Getting very paranoid . . .

[fanatic4yorkies]

Officials warning Cuyahoga County residents about coyotes in the area | fox8.com

After hearing about the above Yorkie being taken by a coyote so close to the owner, I am becoming extremely paranoid about having my babies outside. They are paper-trained and do not go out in winter, but they really enjoy running in the fenced-in yard in summer (I have seen eagles and coyotes in the area). DH says I should just let them be dogs, but my heart just about stops even thinking about something happening. I told DH that I would like to put them into something similar to a hamster exercise ball when they are outside, and he just rolls his eyes - probably because he knows I'm not quite joking!

Does anyone else feel like this, or is it just me?

[Zeus is Loved]

I've said on here several times that I feel the same way. My baby goes inside on paper. I take him to the park for long walks and on the harness in the daytime for walks. We have woods behind our house. We have owls, hawks, armadillos (twice the size of Zeusy), raccoons, opposums, coyotes, loads of snakes, and tons of deer (not that I think they're mean, but they could crush Zeusy if they accidentally stepped on him). We had a deer jump through a steakhouse window in the middle of town on the main road on Valentine's Day a few years ago. I'm not chancing it -- he's so tiny. I love him too much, maybe?

[Yorkiemom1]

Originally Posted by fanatic4yorkies

Officials warning Cuyahoga County residents about coyotes in the area | fox8.com

After hearing about the above Yorkie being taken by a coyote so close to the owner, I am becoming extremely paranoid about having my babies outside. They are paper-trained and do not go out in winter, but they really enjoy running in the fenced-in yard in summer (I have seen eagles and coyotes in the area). DH says I should just let them be dogs, but my heart just about stops even thinking about something happening. I told DH that I would like to put them into something similar to a hamster exercise ball when they are outside, and he just rolls his eyes - probably because he knows I'm not quite joking!

Does anyone else feel like this, or is it just me?

This attitude will get your yorkie taken by a wild animal....this is EXACTLY what that idiot of an ex husband....notice I said EX-HUSBAND.....told me years ago....and I watched totally transfixed in horror as my precious, beloved, beautiful little Chihuahua was carried off in the savage clutches of an owl/hawk.....all I see in my mind is my tiny baby savaged by some damn bird the size of a flying Beagle dog....snatched from my back yard as I stood within 15 feet of her for her to pee......that was back in 1974, and I have NEVER gotten that out of my mind's eyesight....

Then my brother had a very dear friend and his wife.... had a precious weenie dog.....I used to warn them about just this thing.....they thought I was crazy, over protective, etc, etc, etc.....until it happened one day to them and their precious little weenie dog was viciously snatched from their fenced in back yard, while they sat on the deck, sipping coffee.....and their little weenie dog was running around, joyously playing in the back yard, steps from them....a coyote cleared their 6 foot redwood fence, snatched the little dog that was transfixed in terror, and darted back over the fence with their little dog in his grasp......

You can learn from other people's horror stories, or you can experience it for yourself.....but I can assure you, it is something you will see in your mind for the rest of your life....

[margiepickens]

[Wylie's Mom]

Omg this scares me . I always worry about this, but we do our best to keep it from being an issue ever.

[Cindy_17]

About 4-6 months ago I was outside with the pups, they were leashed and on one side of our property was a hawk eyeballing and on the other side an owl eyeballing my babies. It freaked me out, at that point I was done! They were scouting and hunting MY babies! We too have snakes, coons, salamanders, coyotes, gators etc...Mine have not been outside here at my house unless they are in my arms. Hawks, owls, coyotes etc. are hunters, they seek, watch and devour.

My DH knew in that minute I was done with them playing outside. I don't care what he says or anyone else says, I will NOT watch my babies be taken away or killed by one of these creatures. Thankfully my husband and teenage children KNOW they are MY babies and whatever I say better be treated as the gospel, I do not mince words when it comes to Presley and Holly.

As far as my family, friends, etc. thinking I'm paranoid and overprotective- I don't care. They can think and say what they want, at the end of the day it is MY decision and it is ME that will have to live with the decisions I have made if anything were to happen to them because I didn't heed the warnings and learn from what has happened to others.

