My dad's friend recently got back from the beach and said that when he
was there he saw a fish eat a mini poodle that was splashing in the water
while the owners stood on the sand in shock. Apparently the dog was playing
fetch and a really big fish jumped up and pulled it under. I imagine that's
what started my nightmares that a hawk would fly down and grab Cali or Maui.
We see them around our house often but never really close. So today, Maui,
Cali and I had just came up from a swim in the stream (them not me) when I
was going to let them run around and play some more. That's when I looked
up and saw a huge hawk circling around about 5 feet above the roof! I was
shocked because they never get that close. I immediately grabbed the dogs
and put them inside and got my camera. I watched it circle for about 3
minutes and then it finally left. My dad, who was out of the fourwheeler,
came driving over pointing at the hawk. He says "I bet he was planning on
grabbing one of the dogs." I really hope it doesn't come back, for as much
as I worry, I don't need another thing added to the list.

"MauiJNP" wrote in message
...
My dad's friend recently got back from the beach and said that when he
was there he saw a fish eat a mini poodle that was splashing in the water
while the owners stood on the sand in shock. Apparently the dog was
playing
fetch and a really big fish jumped up and pulled it under. I imagine
that's
what started my nightmares that a hawk would fly down and grab Cali or
Maui.
We see them around our house often but never really close. So today,
Maui,
Cali and I had just came up from a swim in the stream (them not me) when I
was going to let them run around and play some more. That's when I looked
up and saw a huge hawk circling around about 5 feet above the roof! I was
shocked because they never get that close. I immediately grabbed the dogs
and put them inside and got my camera. I watched it circle for about 3
minutes and then it finally left. My dad, who was out of the fourwheeler,
came driving over pointing at the hawk. He says "I bet he was planning on
grabbing one of the dogs." I really hope it doesn't come back, for as
much
as I worry, I don't need another thing added to the list.




not sure where you're at, but up here in alaska, that sort of thing (big
bird, small dog) isn't entirely unheard of - at least in urban legends.. all
our neighbors warn us abotu that, but i've never actually heard of it
happening. If you're really that concerned about it, i'd say invest in a
covered run for the dogs and/or never leave them unsupervised outside.

"MauiJNP" composed these thoughts and posted them
:

My dad's friend recently got back from the beach and said that
when he
was there he saw a fish eat a mini poodle that was splashing in the
water while the owners stood on the sand in shock. Apparently the dog
was playing fetch and a really big fish jumped up and pulled it under.
I imagine that's what started my nightmares that a hawk would fly
down and grab Cali or Maui. We see them around our house often but
never really close. So today, Maui, Cali and I had just came up from
a swim in the stream (them not me) when I was going to let them run
around and play some more. That's when I looked up and saw a huge
hawk circling around about 5 feet above the roof! I was shocked
because they never get that close. I immediately grabbed the dogs and
put them inside and got my camera. I watched it circle for about 3
minutes and then it finally left. My dad, who was out of the
fourwheeler, came driving over pointing at the hawk. He says "I bet
he was planning on grabbing one of the dogs." I really hope it
doesn't come back, for as much as I worry, I don't need another thing
added to the list.




When Reka (A norwegian elkhound) was 9 weeks old she was grabbed by an
owl TWICE in the same week. She weighed 15 pounds . Both times she was
owl captured, she happened to be on the end of the lead so that always
had ultimate control. The first time, I beat the owl off with a broom.
Two nights later, I had no broom handy, and popped the leash and dog so
hard that Reka came flying in the air back.
Other than her having a fear of overhead flapping noises from above and
behind, she had no long-lasting effects. They say owls flight is silent,
but once they have prey thy make quit a bit of noise.
Fortunately she did grow up and I no longer have to worry about owls. But
I think Tuck just got past the age/size that i need to worry about bird
predation (20 pounds) but we still have coyotes here, and thus a life
long vigil of supervision

When Reka (A norwegian elkhound) was 9 weeks old she was grabbed by an
owl TWICE in the same week. She weighed 15 pounds . Both times she was
owl captured, she happened to be on the end of the lead so that always
had ultimate control.

Cali is tied to a post with a lead but I just assumed that would snap if
pulled by a hawk. I really hope I never find out.


The first time, I beat the owl off with a broom.
Two nights later, I had no broom handy, and popped the leash and dog so
hard that Reka came flying in the air back.

