# An Overhead Threat to Small Dogs



## twyla (Apr 28, 2010)

CB the article reminds me of an incident over a decade ago that was on the news, during a winter's night a chihuahua got snatched by an owl, saved from severe injury by its puffy pink winter jacket


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## Click-N-Treat (Nov 9, 2015)

We have great horned owls in our neighborhood. We see them and hear them regularly. A great horned owl is capable of taking a goose as prey, so I take them very seriously. An owl might not be able to fly away with our little dogs, but it could sure tear them up. Our family rules are leashes on after dark and go inside at the first hoot of an owl. But, I still love owls. They're so amazing!


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## Vikingstaff (Nov 19, 2017)

With our first dog on the way, I never thought about these sorts of dangers. There are a few bald eagles that nest at the lake our cottage is on. One nests in a huge tree literally four cottages down from ours. I would imagine our little toy poodle could become a temptation in lieu of other prey.


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## Coco86 (Oct 23, 2014)

There are four hawks that nest in our neighborhood. Some days they hover pretty low searching for food. During the summer when they are out we always take the dogs in the house.


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## Countryboy (May 16, 2011)

We've always thought of Raptors as birds of prey. That image is pretty much solidified in our minds. I've heard that Golden Eagles are the most dangerous. They're more used to killing their own prey than finding dead stuff on the ground.

But ya... whould'a thought Owls. And that's right up in Schpekie's neighbourhood... a thriving suburb of Edmonton.

Good to see some Toy peeps are on it already.


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## Click-N-Treat (Nov 9, 2015)

We have red tailed hawks here, too. I have a small Boston Terrier. Hawks have a four foot wing span. These are big strong birds. Any large raptor is a danger to little dogs. If you don't know your local raptor calls, get on YouTube and learn them. A great horned owl hooting is obvious, but the Bald Eagle cry is quite, um... unimpressive and kinda wimpy for such a big bird of prey. 



 The movies substitute the red tailed hawk, which sounds scarier. 



If you hear either sound, and have a small dog, get inside. A few days ago we had the joy of two great horned owls and coyotes yowling while I was out with Noelle. I wasn't too happy. Francis uses a pee pad at night. Coyotes have killed several small dogs in our area lately so we take no chances. Thanks for the reminder that small dog guardians need to be on the look out for wildlife.


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## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

We have a bald eagle nest not too far from us and plenty of birds of prey. My mailman and his wife breed little dogs - they lost a puppy to a bird of prey several years ago.

My dog is always on a leash -and as a minipoo is less likely a target - I hope.


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## glorybeecosta (Nov 11, 2014)

I go out with mine and stay rain or snow, my little one does not go outside at night at all. Friend had a hawk grab their 4 pounder and grab the legs and got do loose, but had to have surgery on it hips and had cuts, that was 5 years ago, so I am very careful.


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## Viking Queen (Nov 12, 2014)

Just this morning I saw a red tailed hawk slowly soaring over our neighborhood...I doubt that it would discriminate between a small dog and one of the many many rabbits in the neighborhood. Lunch is lunch. 

One day this summer I looked out to see the hawk in my spruce tree, dining on a dove....he was only about 10 feet up the tree.

I can not convince our neighbor to always keep their small bichon on leash with supervision. Our neighborhood Great Horned owl sits at the top of my big spruce tree most nights and overlooks the small yard where little Daisy sits. Same tree where the hawk was. It worries me more than her family, I guess. 
I hear the owl at night when I sit reading. It is really cool. 

Good to be mindful of wildlife, even in town.

Lions, and tigers, and bears, oh my! Well, maybe not tigers, but mountain lions and coyotes and bears for sure! 

Viking Queen


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## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

I live on the edge of a very large series of canyons that are a protected preserve called Tecolote Canyon Park approx 5 miles long and 900 acres set right in the city! I've had Redtails sit on my fence and eyeball Molly! People who have homes on the canyon rims have put up 'owl boxes' to keep the owls in the area because of the rodent (gopher) explosion we are having as it seems the coyotes prefer the local kitties and small dogs!

Molly's buddy Pepe' was out on a walk on leash with my neighbor 2 weeks ago and a coyote lunged out of the bushes and tried to grab him by the throat, but Heidi (my neighbor) walks with a cane and wacked the coyote with it and he let go and ran! Pepe was fine as he was in need of a groom so the creature got a mouthful of hair and not a good grip (is what Heidi thinks......)besides Heidi is a fiesty 82 year old German lady that can still yell with the best of them! LOL!
Needless to say I am very watchful if we are out at dusk and avoid going out when it is dark now! It seems we are not only having a population explosion of gophers, but one of coyotes too!
It's kinda awesome to think that even though I live in a city, we have pocket areas that are left in their natural state.......but of course along with the wild animals comes the precautions we must take to keep our pets safe! I wish the skunks would leave too! hahaha!


