My concern is at night when visibility is low and coyotes do their
roaming. I've run across a few of them on my walks at night, and all
have gone in the opposite direction. However, the other night, a
neighbor who was also taking his dog for a walk noticed a coyote
watching me and my dog.

It is not unusual to hear reports of coyotes trying to tear a dog away
from the leash it is on when the owner is right there trying to fight
the coyote off, or showing no fear and walking toward a person and their
dog, or even occasional attacks during the the daylight. these are the
stories I'm concerned about because theyre not all that rare around here.

I've considered getting a gun, but first looked into getting a bebe gun
or pellet gun. I'm told that the city I live in doesn't permit the use
of them. They suggest pepper spray, but I have concerns about pepper
spray, such as, if the coyote is up on us already, the liklehood of
getting the spray on all of us is good.

soneone sugested I use a child's cap gun for noise to scare it away.

We're warned in our area that coyotes are loosing their fear of humans
and waving your arms and screaming may not scare them off.

I'm tempted to get the pellet gun even if it is against law. If I need
it to protect my dog and/or myself, what difference does it make, and
who would know anyway?

Our city suggests we not take our dogs out after dark, but that's
ridiculous to expect them to hold it in all evening and throughout the
night.

Any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated.
Robin

On Sun, 08 May 2005 02:07:47 -0700 Robin whittled these words:
My concern is at night when visibility is low and coyotes do their
roaming. I've run across a few of them on my walks at night, and all
have gone in the opposite direction. However, the other night, a
neighbor who was also taking his dog for a walk noticed a coyote
watching me and my dog.

You and your neighbors should get together and work out a strategy for an
attitude change for the coyotes. They need to be made to fear humans.
Top step number one, no one shoud be feeding their pet outdoors where any
wild animal could get to the food. That includes fenced in areas unless
it has both secure top and bottom. Getting hunger staisfied is very
rewarding. Number two - no one should just allow the coyote to watch.
Harass the coyotes. Throw rocks, use an airhorn, use a slingshot -
whatever it takes. Coyotes should learn that person=trouble. Number
three - have a meeting with your local wildlife officials about other
steps to take. I'm sure that part of that is going to make sure that your
individual properties are free of debris piles and similar hiding places
for both coyotes and their prey. Bird feeding stations are also predator
feeding stations. They abnormally concentrate prey and thus abnormoamlly
concentrate predaotrs.

The problem with guns and pellet guns in urban enviroments is that they
tend to get people shot by other people also carrying guns. People who
aren't used to seeing guns or in areas where carrying one is illegal tend
to think that someone breaking the law with one is a danger. So even if
you have a "good reason" for breaking that particular law it is very much
a risk to you. A stout walking stick should be sufficient.

Do NOT use a child's cap gun nor allow others to use them. The noise is
not nearly scary enough and all that will happen is the coyote will learn
that the little pop pop means nothing bad. Which also means if someone
does use a gun they will have to be a good enough marksman to actually hit
the coyote because the sound won't be sufficient surprise.


--
Diane Blackman
http://dog-play.com/
http://dogplay.com/Shop/

In article , wrote:

On Sun, 08 May 2005 02:07:47 -0700 Robin whittled these
words:
My concern is at night when visibility is low and coyotes do their
roaming. I've run across a few of them on my walks at night, and all
have gone in the opposite direction. However, the other night, a
neighbor who was also taking his dog for a walk noticed a coyote
watching me and my dog.

Number two - no one should just allow the coyote to watch.
Harass the coyotes. Throw rocks, use an airhorn, use a slingshot -
whatever it takes.


Throwing rocks. Is there any chance this would just make the coyote
angry and attack?

A stout walking stick should be sufficient.
To do what with? Hit the coyote with it? Flail it around to scare it?
Would it be able to take the stick in its mouth with any kind of force
that could disarm me, and then be worse trouble? Or would a coyote run
away if I started hitting it with the stick?

Do NOT use a child's cap gun nor allow others to use them. The noise is
not nearly scary enough and all that will happen is the coyote will learn
that the little pop pop means nothing bad. Which also means if someone
does use a gun they will have to be a good enough marksman to actually hit
the coyote because the sound won't be sufficient surprise.

