Restraining Dogs

[Machias]

Anyone got a slick way to restrain or hold your dog while you try pulling quills or do other work on them, other than brute force?

[david]

It’s not slick or pretty, but you can wrap up his body and legs in a big blanket, and tape it or tie it with his front legs pulled back in a laying down position. Put him on the tail gate. And you can put a stick about the width of your thumb in his mouth to hold it open and tape it there like a bridle, or have someone else hold it. Then you can pull the quills in and around his mouth without getting bit

As you probably know, The quills are full of air like a ballon, so clip off the ends (with blunt end scissors like those marketed for trimming human nose hairs). Otherwise, the barbs expand inside the wound when you pinch the end of the quill with needle nosed pliers to pull. If you trim them this way, you will be able to pull some of them with your fingers, which is safer than pliers. But many will still need the needle nose pliers. I try to have the pliers and scissors and cord or tape on my person when I have pups in porcupine country.

Be very careful. If there is weight on his lung area, or pressure at his nose area, you can easily cut off his oxygen. I can’t stress this enough. Be careful. Pay attention to his breathing.

Porcupines kill dogs in several ways. They are the most dangerous animal in the woods IMO.

[Taylor]

i Have a Cameron bluetick that has gotten into close to 15 porcupines so I’ve pulled thousands of quills. Its usually a 2 to 3 person job one guy pulling quills and other holding dog down and covering eyes so he can’t see pliers. I’ve tired clipping them but haven’t noticed benifit to it myself. All I know is it’s a nasty mess and for the next several months you will find quills coming out of different parts of face and neck

[Machias]

Thanks a bunch guys. He did not get into them real bad, probably 20-25 quills in his nose and chin and a couple in his gums. I had a female bluetick that was half Cameron. Awesome awesome cat and coon dog. But she would fly into a rage and kill everyone she came across. She'd always have so many in her face and mouth I took her to the vets,

[Mike Leonard]

spread the word, EAT MORE PORCUPINE!

actually they are not bad at all, singe the quills off and slow cook the meat makes great burritos or tacos.
Maybe if we can get more people eating them the dogs won't have so many to deal with. LOL!

[davidg1!]

Take them to the vet

[Machias]