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The other day, I took the dogs for a walk after work. I was in a hurry because we were losing light fast, but they didn’t mind. Apollo would prefer to run and Zoey was just happy to be out and about. It was a short walk where I was juggling two dogs, keeping an eye out for “my dog is friendly” dog walkers, and coyotes. I crossed the street several times, we got great exercise on our short walk, and at one point I thought I saw coyotes. Two.
It turns out that they were someone’s dogs being walked off-leash. It was getting darker and the human was wearing dark clothing and blended into the trees. The dogs had lighter coats (white or grey), which made them stand out and made me think “damn, coyotes are out already.”
Are There Coyotes in Marysville?
Absolutely! We see coyotes all the time. They watch us from a distance and never approach us (by “us” I mean me and my dogs). My dogs don’t have a solid recall, so I don’t take them to the woods for off-leash walks. The last thing I need is for them to catch the scent or see a coyote, deer, skunk or rabbit and take off. Rodrigo took off after a coyote once and the memory still shakes me up.
In September 2012, I made a huge mistake and Rodrigo paid the price. I woke up early in the morning and let Rodrigo out in the yard (not the fenced dog yard) to pee. He caught a scent and took off and I took off after him. Rodrigo is a lot faster than I am and as I was running towards the wooded area that surrounds our property, I heard growling and then fighting and I knew he found a coyote.
A few seconds later, Rodrigo was running towards me, covered in blood due to a bite on the nose.
What About Rabies?
At the time of Rodrigo’s run-in with the coyote, he as protected by a rabies vaccination. Rodrigo was two years old and I was still doing annual vaccinations. However, this experience taught me that in Washington, our coyote population doesn’t carry rabies. I’ve confirmed this with several local veterinarians. But, side note, there is a population that does carry rabies – bats. I learned recently that bats can transmit rabies without biting – they just express it into the air or something. That freaked me out although we have screens on our windows and have never had a bat flying around our home. So, I did a little research to learn that “bats contract rabies far less than other animals. Less than 1/2 of 1% of all bats may contract the disease.” Source: BatWorld.org
What I Learned About Coyotes
Anyway, Rodrigo’s run-in with coyotes was a reminder that coyotes are predators and although I have big dogs, they aren’t 100% safe from an attack.
Coyotes look like small dogs: I had been living in Marysville for a couple of years before I could accurately identify a coyote because I rarely saw them. When we would see then on our property, I thought it was a neighbor’s dog (I’m nearsighted). In our area, they're about 35-40 pounds, with a greyish-brown coat, and they run with their tail tucked between their legs.
Coyotes are naturally afraid of humans: Just because they have a natural fear of us doesn't mean that we're safe from them, so I don't approach them, I don't feed them, and I don't allow our dogs approach them. I was told that when I see a coyote on our property, that I should reinforce their fear by making loud noises, waving my arms. That being said, I’ve seen many posts on social media about coyotes snatching a small dog from their yard or while on a walk, so I don't think coyotes are afraid of humans everywhere.
Coyotes go for small animals: Whenever I see signs in our community for lost dogs and cats, I wonder if these are victims of our local coyote packs. Coyotes will attack animals that are smaller than they are; small dogs, cats, as well as local wildlife (bunnies, squirrels, rodents, etc) and chickens (our neighbors used to have free-roaming chickens – a hit with the coyotes).
Local coyotes hunt in packs for bigger prey: When I read that coyotes hunt for small animals; that made sense. When I read that coyotes can't tell the difference between their natural prey and pets; that made sense to me as well. Then I remembered the hunt on our property for deer which are not small animals. I heard noise outside one night and ventured out to investigate. Two or three deer raced by me with a few coyotes hot on their tail – this all happened within 25’ of where I was standing and it went so fast that were it not for Johan, who was yelling at me to get inside, I would think I imagined it. Ahhhh, nature. It only takes one or two coyotes to go after smaller prey, while a pack will work together to take down something larger. We live in an area with lots of bunnies and deer, so the coyotes aren’t too far away.
Larger dogs aren't necessarily safe: Coyotes don't often go after larger dogs unless they feel threatened. I've read that they view dogs as competition, not prey. But Rodrigo’s experience taught me not to get comfortable. What’s even scarier is that a couple of years ago, we had juvenile coyotes (three of them) coming up to the dogs’ yard daily when we were at work (our neighbor warned us). We think they were trying to pretend like they were friendly so they could lure one or more of our dogs away.
