A young puppy knows nothing about porcupines and the pain they can inflict just by being there.
Emma bounced around this one in a field, probably wondering why it didn’t either fly away or come out to play.
Ouch!
Needles.
Avoid them.
Time to back off.
Explore somewhere else.
Leave Mr. Porcupine
Or become a pin cushion.
Naivety comes with a price,
But, for once, listen to your elders.
Best not to indulge curiosity.
wordsfromanneli 
January 20, 2026 at 12:25 am
I am sure glad that Emma did not get close enough for the porcupine to shoot quills at her. Thanks for sharing the video.
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January 20, 2026 at 8:08 am
So am I, Mags. They don’t actually shoot quills, but those quills come out very easily if touched.
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January 20, 2026 at 1:20 am
I’m glad that Emma didn’t go near! Years ago I remember having to get my german shepherd to the emergency vet after she stuck her nose in a porcupine one summer evening. We luckily still had the cone from an earlier surgery and got it on her right away so she couldn’t pick at the quills as she had about five or six. She was whimpering snd crying so badly it almost broke my heart. There was a successful outcome though and I remember how she was so cautious afterward about anything in the grass.
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January 20, 2026 at 9:59 am
That must have been upsetting not only for the dog but also for you.
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January 20, 2026 at 4:34 am
I’ve never seen a porcupine. I’d love to encounter one — but from an appropriate distance, of course.
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January 20, 2026 at 10:03 am
It is really something to see one, but I can understand why farmers hate them. Those quills can inflict a lot of pain on their animals, usually on their pets. And of course they love to chew on anything made of wood. Watch your canoe paddles and gun stocks.
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January 20, 2026 at 4:35 am
Adorable pup lesson—Emma’s “ouch” moment with that porcupine is a funny reminder to listen to the elders!
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January 20, 2026 at 8:14 am
Or else natural consequences wrap up lesson.
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January 20, 2026 at 5:37 am
Anneli, as your own presence kept a safe distance, I was relieved that Emma was safe. I’ve never encountered a porcupine . . . thank goodness.
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January 20, 2026 at 7:58 am
They usually mind their own business, but they will trundle forward to try to chase you out of their immediate territory.
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January 20, 2026 at 5:39 am
Dog’s curiosity about skunks and porcupines knows no bounds, to their own detriment. Glad Emma is OK. Happy Tuesday Anneli. Allan
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January 20, 2026 at 8:03 am
A friend’s lab was angry at being quilled and lunged at the porcupine to “bite back.” I don’t need to tell you how that worked out.
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January 20, 2026 at 6:51 am
Oh, Emma! Lucky you have good humans watching over you.
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January 20, 2026 at 7:55 am
She was only six months old then.
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January 20, 2026 at 6:59 am
Porcupine prepares prickly puppy pain.
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January 20, 2026 at 8:11 am
Pup ponders preposterous prediction of precarious predicament.
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January 20, 2026 at 7:41 am
Good thing your dog listens to you! This is one of the reasons training is so important. It’s our job to keep our pets safe; having a dog that does what you tell it is key to achieving this!
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January 20, 2026 at 8:04 am
You’re so right, Kit. I was so glad she listened.
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January 20, 2026 at 8:13 am
That porcupine in that field is really difficult to see, so the poem is good advice.
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January 20, 2026 at 9:59 am
Yes, they are well camouflaged.
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January 20, 2026 at 10:22 am
Point taken…always keep a safe distance from those pointy porcupines, Emma.
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January 20, 2026 at 10:39 am
She hasn’t learned about the possible danger first hand yet, and I hope she never does. As long as she listens, and is lucky when exploring out of our sight….
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