Dog killed by coyote

[krandall]

Originally Posted by motherslittlehelper

How horrific for your friend.

We have huge birds that circle overhead, too, Suzi. There is a narrow strip of land 20-30 feet wide outside our yard along a drainage slough, where we walk the boys to go potty. Several different water birds live there, beavers, nutria, and some other water animals. On this grassy strip of land, about two months ago, we found what looked like the remains of a raccoon - the claws, fur, intestines, and some flesh were still there. I am assuming a coyote got him. Our boys always go out to potty on leash with one of us. Last night, around 1 a.m., Augie came and told me he had to go potty. If he has to pee, he will usually go in our back yard, near the house. If he has to poo, he will head out through the arbor to this grassy strip along the slough. He was really pulling on his leash to go out through the arbor. For some reason, I felt really uneasy going out there last night, and took him to the front yard, where he did do his business. Are coyotes brazen enough to go after a dog on leash held by a human? I always have my heavy maglite flashlight, but have my doubts that would be much of a deterrent to a coyote hell-bent on taking a small dog - especially since a raccoon seemed no match for one.

Coyotes are USUALLY wary of people, and will keep their distance. But in areas where they have become very habituated to people (like in National Parks, here and in Canada) they become much more brazen. In Nova Scotia, we were warned by park rangers to always carry a big stick when walking Kodi, day or night. They told us that if a Coyote didn't move off when they saw us, to run toward them, yelling. If they started closing in, we were told to hit them on the snout with the stick, as hard as possible.

[sashamom]

Yes they are brazen enough, even if you are holding the leash. Linda

[lise]

Originally Posted by krandall

Coyotes are USUALLY wary of people, and will keep their distance. But in areas where they have become very habituated to people (like in National Parks, here and in Canada) they become much more brazen. In Nova Scotia, we were warned by park rangers to always carry a big stick when walking Kodi, day or night. They told us that if a Coyote didn't move off when they saw us, to run toward them, yelling. If they started closing in, we were told to hit them on the snout with the stick, as hard as possible.

Thanks for the advice. I will bring a stick from now on.

[motherslittlehelper]

Originally Posted by sashamom

Yes they are brazen enough, even if you are holding the leash. Linda

Not at all comforting, but thank you for the information. In light of this information, and the fact that I think a raccoon was recently killed by a coyote, I think we will be altering our late night potty trips. I can't imagine anything more horrid than losing our babies in this manner. I usually have a garden trowel in hand as well - for poop pickup. But doubt it is long enough to reach and do any damage to an attacking coyote.

There have been times when Augie digs in his heels and refuses to go out in that strip of grass beyond our yard. I figure he smells something bad out there and knows best, so I have never forced him to go or carried him out there when he has balked at going.

[Pixiesmom]

That is so horrible!! I saw one in our yard during a really bad drought back in 2000. It was NOT afraid of me when I yelled at it and it hopped on it's back legs like a rabbit-weird. Makes me want to carry pepper spray!!

[gelbergirl]

Very sorry for your friends loss.

[whimsy]

this is not too far away from me...happened in October. Makes me shudder to think of it!

"A coyote jumped a six-foot-tall fence in Wheaton and grabbed a dog earlier this week, injuring it, Wheaton police said.

The dog in the attack that occurred around 9:15 p.m. Tuesday in the 1300 block of Brighton Drive is expected to recover, according to the news release from police.

The homeowner reported that a coyote jumped over their fence and grabbed the dog but dropped it when the homeowner yelled and ran toward the coyote. The dog was taken to an emergency veterinarian, police said."

[sandypaws]

They say that coyotes don't like loud noises so when either my husband or I take Tyler out, either to do his business or for a walk, we carry an "air horn" with us. It's actually a can of air called Falcon Signal Horn Jr. It's small and easy to carry or put in a jacket pocket but makes a very loud noise. Thankfully, I have not had to use it during the 7 years we have lived in "coyote country", although we have seen them walking on our street and cutting through our property on occasion. Many small dogs and cats have disappeared here on Cape Cod. It's very scary.

[krandall]

Originally Posted by sandypaws

They say that coyotes don't like loud noises so when either my husband or I take Tyler out, either to do his business or for a walk, we carry an "air horn" with us. It's actually a can of air called Falcon Signal Horn Jr. It's small and easy to carry or put in a jacket pocket but makes a very loud noise. Thankfully, I have not had to use it during the 7 years we have lived in "coyote country", although we have seen them walking on our street and cutting through our property on occasion. Many small dogs and cats have disappeared here on Cape Cod. It's very scary.

The only thing that would worry me about that, Mary, is that it might scare the dog enough to make them slip their collar or harness. Then the whole situation is completely out of your control.

[motherslittlehelper]

Originally Posted by krandall

The only thing that would worry me about that, Mary, is that it might scare the dog enough to make them slip their collar or harness. Then the whole situation is completely out of your control.

I had Augie slip out of a collar once in calm conditions. That is when I switched to Martingales. My worry would be that I couldn't react quickly and calmly enough to blow the horn until damage had been done to my dog. I do think Augie has sensed where or if coyotes are present, because he will occasionally act totally weird in certain places, places that I know for fact that coyotes frequent. I have learned to pay attention, because I have learned to trust their instincts.