Coyotes run in packs and pairs: Coyotes may run in a large pack, their family, but they tend to hunt in pairs. I've read that they have the ability to make noise as if they're a large pack through their vocal cords. If you've never heard a pair on a hunt, imagine the sounds of high pitched barks, yelps, and yips. At first, the sound of coyotes creeped me out. Now I love the sound (as long as my dogs are in the house).
Mating season: Coyotes are most protective of their packs, den and territory during mating season, which is January through March, and when they have pups, which is May and June. If you walk your dog in an off-leash area during these months, take care. I used to think that a well-populated, off-leash dog park wouldn't have coyotes nearby because of the dog traffic and activity. However, I’ve seen coyotes in all three of the places that I walk my dogs (on leash). The coyotes don’t approach, but they are around so it’s important that I’m aware.
Dogs may give chase without warning: We've never seen two coyotes at once, but it's safe to say that a second isn't far behind and there's no telling how close the pack is; so keep I keep our dogs close – they're either in their fenced yard or they're on leash when we walk. They are free to roam our property under supervision, but we limit their roaming to one area so that we can keep them close. The coyotes have one come on our property when we're outside once.
A dog's instinct may be to give chase and there's no telling what he'll meet at the end of that chase. I mostly see coyotes in the spring, summer, and fall – during these times, I make sure that my dogs’ harnesses are secure and I only walk as many dogs as I can handle (usually two or three). This way, if they see a coyote, they won’t slip their harness to give chase. So far, when my dogs see coyotes, they stay close by my side.
No outdoor food and water: Having dog food, raw bones, and/or water outside and accessible to wildlife rewards coyotes and other animals for coming on your property. Other food sources are fruit falling from trees, compost piles, and open trash containers. If we provide a food source, then coyotes may become a risk to our dogs, therefore, we don't keep food and water outside.
We’re raw feeders and while our dogs are fed inside primarily, in the summer, the dogs get raw meaty bones outside. A few years ago, a coyote came within 20’ of Rodrigo while he was eating a beef knuckle bone. I looked up and stared in shock and awe because a coyote had never come that close to us before. It took a beat before (1) I recognized that it was a coyote and (2) I took action. Thankfully, my dogs do listen well and God was on my side because they didn’t smell or hear the coyote. I called them in the house where they stayed for the day. That was the year when the juvenile coyotes began trying to lure our dogs away.
Other reasons for a coyote attack: Other reasons (besides food) that a coyote may attack a dog is because it's sick and rabid, it's protecting its territory, it's driving your dog away from its pack, and they don't like strangers (I don't know you, so I'm going to scare you away). Pretty much sounds like an unsocialized dog (except the rabid part).
Protecting My Dogs from Coyotes
We’ve lived in our home for close to 10 years and we’ve had dogs for the same amount of time (or a little longer). I’ve learned that to keep my dogs safe, I need to pay attention to our surroundings and work with my dogs regularly (training never ends). Even something as minute as noticing scat (coyote poop) on the property and how close it is to the house and dog yard helps me protect our dogs.
Today, we have five big dogs that weigh between 55 lbs and 75 lbs. I would like to think that the reason we rarely see coyotes on our property is that we have an established pack (our dogs) and this is their territory. One thing that I’ve noticed is that our male dogs will mark the perimeter of our property and I wonder if they’re marking their territory. Sydney, our senior female, will pee over coyote scat. I’m sure there is a detailed scientific explanation for that behavior, but I think it’s her way of covering up other scents with her own.
And, finally, all of my dogs are covered by pet insurance. I know it's tempting to think that this will never happen, but our experiences with coyotes were terrifying for me. I was already stressed and worried about my dogs, I didn’t want to be worried about vet bills too.
There's a lot of information online about coyotes and if you plan to do some research, I suggest avoiding forums or question/answer sites. When you're working on little sleep and coming down from an adrenaline rush after rinsing blood off of your dog and treating their bite wounds, the forum/question/answer sites will scare the bejeebus out of you.
Over the past 10 years, we’ve only had a few negative experiences with coyotes and, thankfully, none of my dogs were seriously injured. The experiences did teach me to take coyote sightings seriously. While I love animals, I will love wild animals from a distance.