Very good point.

On Sun, 08 May 2005 20:35:37 -0700 Robin whittled these words:

Throwing rocks. Is there any chance this would just make the coyote
angry and attack?

Angry? no. Frightened? yes. And fright turns to attack if there is no
place to run, of if the being feels vulnerable fleeing. Attack is also
possible to protect young. Generally speaking, however, a human hurling
things is sufficient to get most predators to seek an easier meal. And
the less engaged the coyote is the more easily it will decide to go else
where.

A stout walking stick should be sufficient.
To do what with? Hit the coyote with it?
Yes

Flail it around to scare it?

Yes

Would it be able to take the stick in its mouth with any kind of force
that could disarm me,

Possible but unlikely. Very unlikely.

and then be worse trouble?
EVen less likely.

Or would a coyote run
away if I started hitting it with the stick?

Most likley. Most predators look for meals that don't fight back. And
pretty much that's what they are doing.


--
Diane Blackman
http://dog-play.com/
http://dogplay.com/Shop/

On Sun, 08 May 2005 02:07:47 -0700, Robin wrote:

My concern is at night when visibility is low and coyotes do their
roaming. I've run across a few of them on my walks at night, and all
have gone in the opposite direction. However, the other night, a
neighbor who was also taking his dog for a walk noticed a coyote
watching me and my dog.

It is not unusual to hear reports of coyotes trying to tear a dog away
from the leash it is on when the owner is right there trying to fight
the coyote off, or showing no fear and walking toward a person and their
dog, or even occasional attacks during the the daylight. these are the
stories I'm concerned about because theyre not all that rare around here.

I've considered getting a gun, but first looked into getting a bebe gun
or pellet gun. I'm told that the city I live in doesn't permit the use
of them. They suggest pepper spray, but I have concerns about pepper
spray, such as, if the coyote is up on us already, the liklehood of
getting the spray on all of us is good.

soneone sugested I use a child's cap gun for noise to scare it away.

We're warned in our area that coyotes are loosing their fear of humans
and waving your arms and screaming may not scare them off.

I'm tempted to get the pellet gun even if it is against law. If I need
it to protect my dog and/or myself, what difference does it make, and
who would know anyway?

Our city suggests we not take our dogs out after dark, but that's
ridiculous to expect them to hold it in all evening and throughout the
night.

Any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated.
Robin

So your city officials response is to cower in your house after dark
to avoid a problem they refuse to address or control?

I'd start by replacing the officials.

Don S

Don S said in rec.pets.dogs.misc:

Our city suggests we not take our dogs out after dark, but
that's ridiculous to expect them to hold it in all evening
and throughout the night.

So your city officials response is to cower in your house
after dark to avoid a problem they refuse to address or
control?

How would you address it?

I live in a city of a million people where coyotes are a fact of
life. If Robin doesn't have perfect recall on her dogs (and
there's no such thing as perfect), she shouldn't walk them at
night where there might be coyotes. Actually, dusk is when I
usually see coyotes.

I think that she received good advice from the city. Surely
Robin can find a safe area to pee her dogs before bed time.

--
--Matt. Rocky's a Dog.

Howdy Robin,
I carry a wristrocket (fancy slingshot). I use it for distance
defence. That is when the animal is 30 feet away or so. The other thing
that I have when the animals are in close is a 3 foot long piece of
garden hose. The coyotes here still fear people. It is the packs of dogs
that I have trouble with.

Frank X. Morris
http://community.webtv.net/Sulkhalil/SalukiCornerChime

On 9 May 2005 18:25:35 GMT, Rocky wrote:

Don S said in rec.pets.dogs.misc:

Our city suggests we not take our dogs out after dark, but
that's ridiculous to expect them to hold it in all evening
and throughout the night.

So your city officials response is to cower in your house
after dark to avoid a problem they refuse to address or
control?

How would you address it?

I live in a city of a million people where coyotes are a fact of
life. If Robin doesn't have perfect recall on her dogs (and
there's no such thing as perfect), she shouldn't walk them at
night where there might be coyotes. Actually, dusk is when I
usually see coyotes.

I think that she received good advice from the city. Surely
Robin can find a safe area to pee her dogs before bed time.

