SRS, that is fascinating, the Catahoula info. And what a lucky pair those two dogs are.

Jeri, probably not the plant I stepped on, as it was permanently wet peat/sedge bog, but thank you, because I bet you've nailed the insect repellent. There must be some bog-loving relative of Chrysanthemum cinerariaefolium growing up there - likely doesn't even resemble it much but has the same scent. That gives me something more concrete to search for. You know how it is with a scent related old memory; there's this strong desire to track it down - or maybe I was a dog in my last life.