I live in a more urban area, but seeing coyotes is actually really popular. There’s even a local creek named after them! People see them in their yards not too often, but often enough that it’s a cause for concern. One of my dogs is a Bichan Frize (tiny poodle) who doesn’t know when to not attack and the other one is a 30lb. 10-month-old beagle-mix. We have their food outside in a metal can and their water in an open bowl, and they are mostly outside dogs (due to the fact that one has too much energy and the other either acts like an infant or an old man) Earlier today there was a noise in our yard that had the dogs going crazy and I’ve been up for the past couple hours researching ways to get rid of coyotes and keep our dogs safe. This has been incredibly helpful!
Well said.
People if you live near wild life you got to expect predators to do what they do, defend and kill anything they are large enough to kill. Coyotes are never a problem to pets if you use basic common sense. Small pets of any type should never not be carefully watched. Eagles, owls, Bobcats, and coyotes all see them as prey and keeping them close on and on leash is your only defense. Big dogs (rottweiler, german shepherd, bull dogs, Akitas) have less of a concern but even then you should have 2 or more big breeds that become their own pack and that stay in shape and are active in their outdoor surroundings (roam with you in their immediate area making the territory and are comfortable with you in this area) These dogs are the best defense against any small predators like coyotes and Bobcats. As a pack they will defend and run coyotes off with minimal encounters with them. Numbers and size means every in the wild. If you are living around large predators like wolves and cougars you need to keep your dogs leashed and fenced at all times. Move them inside if cougars have developed a taste for dogs. Very few breeds of dogs will stop a cougar attack and if you have these types of dogs then this information is useless to you anyways, you are a person who already understands nature (hunters, outdoorsman etc). All type of dogs have to be protected if you live in wolf territory. Coyotes never should be a problem if you understand the nature of predators and chose the right pets for your environment. Small and medium size dogs are simply prey for too many wild animals. I’ve lived in Alaska and now AZ and love the outdoors but I always modified my behavior and that of my dogs when I’m living amongst different types of predators.
So scary. I’m so glad your dog is okay. Thanks for the warning.
Just saved my 9 mo old, 60 pound German shepherd from 2 huge red coyotes in my 2.5 acre yard on Bainbridge island today in BROAD sunny daylight. It donsnt have to be night or evening. So don’t drop your guard because the sun is shining! They were same size as my shepherd, about 26″ high at withers. But not as heavy. They stalked my dog by one coming from the left and one from the right while he was playing with his deflated soccer ball, not noticing them. Only about 15 yard away and creeping closer on their toes. They were not one bit afraid. Luckily I got hold of my dogs.collar before he could chase them. This was a warning…daylight or nighttime they are deadly silent and will go for your dog even if he’s bigger.
My wife and I were camping off-season, in Southern Oregon. Sometime after midnight I saw the bushes to my left, and I could tell multiple critters going right to my dog, Annie. Annie is Ridgeback, German Shepherd and Pitbull. I had her on a chain, and she was right next to me when she went straight for the movement in the bushes. She jumped in the middle of a couple of coyotes, she is super protective. All I saw was her tossing a couple of the coyotes, and shredding them in the process.Fur and blood were in her mouth, and she did not sustain any injuries at all. When the coyotes came at Annie, she was right next to the tent where my wife was sleeping, and she takes her role as guard dog deadly serious.I have nothing against coyotes, but I am fairly certain Annie does!
Perhaps I have a totally different view of the coyote than the rest of the readers. I have two dogs my self so I can understand the worry and fear it would cause to have one of them hurt by a coyote or any wild animal. Too often I hear people talk or post about the wild animals coming into our neighborhood or into the city itself. I have even seen an articular about a fox that would ride the subway to stay worm. Yes all animals can be dangerous. For years I kept snakes as pets, they also can be dangerous. What I liked most about your post was that you are teaching people what to do to stay safer with us, man kind, encroaching on the wild animals home and lands. One of the things that many people believe about the coyote is that it is a teacher, the coyote will teach you the folly of your ways by tricking you, or more by the tricks you play on yourself. They are messengers to tell us that something needs to change. Perhaps Rodrigo run in with the coyote was so that you and yours would learn how to protect yourselves from the animals that are living in the home they have. I have had many experiences with coyotes that have always taught me something. When returning to the car after hiking one time it was getting dark so we stopped to watch the lights in the city come on. Odia, the dog I had at that time who had lived feral the first six months of her life, was running around near us. When the coyotes calls started around us Odia returned and sat by my side. We people may be the most powerful, most intelligent and most destructive animal on the planet but all other animals server a purpose. Learning who the animals are and what they do is the best way that we can live with them in place of in fear of them.
