Just a note from personal experience. I enclosed and covered a small area for my 'Littles' to safely romp, or so I thought. I do sit out with them (my excuse to continue smoking - I have a table, lights, a freezer, etc under a roof wrapped in a fence so I can play on the computer and chill with the dogs outside).
I will never forget getting that being watched feeling and seeing the dogs alerting (strangley quietly) to something. I turned around to see a young hawk sitting on the gate less than 6 feet away from where I was sitting and talking to the dogs. He was watching the dogs. I have since been told that young, inexperienced raptors will attempt stupid stunts like that. Just being there with your dog on a leash may not be enough. I now run the little dogs with my large breed since Coulter seems to scare away the predators. Just be careful running big dogs with little dogs. It's sort of a no win situation.
The things we do to protect our loved ones, huh? |