Restraining your Dogs

[Machias]

So took Bo out for a coon hunt tonight, 16 degrees, nice and chilly.  Awesome night, fairly bright out.  About 2 miles into our walk he started barking and from where he was at and how he was barking I fricken knew right off it twernt no coon.  I started yelling to leave it alone while I was digging out my tri-tronics.  I couldn't see for sure so I didn't shock him.  I called him over to me and dang it he started rubbing his face on the ground and on his paws.  QUILLS.  SOB!  Well that ended the night.  He wasn't tooooo bad, had to pull 14 quills out of his chin and just under his nose.  I think he has a couple broken off, so those are going to have to work their way out.  He did eat when we were done.  Anyways, how do you restrain your dog when you have to work on them.  I like to cover their eyes so they can't see the pliers coming, but a little more control over his face would have helped.

[bearpaw]

I've always just talked to them as I worked on them. I know a few guys who have went to the vet and gotten a light drug that puts them half groggy but not to sleep and that helps, sorry I can't remember the name of it, but I bet your vet would know.

[bearpaw]

Those porkies are a pain, I've had a few dogs that always seem to find a skunk.... 

[Machias]

I hate skunks worst than porkies, but can't stand either one.  He did pretty good tonight while I pulled them, half of the quills were in a full inch.  I put a t-shirt sleeve over his face so his eyes were covered, but he could small the pliers when they got right near his nose.  He only grabbed the pliers once with his mouth, but didn't bite.  I think he was trying to tell me he had had enough. 

[bearpaw]

Hounds are tough, most other breeds would bite you for trying to pull quills.

FYI - My tracking collars all have a faint smell of skunk, my worst skunk dog has been dead for years, I can't beleive how long that odor lasts. 

[Machias]

 

Yea I have a collar you get a whiff of skunk when it gets wet.

[WAcoyotehunter]

My cur will lay down and take the abuse when I'm pulling them.  Last time she was actually wagging her tail!  I work "sit and stay" commands A LOT at home.   

The hound usually gets put in a kung fu headlock and gets cussed at the whole time while I wrestle with her.  She doesn't bite, but is pretty dumb and sensitive.  I guess she figures I'm out to kill her. 

 

[runamuk]

My cur will lay down and take the abuse when I'm pulling them.  Last time she was actually wagging her tail!  I work "sit and stay" commands A LOT at home.   

The hound usually gets put in a kung fu headlock and gets cussed at the whole time while I wrestle with her.  She doesn't bite, but is pretty dumb and sensitive.  I guess she figures I'm out to kill her. 

the kung fu headlock  that paints a picture growing up the neighbors had a dog that was magnetically attracted to porkies I think....darn dog always seemed to be getting quills pulled out of its face

[HornHoarder]

You guys can thank me for thinning out those damn porcupines. Pulling quills out of your dogs isnt any fun.

[bigdave]

I hate Porky, I kill three or four a year in my yard.........It is on my list of things to ask God when I get to heaven...Why?

I had a Lab (family dog, not a hunter) that dearly loved to grab and shake any live animal she could get her mouth around. Luckily, she would just sit there and tremble when I pulled quills. It is a STANDING RULE to check the yard before you let the dog out at our house.

Sound like you should keep a little something in the fridge for occassions such as these to relax him a bit. (If you can find a vet that would give it to you)

[WAcoyotehunter]

  cull?

[Machias]

NICE hornhoarder!!!!

I had a female bluetick, best lion hound I have ever had, I ended up having to sell her to a guy in Utah for $2500.  She caught 19 lions for him one winter, but they have very few quill pigs.  If I free casted her for coons about every fourth time she would come back with her face and mouth just jammed packed with quills.  I had to take her to the vet everytime.  After the fourth time and $350 each visit later, she had to go down the road or was going to be treeing lions in heaven!

[Machias]

Holy crap that's alot of quills, me female bluetick was bad, but not that bad!!!!

[quadrafire]

Fred
Most if not all the dogs I have seen that have had quills pulled with the ol' leatherman or pliers at home or field end up very head shy. I would think the first time you might get away with it after that, unless it is a VERY tolerant dog, probably not so much. As bad as it sounds, Heavy sedation or anesthesia is usually needed, IMO to avoid that face/head shyness. Unfortunately if it happens multiple times it can get spendy.To my knowlege there is no product that works consistenly (safely) that would allow for easy/consistent home or field care. 

PS I would say most dogs do not learn from the pain of the first experience. If they are curious animals they will sniff the PP and the natural defense/reflex is to smack that tail and back quills toward the offender. That is why you always see them in the nose. Now if the dog gets Pissed (like the one with the full facial) that is when you have problems.
I hate quills.

[bow-n-head]

Have you read Walk with Wick. There are some remedies in there. I laughed out loud at some of them, but they might work. I caught a stick pig, put him in the pen with my dog. Who was wearing a Tritronics Judge. I chased the porkey around towards the dog and shocked him when they got close. 6-8 zaps and no more porkeys. I had to have him put down 3 times to get the quills out before that.