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Originally Posted by Belle Noir  I'll add that you don't just have to watch out for your dogs' safety. Leashed or not, they can, will and do attack and try to drag small dogs away...
But also in Canada, (though I cannot recall where off the top of my head) a young lady was attacked and killed by a pack of coyotes. I watched a show, where experts pretty much agreed that they targeted stalked and attacked her like she was a prey animal. |
It was out on our East Coast and very very beautiful area called Cape Breton.
There is a gorgeous hiking and camping trail there.
Also experts say I've read that the coyotes don't have huge packs like wolves do; how-ever there is definitely a pack of at least 7 coyotes in Centennial Park where I walk my big boy.
Razzle my small one, I walk in a totally different area. And I now feel like I should be armed! The article says a whistle which I usually have strung around my neck, and an umbrella.
I don't like walking my big boy and my small one together. My big boy is very very protective of me and our pack. If a coyote pack thinks Razzle is fair game, and attacks I am left with a heart rendering decision. I am also hampered to defend, as I will need to pick up a wiggling very defensive 6lb dog up to try to keep him safe!
It is as I have said before, one thing a big and small dog owner needs to think about.
The one time in the country no less; on a country very quiet road, I walked Magic and Razzle together, along with my friend who had 3 Yorkies on lead, two running on ahead. We got "attacked" by a Rottie Mix. If Magic had not been there we would have been in serious dippey do. But if that Rottie had decided to actually attack Magic, I would have been severely hampered to defend. Magic through his bark and his aggressive posturing, stopped the Rottie in it's pursuit of the two off lead Yorkies. Thankfully those Yorkies obeyed their owner's recall command. But she was not available to assist me and my dogs in any way. Her job was to keep her 5 Yorkies safe.
while I have a Guard and Protect breed, and if I might say so, one very excellent at both; I would never arbitrarily put him into a situation to have to do either! And just so you know, some BRT owners think I am soft/wimpey. Isn't that why you got a Guard and Protect Breed? Well no acutally not. It is because they are super intelligent, make great obedience dogs, have such a loyal heart, and bond so very deeply with their owners. All they truly want to do is be around you. You want to cycle okay with me. You want to swim that is okay with me. You want to hike sure. You want to lounge on the coach...Move over! I am there for you. Kind of like Big Yorkies
It is why I walk them separately, and swim them separately. Hiking I usually do with my husband and we are one on one with the dogs.
That is to say one has the big boy, one has Razzle. The Razzle walker knows that if there is a situation that boy is picked up and gotten out of there.