It’s funny how dogs live in the moment and can let things go. Bless you both.
He’s doing really good, better than me. I get anxiety attacks taking him out at night. Most of his wounds are healing nicely but the deepest one under his throat kept getting scratched so he had to get the cone. The vet says he’ll be fine though. I’ve warned all my neighbors with pets and/or kids.
I’m so sorry that this happened to your pup. That’s so frightening. Glad that you’re keeping him close.
I just found your article while doing my own research on Dogs vs Coyotes. My little Toy Poodle was attacked at 4am this morning by a coyote and thank god he got lucky. He has four puncture wounds in the front and back of his neck and a few little cuts on his left eyelids…other than that he’s fine…though terrified to go outside even in daylight now. The vet cleaned him up and gave him antibiotics. His screams of terror are etched into my mind forever now and I just know I’m going to hear that sound in my nightmares when I finally manage to sleep. I knew they were seen in parts of where I live but It was early and I was tired and I wasn’t paying as much attention as I should have been…I never put him on a leash to go out before…that changes now…and I always watch him with the flashlight but I heard something behind me and turned to see what it was and then I heard him scream. I slammed the screen door open and screamed his name and the thing bolted away, thankfully without my baby in his mouth. Lucky, lived up to his name once again, bolted right onto the porch and wouldn’t stop screaming for several long minutes while I cried and felt utterly helpless. As soon as he quieted down we went inside and I checked him over. Somehow my mother and grandmother slept through the entire thing -.- He was cleaned up by the vet and given an antibiotic shot, some eyedrops, and some chicken flavored pain medicine…and a lot of love and attention b/c I can’t seem to let him out of my sight for more than a few minutes now…even in the house. A lot is going to change after this…including the purchase of either a litter box or an indoor dog potty for night time bathroom trips…no more outside if I can help it.
OMG that is so frightening. I expect to see coyotes up here in Marysville, but I wouldn’t be on the look out in Kirkland. I’d think they’d stay away from humans. We haven’t had another close call since that morning a few years ago. We hear them at night, but rarely see them and when we do they run away.
We have four dogs now so they’ve done a great job marking their territory on our property and this keeps the coyotes away (I think).
I’m glad that your dog is okay and you too.
Thank you for your story! I just came in from a near attack on my king charles spaniel by a coyote — and I live in Kirkland! I’ve often heard them at night, but never saw one SO close! My King Charles tried to be the tough gal and was marginally successful in barking him away. Whew. Thanks again for writing your story.
We’ve learned to bring the dogs in before dusk, because if a coyote is foolhardy enough to come across our property, they’ll chase it down. Now that we have 4 dogs, the territory has shifted and the coyotes go around our property. They used to come on to our property and hang out.
Wow. We get them here in our fenced up backyard. Being our neighbors raise chickens. I’ve wondered if my goldens would handle it probably not with the looks of your experience. Glad you were able to recover your dog, hope he mends well. Thank you for the heads up. Oh yes, I’ve heard them crying, they sound like Hyaenas…sends creeps up my spine.
It is pretty frightening when you think about it. When I see the coyotes, they look harmless and so small, but what I’ve read gives me chills. And your right, the stories are all over the place. There isn’t one pattern that you can count on.
Thanks for stopping by!
I’ve been reading about coyotes on and off for a few years now, ever since I read an article about a woman who was attacked and eventually died, while hiking on Cape Breton Island (in Canada). I wrote a bit about them for a blog piece on my site. In my research it just seems there’s no standard personality traits. I read a lot of – they could do this, but then they may do that, or may not. They seem to be a very unpredictable species. It’s scary. We supposedly have them in our area off Rondeau Bay in southern Ontario. Tessi, my dog and I have walked through the marsh for years without seeing one. I once read that a coyote might try to make friends with your dog and lure him back to its pack to be killed. Concerns me because Tessi, is the type that would probably go over to try to befriend one.
Thanks for sharing, Jennifer
That is scary. Last year, when Blue was still alive, a coyote followed us on a walk at dusk, cut across our path and then watched us. I always wondered if when it started “barking” it was trying to lure the dogs, but thankfully they were all on leash (usually Sydney is off leash). I’d love to say that our dogs won’t ever go after a coyote again, because they keep their distance when we’re at home, but I can’t say the same when we’re away from home. There are fields and trails that have coyotes and we’ve been noticing more this year (more prey).