I have a healthy fear of wild animals that are in urban environments.
They have overcome their natural tendencies to avoid people. I would
not trust my waving arms to fend a coyote from attack.

I always walk my dog on a leash. Fortunately, we don't have coyote
problems here in Dallas. If I feared for my (or my pet's) safety
after dark, my first preference would be for my local government to
have adequate protective response. Absent that, I would carry a gun.

It is silly to be afraid to go outside after dusk in the city.
Adequate protection should be provided, or you provide it yourself.

Where are coyotes common in communities of a million people? Maybe
the fringe developments? That's scairy.

Don S

Don S said in rec.pets.dogs.misc:

I have a healthy fear of wild animals that are in urban
environments. They have overcome their natural tendencies
to avoid people.

In many cases, coyotes have been taught to overcome such natural
tendencies. Some uninformed people think that it's cool to feed
them, though that seems to be a fairly recent innovation.

I would not trust my waving arms to fend
a coyote from attack.

Six or seven years ago, waving arms worked just fine, now it
doesn't.

I always walk my dog on a leash. Fortunately, we don't
have coyote problems here in Dallas. If I feared for my
(or my pet's) safety after dark, my first preference would
be for my local government to have adequate protective
response.

Which was the main point of my response to you. What would you
have your local government do?

Absent that, I would carry a gun.

Hmm. One of my dogs could be mistaken for a coyote when
glimpsed.

It is silly to be afraid to go outside after dusk in the
city. Adequate protection should be provided, or you
provide it yourself.

Of what would this "adequate protection" be comprised?

Where are coyotes common in communities of a million
people? Maybe the fringe developments? That's scairy.

Not fringe - inner city.
http://content1.calgary.ca/CCA/City+...ures/Coyote+En
counters.htm?Prn=1

--
--Matt. Rocky's a Dog.

On Tue, 10 May 2005 11:21:38 -0500, diddy
wrote:

in thread news whittled the following words:

On 9 May 2005 18:25:35 GMT, Rocky wrote:

Don S said in rec.pets.dogs.misc:

Our city suggests we not take our dogs out after dark, but
that's ridiculous to expect them to hold it in all evening
and throughout the night.

So your city officials response is to cower in your house
after dark to avoid a problem they refuse to address or
control?

How would you address it?

I live in a city of a million people where coyotes are a fact of
life. If Robin doesn't have perfect recall on her dogs (and
there's no such thing as perfect), she shouldn't walk them at
night where there might be coyotes. Actually, dusk is when I
usually see coyotes.

I think that she received good advice from the city. Surely
Robin can find a safe area to pee her dogs before bed time.

I have a healthy fear of wild animals that are in urban environments.
They have overcome their natural tendencies to avoid people. I would
not trust my waving arms to fend a coyote from attack.

I always walk my dog on a leash. Fortunately, we don't have coyote
problems here in Dallas. If I feared for my (or my pet's) safety
after dark, my first preference would be for my local government to
have adequate protective response. Absent that, I would carry a gun.

EEKS. Carrying a gun by an untrained individual in a highly populated area,
to me, reeks of scary.
I would carry a pepper spray, and keep my dog on leash where it will be
close enough to protect it.

Pepper Spray is a good first line of defense. I would never suggest
an untrained individual carry a gun. Good training is readily
available and should be a requirement before gun purchase. I only
suggested it as a last line of defense if all other forms of
protection (local governments & animal control) are unavailable or
unwilling to remove the problem.


OTOH, My sister was in her yard once with her dog on a leash, and a coyote
attempted to be off with the dog. She gave the leash a yank, and popped her
little dog right back. Apparently frightened but no worse for wear.

I had to protect my dog from a Great horned owl one time in the same
manner.


Wow! And they poped right back without ripping open? My dog is a 70
pound Lab mix, but she is as submissive as they get. She probably
wouldn't look like a snack to a coyote. To quote from the 60's " she's
a lover, not a fighter".


It is silly to be afraid to go outside after dusk in the city.
Adequate protection should be provided, or you provide it yourself.

Where are coyotes common in communities of a million people? Maybe
the fringe developments? That's scairy.

Don S