Wow, that sounds really scary. Glad it turned out ok.



Other than her having a fear of overhead flapping noises from above and
behind, she had no long-lasting effects. They say owls flight is silent,
but once they have prey thy make quit a bit of noise.
Fortunately she did grow up and I no longer have to worry about owls. But
I think Tuck just got past the age/size that i need to worry about bird
predation (20 pounds) but we still have coyotes here, and thus a life
long vigil of supervision


yeah, I worry about stuff at night like bears and coyotes but usually
assumed, until now, that during the day, supervision wasn't always
necessary.

not sure where you're at, but up here in alaska,

PA.



that sort of thing (big
bird, small dog) isn't entirely unheard of - at least in urban legends..
all
our neighbors warn us abotu that, but i've never actually heard of it
happening. If you're really that concerned about it, i'd say invest in a
covered run for the dogs and/or never leave them unsupervised outside.


yeah, from now on, I am always going to looking first and then staying out
with them.

On Sat, 1 Apr 2006 15:37:52 -0500, "MauiJNP" ,
clicked their heels and said:


Cali is tied to a post with a lead but I just assumed that would snap if
pulled by a hawk. I really hope I never find out.

why? I hope that's not unsupervised.

--
Janet Boss
www.bestfriendsdogobedience.com

diddy wrote:

When Reka (A norwegian elkhound) was 9 weeks old she was grabbed by an
owl TWICE in the same week. She weighed 15 pounds .

Zipper is going to weigh less than 10 pounds full grown. He's VERY fast.
I don't worry about hawks, even our largest ones mostly take mice. I do
worry about owls. A friend was out in her own back yard with her dogs
one evening and an owl took her white miniature poodle and that was
that. She never saw him again. This is a dog I had taught in class. It
was heartbreaking.

I do wonder if white/fluffy stuff is targeted more than sleek stuff, but
mice are sleek...

I truly am concerned about it. Not many owls in my neighborhood but I
want to move further out in the country and I'm thinking of investing in
a roofed run if I do.

Cali is tied to a post with a lead but I just assumed that would snap if
pulled by a hawk. I really hope I never find out.

why? I hope that's not unsupervised.



she's not supervised 100% of the time but most of it. Most of the time she
is unsupervised is when I am not home and someone else in my family lets the
dog out to relieve themselves.

When Reka (A norwegian elkhound) was 9 weeks old she was grabbed by an
owl TWICE in the same week. She weighed 15 pounds .

Zipper is going to weigh less than 10 pounds full grown.

how's Zipper doing? any recent pics or stories? the girls still doing well
with him around?


He's VERY fast. I don't worry about hawks, even our largest ones mostly
take mice. I do worry about owls. A friend was out in her own back yard
with her dogs one evening and an owl took her white miniature poodle and
that was that. She never saw him again. This is a dog I had taught in
class. It was heartbreaking.


that is awful. I never even considered owls to be the problem but I will
certainly be more watchful now.



I do wonder if white/fluffy stuff is targeted more than sleek stuff, but
mice are sleek...


maybe the white just sticks out better in the dark. and if that's the case,
Maui may end up a tethered pup!


I truly am concerned about it. Not many owls in my neighborhood but I want
to move further out in the country and I'm thinking of investing in a
roofed run if I do.


yeah, I'd probably do the same when I have my own house in the country. For
now since I probably won't be with my parents much longer, I will just be
extra vigilant.

In article ,
Janet B wrote:
On Sat, 1 Apr 2006 15:37:52 -0500, "MauiJNP" ,
clicked their heels and said:
Cali is tied to a post with a lead but I just assumed that would snap if
pulled by a hawk. I really hope I never find out.
why? I hope that's not unsupervised.

I hate to say it but frankly the damage from talons to a
small dog renders the question of whether or not the tether
would break pretty much moot.

I remember walking puppy Emmett with a hawk circling
overhead and being kind of creeped out. The other day I was
coming back from a walk with Image and there were two
vultures on the barn roof. I took Image inside and grabbed
the binoculars and went back out. I watched them, they
watched me, I watched them some more, they watched me some
more, and that was that. They haven't been back.

But the main bird problem recently has been turkeys. We're
quite overrun, with turkey roadkill becoming common, and
they've been getting into a friend's (horse) manure pile and
spreading it all over the place.
--
Melinda Shore - Software longa, hardware brevis -

Prouder than ever to be a member of the reality-based community