Stay safe 🙂
I’m so glad Rodrigo is OK. Congratulations on being so calm and handling it so well. We live in a dense suburban area surrounded by pasture and woods in North Texas. I run with our dogs when it’s still dark, and we’ve seen a lot of coyotes – including a pair resting in a neighbor’s yard with their latest victim, which looked like a large cat. I’ve heard that singles will try to get larger prey to follow, where there are more waiting in ambush. There’s been a couple occasions where the coyote has run ahead of us for several blocks. I wonder if they are trying to lure us somewhere, or they just can’t find an open yard to cut through! Once a bigger one was lingering around us, despite my yelling at it. That’s the only time I was nervous, because it didn’t seem scared. He finally peeled off in the nearby park. Pretty much all my sightings have been in winter and spring, and always very early morning before daylight. I’m sorry about your run-in and hope your additional precautions help keep them away. Take care.
OMG – freaked me out. I don’t know how I stayed so calm, especially with the blood everywhere. He only had a couple deep scratches, they didn’t even require stitches, but you know how head wounds are? Apparently it’s the same for dogs too. He leaves the coyotes alone now, so do the other dogs. The coyotes leave us alone too.
I love living in our rural area, but I won’t take it for granted any more.
Thanks for stopping by!!!
That is scary! I am so glad Rodrigo was ok! I haven’t seen them here, but neighbors have. I have seen a bobcat though, and I wouldn’t want my dogs to come in contact with one of those either.
The coyotes usually respect us and we respect them. We’ve only seen 1 come onto our property. The dogs came to flank me and I just said “we won’t bother you” and the coyote went on his way. We never saw him again. If they had a den nearby, it’s been moved – too many humans. Puppy season should be coming up so we have to keep our dogs safe.
that’s scary!!!!!! so glad it wasn’t worse for your rodrigo, kimberly!!!! i grew up in phoenix,az…..lots of coyotes…..and no, they’re not afraid of you…..they look like a smallish shepherd/wolf type ……never had a problem with them, but we also had a 6′ wooden fence around our backyard…..here in georgia, if they’re around here, i’ve not seen them…..everyone around here has multiple dogs, so there’s no sneaking up on anyone’s property…..plus most folks also own guns…..if it were me, i’d shoot at them to scare them off…..
A coworker of mine has 5 dogs, 2 are small ones and almost got picked up by a Bald Eagle. When the eagle swooped down, one of the big dogs knocked it away. It was the first I’d heard of that happening so we watched our dogs carefully when they were puppies.
Many of my friends do not believe we even have coyotes here in Toledo, Ohio but I have seen and heard them. I watch my dogs closely at night. If coyotes weren’t enough to worry about, my 7 pound Pomeranian was recently targeted by a hawk. It’s enough to make you crazy.
Thanks for this great information, Gail!
We still see coyotes – they come onto our property, sticking to the edges as they cross from one property to the next (guided by fence lines). The dogs and I stand and watch and the coyote stops to watch us. It’s as if there an “it’s good” going on. Rodrigo learned a lesson and he and Blue stand on each side of me while Sydney stands forward and barks once or twice to let us know a coyote is near. The coyote just pauses for a moment, then moves on.
We see them on the side of the road here all the time. They’re very healthy this year so it’s easy to mistake them for a dog for a second.
Kimberly
While coyotes are a definite danger to small pets, I have lived for decades on large acreages where coyotes are common and large dogs live primarily outside and never had an incident. Coyotes are very smart and they will come fairly close if you are unarmed, but disappear before cowboys riding out checking on cattle or near their vehicles can draw a rifle.
Typically the dogs and coyotes on cattle and horse ranches give each other wide berths and rarely fight. One friend had a 3/4 wolf / 1/4 shepherd and a full blood German Shepherd and any coyote foolish enough to cross their territory did not live long enough to be a problem.
A couple Weimaraner mixes that were abandoned by another ranch moved over to ours and I saw the male hit a coyote broadside and flip it because the coyote tried to cross the pasture. Once they moved in we stopped ever losing chickens to coyotes.
One thing you need to know is that coyotes are not particularly afraid of humans unless you’re carrying a rifle. They will stand across your property and look you in the eye and where their area has new construction I’ve seen them stand right next to a busy road watching cars go by.
Cattle ranches do use mules and burros to protect calves from coyotes. They will go after them with both front feet and wicked kicking. Many horses will also go after coyotes (and sometimes dogs they don’t know).
