rolling in it again! Though I'm sure he'll be very keen to revisit it.

[bunn]

Oh lord, I forgot about your adult-nappy-flusher. All human life is in Gillingham, but I'm not sure that's a good thing tbh.

I think I'm going to avoid that particular beach for a bit. It seems to be particularly prone to dead and dying seals in the winter.

[anerea]

Eeep!! How utterly unpleasant. I'm rather relieved they did resolve, although any amount of time with those kinds of stinkies is far too long!

[bunn]

Agreed! But at least we now have the Twiddling Rods, in case of a recurrance.