I'm so paranoid!

[Doberluv]

Gee wiz! I never have heard coyotes around here all that much....sometimes, yes. And usually I could tell they were quite some distance away with a few exceptions. Last night in the wee small hours of the morning, actually, I heard them so close, it actually creeped me out. And that isn't something that normally creeps me out. I like to hear animals around here. I sleep with my window open, especially on these nice, warm nights and I swear, they were right in my yard or driveway, close to the house...not up in the woods or in the pasture like before when I heard them. They sounded like they were having a party....yip, yip, yip.....yow-w-l, yip, yip. The dogs started growling as they lay on my bed and I told them right away, "enough, it's okay" because not only did I not want them to get all riled up, but I wanted to hear the coyotes more....just how close were they. Of course, if I had let them bark, especially Toker with her loud, low bark, it might have scared them off, which would behoove my Chihuahuas. I probably should let them bark, I guess if they're out there tonight.

The reason it creeps me out is that I have these little, wee dogs. At night around this time....8:30 or 9:00, they go out for their last potty trip. And even though I've always kept an eye on them, I am now, even in the day, hovering over them, not letting them out of my sight or letting them go into the woods like I usually do. Those coyotes must be hungry to come around so dang close. It's not like there isn't thousands of acres adjacent to me with lots of rabbits around. I see those too. Good grief! :yikes:

 

[Island dog]

I'd be paranoid too with small dogs. Years ago when we had small dogs I always worried about the eagles and cougars. Things happen in a split second. Hope they return to their former turf.

 

[yoko]

i'd be scared too. my friends dog, bert was killed by coyotes last year and it's horrible

 

[Doberluv]

A-w-w-w...Yoko, your poor friend. That is a horrible way to loose a dog, just terrifying. I think I may have to use a leash on Jose`. He's not 100% reliable if he hears something in the woods and wants to chase.... and may not always obey the recall. Most of the time he does. But I'm not taking any chances. Toker is really good about being called off prey when she's in mid chase and Chulita won't even attempt it. LOL. But that Jose`, my bear chasing monster boy....he has so much character. That's why he's so naughty. LOL. I would just die inside if something like that happened. How is your friend handling it?

I.D. I know....the eagles and hawks...those I have to watch out for too. Cougars....well, there's not much I can do about them. Apparently, you don't even hear them. Once you do, they're already on top of you.

And grizzly bears. I heard of someone who lives about 10 miles north who lost two Rottweilers years ago to a bear. I think it was a bear. Maybe a cougar. I can't remember the story now. But those grizzlies are around here. Just a mile down the road, one killed a big bull moose in someone's back yard. (I've told that story before)

Well, I hope they go away. The bears probably aren't getting lethargic yet, it's so hot still. But I always feel better in the winter, at least as far as the bears go.

 

[yoko]

i don't know what the weather is like where you are. but i think the main thing with my friends is it was during a freakishly long hot/dry spell. they usually stay in their back property *they own a couple hundred acres* where the creeks are,but when it got bad i think they came in toward the house where there was water for their animals and their birds.

 

[Boemy]

Maybe you could take them all out on leashes? I'd be worried too, they regularly get cats around here. (Well, not RIGHT by my apartment or anything, but not that far away!) I don't think cougars would be as interested in dogs as meals . . . They seem to have an instinctual aversion to barking. I guess if they were really hungry and a dog was really close anyway.

This is one of the reasons I'm scared to get a small dog, even though I like some of the breeds quite a lot.

 

[Romy]

That woudl freak me out 100%. Our next door neighbors have two boston terriers and used to have an outdoor cat.

The cat stayed in at night, and they thought that was safe enough. Bill told me that one day, at about 10 am in broad daylight the cat meowed at the sliding glass door to be let in and he walked over, put his hand on the handle and before he could slide it open a coyote streaked up and grabbed his poor cat right from in front of his face. He was heartbroken. They get so bold sometimes.

Their bostons only go out to potty on flexis, and get to walk with their owners in the pasture but holy cow, they are scared of them. We're all looking forward to when the cows move out for the winter so Strider can go back on coyote patrol. They coyotes avoid the pasture if he's been wizzing on bushes out there.

 

[Doberluv]

Yeah Yoko...I have a creek but it runs a long ways down into the pasture at the bottom of my hill but part of it is pretty close to the house. It has been dry here for quite some time and unseasonably warm, though not too hot. Well, it was 79 today. Pretty hot.