That is so terrible, Anne
I was just thinking about this earlier today (crazy right?) because I’ve had a few people tell me about coyotes luring dogs. Glad we had our pups spayed and neutered.
Thanks for contributing to this, Anne
Caught sight of this article and wanted to add.
Girlfriend lives in Osoyoos, BC. There coyotes send in there bitches in heat. Of course anyone with an open male knows that instinct kicks in. Dogs are lured out and then mobbed and KILLED. This is not just a story, it is fact!! Just one more reason to spay and neuter.
I did not know this; I know someone with donkeys; I’ll have to ask her if she’s seen or heard any coyotes on her property.
Kimberly
Oh so glad your do is ok. We have coyotes here as well in Michigan. Most recently, we are battling a situation of the grey wolf which was recently on the endangered list and now they are dominating our land here in MI. Just last week, we had a neighbor lose a cow from this.
Did you know…..coyotes HATE donkeys and donkeys will drive coyotes away? Lots of Michigan farmers own donkeys because of this. = )
Irish Carter
Dedicated2Life.com
Thanks!
Our coyote population has boomed, because the deer population has boomed. One thing we started doing is tossing dog poo (yes, I know, gross) towards the borders of our property. Someone recently suggested this, because it’ll let coyotes know that the territory has been claimed. Makes sense, because we’ve never allowed dog poo to just sit in our main yard.
And I know what you mean about the sounds coyotes make. It’s awful.
Kimberly
Glad to hear your pup is okay! This is one of my fears. We only have an acre but do not let the dog out loose once it is dark. The coyotes were so loud and wild the past few nights that she would not even go outside to use the bathroom. Our son can actually hear them in his room. It is quite an unsettling sound. We live in Pennsylvania and I have heard that the coyote population is booming even though people have permission to shoot upon sight.
I’m so amazed that I was able to keep it together. Rodrigo is doing well and I vow not to take them out to the main yard at 3 am again! My hope is that the interaction pushed the coyotes to move to a new area. Thanks for the comment!!! 🙂
Kimberly
How scary! Glad to hear Rodrigo and the others are OK.
I live in Arizona and we occasionally get coyotes in the neighborhood, usually at night just like you had. They go for small dogs, cats, and birds from the nearby lake. They’ll even go through trash left outside for pick-up. One of my pet-sitting friends recommends against dog doors because she’s heard of coyotes getting in that way. *shudder* It’s a nuisance, but it almost forces owners to be with their pets any time they’re let outside.
I know what you mean; I used to try and capture them with my camera. Now I’m more wary. I don’t want to harm them, but our dogs come first too. And YES – I SOOO should have stayed in bed! Rodrigo is doing great. 🙂
Kimberly
We’re lucky in the UK we don’t have that problem. I don’t know what i would do i love all animals and wildlife i would be inclined to grab my camera if i saw a coyote but the dogs come first i think you do the right thing chase them off without harming them.
It’s just a pity Rodrigo got hurt i hope he’s recovering well and not to traumatised by his ordeal.
You should of stayed in bed lol
I know! It was scary. Rodrigo is doing great. I loved your story and would have done the same. Good for you; no one messes with our babies!
Kimberly
This may be a duplicate, so I apologize if it is!
Thanks so much for stopping by! Rodrigo is doing great! I’m stunned that he was able to shake it off so quickly; he’ll face down a coyote, but he’s still afraid of a broom (jumped in my lap last night because my boyfriend swept up some sand).
Kimberly
Thanks, Michelle
Rodrigo is doing great and the vet assured me that unless we see swelling then he’ll be fine. This is common in our area and because people are good with their vaccinations we don’t have a rabies problem. Rodrigo is good on his. We just clean it daily with hydrogen peroxide. He’s in great spirits, just a little tender.
Kimberly
Oh my goodness!!! I hope that you called your Vet as sometimes (I think) they will give a Rabies booster. Bite wounds can also become infected and abscess easily, so you could get some advice from your Vet on that as well.
We also have coyotes running about, and we are in a highly populated (NOT the least bit rural) area. One night I even stopped to pick up what I thought was stray dog, but it turned out to be a lone coyote.
Thankfully, our off leash dog parks are entirely fenced in, but we still don’t go between dusk and dawn.
We have a very large dog (150 lbs), and a Pomeranian. Even though our back yard is fenced in, it’s not all that high so the Pom never, ever goes out by herself. It’s a pain, but her safety is worth the extra effort.
