Yes, but they won't appear so gentle when your dog's face/ neck/ thorax/ bum gets harpooned with ten to a thousand of them. We have had five dogs come in this week with their muzzles and mouths full of these black and cream spikes. All I can say is ouch.
Porcupines have 15,000 to 30,000 quills. These quills are modified hairs with hollow centers that are loosely secured within the skin. Like other hairs, these quills can be shed and regrown throughout life. Muscles attached to the quill base will pull the quills upright when the animal is frightened. The quills must be touched to be released; they cannot be "thrown" by the animal. When threatened, porcupines may use their tails to slap the attacker, releasing the quills into the assailant's muzzle, legs, and other regions of the body. The quills' needle-sharp tips easily penetrate animal skin, and microscopic barb-like projections on their tips prevent easy removal and encourage migration deeper into the tissues.
Attempting to remove the spikes with sedation usually fails. Victims are usually very painful and don't stand still while the barbs are tearing through their skin a second time. Not to mention that they often end up in dog's mouths which instintively SNAP shut when pain is inflicted on their delicate mucus membranes.
If your dogs encounters a porcupine, get them to a vet who can sedate tham, remove the quills, put them on antibiotics, and give them something for the discomfort.