Boemy, I just took them out. I took Jose` and Toker out for the first shift. LOL. Jose` wore his harness and leash. He was so not about going out this time....very sleepy so I doubt he would have gone after anything. He just peed right close to the house and wanted to go back inside. LOL. All that harness hassle for nothing. Toker, I don't worry about so much and then I took Chuli out. She is very obedient and sticks close to my ankles. LOL. So, I didn't bother with leashing the girls...just my little rascal, Jose`, who wasn't a rascal this time. He was very lethargic. As I started to take him out from where he was lying on a little dog bed on the floor, he sort of staggered like a drunk and put one foot into the dog bowl that was next to him. LOL.

I think you're right about cougars. I have heard that even humans really aren't food to them. We do hear of cougar attacks on humans, but perhaps it's for some other reason. I don't know too much about it.

Yes, that is a draw back of having little dogs, to be sure. But on the other hand, they're such a joy and there are also many benefits. So, I guess I'll just have to live in constant fear and tension.

LOL.

 

[Doberluv]

They coyotes avoid the pasture if he's been wizzing on bushes out there.

Really!? Wow, now there's a thought....

That is so sad about how your friend watched his cat get snached right before his eyes. How terribly upsetting. I lost three cats during my lifetime to what I always figured were coyotes. They just disappeared. They'd be in and out during the day and inside at night. I'd never let a cat outside again...if I were to have a cat, which I won't. This was years ago. They're just too vulnerable.

So, yeah, I'm going to have to be extra diligent because I just don't think I could handle it if that happened to my little dear hearts. It would just put me over the edge.

 

[Romy]

I think you're right about cougars. I have heard that even humans really aren't food to them. We do hear of cougar attacks on humans, but perhaps it's for some other reason. I don't know too much about it.

Yes, that is a draw back of having little dogs, to be sure. But on the other hand, they're such a joy and there are also many benefits. So, I guess I'll just have to live in constant fear and tension.

LOL.

You feel a cougar before you ever see one. It's hard to explain, but once it happens you'll never forget the feeling. It's tension so tight you could pluck the air like a guitar string and literally every hair stands on end, but there isn't a visible reason why.

Most cougar attacks seem to be young males who get pushed out of the wilderness territories by the older males and end up in downtown Tacoma or suburbia somewhere.

You just need a karelian bear dog, lol. They'll take on anything. There's a lady in spokane who breeds them. Once she had a 6 month old puppy take a sow with a cub head on, and managed to drive them both away. That was with her and her 2 year old grandson nearby.

ETA: I can send you home with a jar of borzoi pee next time you visit Seattle if you want. :rofl1:

 

[Doberluv]

You feel a cougar before you ever see one. It's hard to explain, but once it happens you'll never forget the feeling. It's tension so tight you could pluck the air like a guitar string and literally every hair stands on end, but there isn't a visible reason why.

Most cougar attacks seem to be young males who get pushed out of the wilderness territories by the older males and end up in downtown Tacoma or suburbia somewhere.

You just need a karelian bear dog, lol. They'll take on anything. There's a lady in spokane who breeds them. Once she had a 6 month old puppy take a sow with a cub head on, and managed to drive them both away. That was with her and her 2 year old grandson nearby.

ETA: I can send you home with a jar of borzoi pee next time you visit Seattle if you want. :rofl1:

Well...see, now that's what I was thinking too. I was hoping you'd offer.

I'll be in Seattle at the end of Sept.

Well, Spokane is only 2 hours away from me. I guess I should go see that woman. That would make me feel very safe. A six month old puppy! Holy cannoli! I wonder if a karelian bear dog would eat Chihuahuas. Or do they mainly subsist on bears?

 

[Romy]

It would definitely be worth asking about. I know she used them to guard her poultry and had them loose with peacocks and they never bothered her birds. They aren't huge either 30-65-ish lbs. A lot of the scariness for the bears is that Karelians have zero sense of self preservation when hunting and that freaks animals out.

And if you're serious about the borzoi pee, I will totally do it. I'll just have to try to explain to Robert why there is a jar of dog pee in the fridge. Or maybe not, and just sit back and watch the fun. opcorn:

 

[Laurelin]

Honestly big or little dog, coyotes really worry me. The ones where I grew up are bold... taking yorkies was common. But it wasn't just small dogs in danger, which is what people need to be aware of. My next door neighbor's golden retriever was attacked while she was secure in her own yard. She barely lived.

On another forum a single coyote attacked a member's pair of adult pit bulls who were young and healthy (and in their yard with a privacy fence and an owner standing right there). They survived too but both had to have stitches and one had to have a lot of stitches. The coyote ran off too.

