It is difficult to describe this whiff adequately.
Imagine a very ancient fish that has hidden at the bottom of an
over-used sewer and died there of fright. All of its relatives have
come to the wake and have expired as well. You turn up a week later to
study their remains - you smell them before you see them. This image
just about begins to describe the astonishingly pungent pong that can
fill a house in seconds. When it is trapped inside a car no amount of
open windows, high speed or even removal of the offending collie will
shift it.
Since this first adventure Tudor has released his panic smell every
time he gets seriously frightened. He is not very discriminating in
this: a loud noise, a sudden visitor, a strange animal, the postman -
anything is yeast to this particular fermentation process. What is
worse, we can't think of a way to stop it. If we praise him, he will
stink the place out in order to do us a favour, if we tell him off, he
will do the same thing because he feels frightened.
As far as we can make out there is nothing that can be done. Dogs are
distant relatives of skunk like creatures and our Tudor seems to be the
missing link. I forget how often we thought that he had finally grown
out of the habit, only to be suddenly reminded that he had just spent
his time perfecting a more pungent brew.
So be it, the pup is well worth it!
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