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## cate&clair (Aug 7, 2017)

*large dogs can also be a threat to small dogs*



Click-N-Treat said:


> We have red tailed hawks here, too. I have a small Boston Terrier. Hawks have a four foot wing span. These are big strong birds. Any large raptor is a danger to little dogs. If you don't know your local raptor calls, get on YouTube and learn them. A great horned owl hooting is obvious, but the Bald Eagle cry is quite, um... unimpressive and kinda wimpy for such a big bird of prey. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlq2kcYQcLc The movies substitute the red tailed hawk, which sounds scarier. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33DWqRyAAUw
> If you hear either sound, and have a small dog, get inside. A few days ago we had the joy of two great horned owls and coyotes yowling while I was out with Noelle. I wasn't too happy. Francis uses a pee pad at night. Coyotes have killed several small dogs in our area lately so we take no chances. Thanks for the reminder that small dog guardians need to be on the look out for wildlife.


We live in a suburban neighborhood, but many people here think "letting the dog out" to roam unsupervised is fine. So, along with wildlife, I have to be very aware of any wandering dogs. My Cavalier was attacked and bitten by an off-leash dog many years ago. He survived and went on to live a long life, but it was a horrible experience. I'm wary of wildlife and I've heard many tales of coyotes too, but the threat of off-leash dogs seems more immediate. (Yes, there are town ordinances. Many ignore them.)


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## Countryboy (May 16, 2011)

MollyMuiMa said:


> It's kinda awesome to think that even though I live in a city, we have pocket areas that are left in their natural state.......but of course along with the wild animals comes the precautions we must take to keep our pets safe! I wish the skunks would leave too! hahaha!


So true, eh? There is a bit of 'awesome' about the return of wildlife to natural areas. They're looking for places to live too. We and ours can drive them back out again, or learn to live with them. 'Living with' is a much better option.


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## ApricotsRock (Jan 10, 2014)

We have eagles...they make me very nervous. I think rookie is too big but I would hate to be wrong. He is not allowed out unsupervised. 

Last late winter early spring I saw an eagle take a mallard....wish I could unsee that...


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## SusanG (Aug 8, 2009)

I have to admit, I never thought of overhead perils!
We have woods behind our house inhabited by coydogs, foxes and a fisher. I hear owls, but so far I have only seen small species. We also have hawks and on a few occasions I've seen an eagle in town.
I have a small fenced enclosure for my girls. I never let them outside without watching them, especially at night (I will stand on the porch until they finish their business and bring them in) I have a fear that a fox or coy dog will come bounding out of the woods! I worry about my babies and I never let them out unsupervised!


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## Charmed (Aug 4, 2014)

In the late seventies I hiked in the Los Padres National Forest, and got to see California condors soaring free.Their wingspan was about nine feet, and I kept my little beagle close at my side because I am sure he looked like a snack. The birds were a sight to behold; they really did look like soaring pteranodons. I don't know if my children will ever experience the pleasure of seeing California Condors soaring across the sky, I hope they do because those birds flying were spectacular. You might want to pass on seeing them up close, though.


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## cate&clair (Aug 7, 2017)

*wildlife is cool*



Countryboy said:


> So true, eh? There is a bit of 'awesome' about the return of wildlife to natural areas. They're looking for places to live too. We and ours can drive them back out again, or learn to live with them. 'Living with' is a much better option.



I love that a standard poodle owner is thinking about threats to small dogs. Anyone who has a small dog is aware of their vulnerability. Mine is about 5 lbs now, but when I first got her, even crows were watching. It's just a different world for owners of little dogs. 

On another note, it is very cool that wildlife is returning, even in cities. Our raptors were once decimated by DDT. Now I see osprey, hawks, and eagles. Along the east coast, the Atlantic flyway is heavy with swans, pelicans, and many duck and goose species. They are all national treasures.


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## Countryboy (May 16, 2011)

*And Another Attack*

This is more than a passing one-off. Owls and small dogs again. And a $2,400 vet bill is no joke! If you're near any forests and fields, and your Toys are running around, get somebody else to run in and put the kettle on. 

Keep your eyes on your dogs!

Dogs lose eyes in separate owl attacks in Edmonton area - Edmonton - CBC News


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## Mysticrealm (Jan 31, 2016)

There have been 3-4 owl attack incidences in my city in the last couple weeks. I know someone who had a pug puppy they bred that was killed last week by an owl.


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## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

Skylar said:


> We have a bald eagle nest not too far from us and plenty of birds of prey. My mailman and his wife breed little dogs - they lost a puppy to a bird of prey several years ago.
> 
> My dog is always on a leash -and as a minipoo is less likely a target - I hope.


I thought my minipoo wouldn’t be a target for bald eagles until someone pointed out there are videos on YouTube of eagles attacking and carrying off adult mountain goats and sheep. Scary stuff that makes me aware that she’s at risk from them too. My hope is that they are well fed with easier rodent prey so they would not be interested in her, or me for that matter. 

I do think the more likely risk for our dogs are other dogs off leash and things we can’t see-viruses and bacteria etc.


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## glorybeecosta (Nov 11, 2014)

I would not worry if the owl is on the endangered list or not, if it attack my dog and I could I would kill it even if the dog was alright. How awful I just can imagine how that would feel seeing yu fur baby hurt.


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