Coyote coming close while walking dogs?

[Romily_Bernard]

About 8 months ago, several homeowners in our area had to hire a animal control company to help with a coyote infestation (probably not the right word, but I’m running with it). Anyway, last I heard, the company pulled 3 males and 2 pregnant females. Animals were euthanized and all’s been quiet since.

Was walking my dogs last night and I noticed something very dog-shaped following us. My young dog wanted to investigate. My old dog wanted to go back inside ASAP. We finished and went inside without incident, but now I’m wondering if the coyote population has increased again.

I don’t have a fence and I walk my dogs 4-5 times a day ALWAYS on leashes. Anyone have any advice on how to protect my dogs? Will coyotes approach if a human is a few feet away from their prey?

The ones in our area were seriously bold. I walked outside one morning and an adult coyote was standing on my back porch looking at me. Didn’t seem too fazed when I chased him off.

Thanks!

[Calamber]

Coyotes have been known to grab dogs on leashes but usually small ones. If you are concerned, carry a pepper spray.

[clanter]

If there had been resources in the area to once support a group/gang of coyotes I wouldn’t be surprised that a new group to find the area again.

Coyotes have no natural predators other than humans and maybe an occasional bobcat or mountain lion.

But I found they respect electricity

[Calamber]

And yell at them, I have chased yapping coyotes away from my house at night by yelling out the window. These are a little more wary because they are hunted when they become pests.

[Hermein]

I wouldn´t worry unless I had a really little dog on a leash. I also don´t think they´d attack a human (unless they were rabid :eek:). *

I think a pack of them were congregating on my deck one night–they left when I turned on the light. They know we´re the enemy (unless they are rabid :eek:).*

*I´m thinking of running for potus and am practicing a la Rubio.

[Cat_Tap]

When I used to walk my two adult dogs, Bouviers, occasionally I had a coyote follow us within about 50 feet, yapping the whole time. My younger dog would go after the coyote but would come back right away and I would put him on the leash. I always worried but never got attacked.

Now I am walking my puppy, also a Bouv. 4 months old about 40 lbs. I keep him on a lunge line and my eyes wide open looking out for coyotes. We see tracks and scat but haven’t run into a coyote yet.

There was a jogger attacked and killed by coyotes a few years ago. When I saw the coyote I always picked up a large stick and yelled a lot. Didn’t seem to deter it.

[Gestalt]

Where do you live? The only coyote kills I’ve heard of were by either coy-dogs or coy-wolves. Coyotes don’t hunt in packs like wolves or dogs. (That info is from USFS)

[Kimstar]

[QUOTE=Cat Tap;8525958]

There was a jogger attacked and killed by coyotes a few years ago. When I saw the coyote I always picked up a large stick and yelled a lot. Didn’t seem to deter it.[/QUOTE]

I am pretty sure that you are thinking of the attack in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. And if I recall correctly, those were eastern coyotes a.k.a. coy-wolves. (Around here, they run in packs and average approximately 60 lbs. So definitely not pure coyotes, nor are they coy-dogs.)

[Romily_Bernard]

Yeesh, no human attacks around here, but plenty of people lost their outdoor cats and someone lost a toy poodle.

Not concerned about them attacking me. More concerned they will take out my small dog (22lbs) or go after my old dog (55lbs). They both could be easy-ish prey.

Concerned about carrying pepper spray since I would have to drop one leash to get to it. Not to mention I would probably spray myself too

Maybe the demon voice I reserve for bellowing at nasty ponies would scare them off.

Thanks for everyone’s input. I appreciate it.

[Bluey]

Coyotes do have packs, a neighbor went to check on his calving cows one evening and she was down and a half circle of a dozen coyotes were most of them laying around her, I guess waiting to jump on her again when she tried to move?

Another neighbor lost his dogs to packs luring them out into the brush and then several of them jumping on them.

Coyotes also run solitary or in pairs, that is true.

If a coyote is sick, it may not act like we expect and that would be when we should be very careful, especially if it is something like rabies.

[JanM]

Romily-They make pepper spray or mace ‘guns’ that you wear in a holster, and they can shoot at least 20 feet. Bounty hunters use them, and I saw them on Dog the Bounty Hunter a long time ago. I think that the canister holds quite a bit of the spray too, so it should last for a while.

[DHCarrotfeeder]

@Bluey;8526427

Coyotes also run solitary or in pairs, that is true.

The eastern variant run in threes, so I’m told by an experienced local coyote hunter.

The coy-whatevers that took out a starving fawn in my yard the other year were a group of 3, based on the footprints in the snow.

[snowrider]

The packs are family groups. Mon, dad, last years pups and this years pups.

True coyotes are pretty small I’ve always found throwing a couple rocks at them scares them off. They are extremely curious and will follow you just because.

[stb]

We had an incident around here a couple of years ago where a woman was walking her dog on leash and her dog was attacked by a coyote. Personally I would be carrying a weapon of some sort if I were you.

[Bluey]

[QUOTE=snowrider;8528144]
The packs are family groups. Mon, dad, last years pups and this years pups.

True coyotes are pretty small I’ve always found throwing a couple rocks at them scares them off. They are extremely curious and will follow you just because.[/QUOTE]

12+ coyotes are a pack.
We have seen plenty of those around here, although those seem to be seasonal or opportunistic.

Coyotes are immensely adaptable, so they adapt to what it takes to live and in some instances, being part of a pack works for them, so that is how they run.

I would not dismiss any wildlife that is not staying away as of little concern.

As our game wardens tell us, keeping wildlife shy and run off where people and their activities happen is in the best interest of all, including wildlife itself.

Lets consider that where it may make sense to do so.

[Cat_Tap]

[QUOTE=Kimstar;8526096]
I am pretty sure that you are thinking of the attack in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. And if I recall correctly, those were eastern coyotes a.k.a. coy-wolves. (Around here, they run in packs and average approximately 60 lbs. So definitely not pure coyotes, nor are they coy-dogs.)[/QUOTE]

You are correct that is the incident I was referring to. I have read that the eastern coy/wolf has been moving west. Last year I saw a coyote in my horses pasture in the middle of the day who looked much larger with a longer coat than the average coyote. He was limping badly so I called my neighbor to come and shoot it as I am sure he would have starved to death.

As much as I worry about the coyotes I do not like to see an animal suffer.