There are plenty of stories on here that have happened to others like Yorkiemom1, there is another lady on here that went through heck with wildlife when her Yorkie was attacked by a protected bird and her Yorkie killed it, take time and read about all of it and I think you will find your fears are justified.

Yorkies are not German Shepards (even though in their minds they are ) they are like toddlers but faster. They are extremely curious and look for mischief, not only as puppies but even adults. Be careful, do what YOUR heart and mind says to do and do not care or worry what anyone else says.

[Scoobstersmom]

Add me to the paranoid crowd. We live rurally out in the Arizona desert, and have coyotes, bobcats, hawks, owls, snakes and more in the close area. We also have a huge backyard, fenced with a 6 foot concrete wall and would be a perfect place for the babies to play. No thank you. We step out the back door and into a small 6 x 8 pen with a six foot chain length fence, which is also inside the concrete wall of the yard. The babies still don't go out there alone, because I'm sure a snake could infiltrate the fence. We all step out together, they do their business, and right back in. You just can't be too careful. We had a gila monster get inside the pen once. If I hadn't stepped out first, I don't want to think about what could have happened to my babies.

Diana

[LunarBerry]

Ugh I'm paranoid as is and & *knock on wood* never had issues with the local wildlife of hawks and coyotes, etc. But that still doesn't ease my stress on it cause we also have stray dogs around the neighborhood at times and half the time they are bigger and more aggressive type. I tried searching the internet on laws/rules/etc. on dealing with the situation of the "what if" my yorkie got attacked and what should I do. Granted, for non-protected species such as coyotes, it's pretty much open game and you can do whatever you have to. But protected species like hawks (as mentioned with a member here dealing with that situation) there wasn't much if anything on it.
The only thing I was able to find was either suggestions on "preventative" measures (which does nothing to help for the actual circumstance) or maybe trying to scare or distract the birds, but of course, can't really lay a finger on them. There really should be an exception to the rule, like protecting pets and livestock, cause it's not like these types of folks are going out of their way to hunt them down. Of course the other suggestion is the SSS; shoot, shovel and shut up.
The only thing I was able to find that may save or help protect little dogs is this product I found that I'm tempted to get one day called raptor shield. It's basically like a harness/body armor. I doubt it's 100% effective but I can see it helping alot to give time for escape or to keep the bird from flying off with them.

[buddybear]

This is why we don't have a doggie door. DH or I always go outside with Buddybear to do his business or even explore the yard. If he has to go out to join the neighborhood dogs bark one of us goes to investigate with him.
Better safe than sorry.

[fanatic4yorkies]

Thanks, everyone, for your replies. Not going to let them in the yard without a leash. Even though I'm sad they will not be able to run free, at least I will know they're safe!

[Yorkiemom1]

Originally Posted by LunarBerry

Ugh I'm paranoid as is and & *knock on wood* never had issues with the local wildlife of hawks and coyotes, etc. But that still doesn't ease my stress on it cause we also have stray dogs around the neighborhood at times and half the time they are bigger and more aggressive type. I tried searching the internet on laws/rules/etc. on dealing with the situation of the "what if" my yorkie got attacked and what should I do. Granted, for non-protected species such as coyotes, it's pretty much open game and you can do whatever you have to. But protected species like hawks (as mentioned with a member here dealing with that situation) there wasn't much if anything on it.
The only thing I was able to find was either suggestions on "preventative" measures (which does nothing to help for the actual circumstance) or maybe trying to scare or distract the birds, but of course, can't really lay a finger on them. There really should be an exception to the rule, like protecting pets and livestock, cause it's not like these types of folks are going out of their way to hunt them down. Of course the other suggestion is the SSS; shoot, shovel and shut up.
The only thing I was able to find that may save or help protect little dogs is this product I found that I'm tempted to get one day called raptor shield. It's basically like a harness/body armor. I doubt it's 100% effective but I can see it helping alot to give time for escape or to keep the bird from flying off with them.

OMG!!! I LOVE this!!!! I am going to have my artist cousin, fashion me a sign on some kind of old fence plank, this "Golden Rule......SSS in practice on this property!!!"

And I also double down on nixing the doggie door....I consider these a "gate to hell"!!! I would no more allow my dogs to run around outside unsupervised, than I would a human toddler!!!