I hope that everyone is feeling better!!!!
Dear God are you ever lucky!
My friend’s cat was EATEN by a coyote….
We live in a suburban area too…they are everywhere.
Praying your baby is ok!
That’s so terrifying! I am so glad Rodrigo was okay and this has a quasi-happy ending. I hope he recovers well from his experiences. Good on you for acting so quickly.
Coyotes are definitely a threat to dogs and I really appreciate this valuable information. They are always on my mind when walking in the parks near my house, especially since we do most of our walking in the early mornings and evenings, a time when I know they may be active.
Me to, Julie
I was on high alert yesterday, but it was a pretty uneventful day and we went back to our normal routine. No permanent damage, thank heavens. Rodrigo got a lot of special attention and because we have three dogs, the other two got treats too just for being around 🙂
Kimberly
Me too, Jana
I kept reminding myself of that, because Rigo could have came across a family or a pair. He’s doing great and our vet just recommended keeping his wounds clean and approved simple hydrogen peroxide. Whew!
Kimberly
Wow, so sorry to hear that Rodrigo was in a tussle with a coyote. How scary for all of you. Glad to hear he is recovering well. Several years ago our Shetland Sheepdog was attacked by a bobcat when we lived near the State Game Lands in So. Central PA. I had just let him out before bedtime when I heard Ishtar start frantically barking, then a wild snarling. I thought it was a mountain lion (it sure sounded like one) and, without even thinking, I grabbed a broom and screamed “NO” and tore out of the house like a banshee. I met Ishtar flying towards me and we both beat a hasty retreat. He had some nasty scratches but survived with no ill effects. I never let him out at night after that unless I was standing guard at the patio door and the spotlight was on. Scary stuff.
We used to see them on our property, but they’ve always shied away from us and the dogs, never coming around when we were coming outside. They may have been going away or traveling through when Rodrigo caught up with them. We’re hoping that Rodrigo showed them that the territory is taken and they move on.
Kimberly
Thanks so much, Karen
It was definitely not my favorite morning, but I’m happy that Rodrigo is back to his happy self.
Kimberly
What a horrible way to the start of your day. I hope rodrigo makes a full recovery from this attack and everyone (2 and 4 legged) stays safe.
Kimberly, thank you SO much for this. I know you went through a lot of anxiety at first, and a lot of research afterwards to create this excellent article. I’m glad Rodrigo is ok.
With coyotes encroaching more and more into neighborhoods, every pet owner should know these tips.
We live in the country outside Austin, TX and we hear coyotes often. Dakota the corgi went into a barking frenzy a few months ago (and she’s not a big barker), and there was a coyote on the other side of the fence. I went out and yelled and ran towards it and it ran away. Pretty scary. We keep the shotgun handy, but haven’t seen another. I’m always aware that they are out there.
So glad nothing worse happened!
Friends at the horse farm lost one of their dogs to coyotes, it was a cockapoo and he didn’t stay a chance.
We are used to being careful, because where we used to go camping and where we now have Jasmine’s ranch, there is a lot of wildlife. On the ranch, there is even a bear. I have to admit I’m much more worried about the bear…
So yes, definitely no food outside if there is any wildlife.
I have heard coyotes, but I have to say that every time I’ve seen any I’ve always seen just one. In the trails where we got for walks, later at night, you can hear them. We then all stick together; safety in numbers, guys on the leash.
Oh my gosh, how terrible! I’m so sorry for your horrible morning, but happy that Rodrigo is doing well. What a scary morning!! Big hugs to you and your pups!
That is awful, Crystal. We’re so happy too; gosh this could have gone totally wrong. Rodrigo is doing great.
Thanks for stopping by!
Kimberly
What a terrifying experience! I am so happy your dogs all made it out alive. I heard the most awful story recently of a guy in my part of the country who was training pit bulls to hunt coyotes. Bad news. Hugs to your pups.
You rock, Melody. I’m happy that your cat lived to meow another day. I’m relieve that it worked out, because it so could have gone down a different route.
Kimberly
Having fished my cat’s foot out of a coyote’s mouth, I can understand your panic! We had a fence between us though, and raspberry bushes were making it hard for the animal to get a grip on her…thank goodness! The cat did more damage to me in her panic than the coyote did. She’s not allowed to come out and watch me water the gardens anymore. 😮 I’m so glad it turned out OK for you too!