 

[Doberluv]

Romy...I was not serious about either the pee or the Bear killing dog. I should have made it more known that I was kidding. I have a warped sense of humor. The Karelian bear dog is indeed an impressive dog, but after reading about them, not for me. I may well not live here forever...and probably won't have this kind of acreage next time. (if I move) Plus, I have my hands full with my three dogs. A Chihuahua for each hand and then there's Toker on the side. And due to my bad back, probably should stick to toy dogs. But thank you very much for the offer of the pee (I've never had such a good offer) and for telling me about the Karelian bear dog. I know how hard it is to collect pee too. Aren't you glad I didn't take you up on the offer? LOL.

Laurelin, I have heard of coyotes attacking larger dogs. It's just so weird to me because my larger dogs have, numerous times run coyotes off my property. (in past houses) And even when there were more than one coyote. And my neighbor's dog had a buddy who was a coyote. Seriously. They took walks together every day on our private lanes where I use to live in Snohomish Washington. But I'll be sure, nevertheless to be extra diligent with all of them. Thankfully, Toker is so much better with her recall and for some reason, she doesn't have much problem coming when she's in mid chase of an animal, like a squirrel or when she just starts running up the bank to go into the woods. She's really been a good girl lately with that and will give up the chase and come back when I call. She is also exceedingly fast. I bet she could out run a coyote. And she has gotten in a fight before with a dog...long time ago twice her size and beat the livin daylights out of it. (per my son's telling) Chuli is very obedient that way and doesn't venture far. And Jose` is pretty obedient, but needs a little extra caution. I guess I'll just have to really hover and stay very watchful and careful.

That is horrible what those people experienced with coyotes. It's weird. I haven't heard anything like that from around here. Most of the time, there aren't that many that are close because they are not being squeezed out of their habitat here...not at all. So, this seems a little unusual to me. Maybe they're figuring on an easy meal. I don't know.

 

[Romy]

No worries, lol. Had some cold medicine earlier and it's makin' me kind of loopy.

 

[dogsarebetter]

coyotes come right up in my yard. They do not even run when they see you. I have even see them in my yard in day light!

 

[johndecker]

i'd feel the same way.. thank GOd its theres no such thing around here....

 

[Jynx]

I'm in woodsy CT, and have a pack of coyotes that live behind my house..Everynite they are out on the golf course howling up a storm, when I first moved here, it was kinda eerie hearing them, but now it's no big deal.

THey are NOT afraid of my big dogs at all, in fact they are kinda bold,,they will come right thru my front yard with the dogs out back fenced in, and just stroll on thru..Once I had one walk up to my front door!!

And yes, I'd worry about a "pack" with any size dog, altho around here, mostly you hear of cats and small dogs missing,,cats ALOT...

 

[Doberluv]

i'd feel the same way.. thank GOd its theres no such thing around here....

Coyotes are all over north and central America. I don't anywhere where coyotes don't exist. Maybe they don't come around in the heart of a city, but sometimes they are seen in the most unlikely places. Yeah...you're lucky if you don't have them right exactly where you are. I don't know where that is, but I bet if you do some research, you'll find that they aren't very far from you.

I say, "lucky" on the one hand...because they can be a real menace to farmers, ranchers and pet owners. But on the other hand, there is something mystical and wonderful about having any wild animals living near by. It's a love/hate relationship I think, that I have with some of these animals; coyotes, bears, cougars and moose. (also very dangerous in fall)

 

[Doberluv]

Okay, now I'm really befuttled and creeped out. Was that a human I saw on the edge of the woods next to my lawn, up the bank? Or was it a deer? The dogs can not see that spot from the windows. I do have some windows open. I heard nothing whatsoever and all of a sudden, like they often do, they went running down the hall, into my bedroom raising a big alarm...barking frantically and trying to see out the window, which is at a right angle and then some, from where I saw something. I guess they could smell something or possibly hear something. Their hearing is also exquisite...especially those Chihuahuas.

What I did was, just coincidentally, at the same time they went bonkers, I was going out on the porch for a minute and then I saw it. A very brief movement and a color in a small, partial clearing. That is all I saw. The color was not tan like a deer or brown or light brown like a bear. It was gray. Light gray like a jacket. I don't know what animal would be gray like that. But I could make out no shape as this figure stepped behind trees and brush. There was no sound of crashing around through the woods. It is highly unlikely that a person would be there in that place. I can't explain why. You just have to believe me. There are no hiking trails back there. It's just woods that goes on and on and on.....into the next state. There's nothing back there. So my best guess is that it was a deer, quiet and I mistook the color or saw gray when it was really tan....because it's shady there. (?) If it were a human, that creeps me out way-y-y-y-y-y more than a wild animal.