Can't Even Go In The Backyard Without A Leash
 

We have a fenced in backyard but the poor babies can't even enjoy being out there with me without me having them on a leash. We have recently acquired a hawk in our neighborhood and he flies over daily now. I just know that if he ever decides to swoop down, he can get either baby because they are so little . . .:eek:

I wish there was a way we can deter him from hanging around the neighborhood . . .:(

I don't think there is a way to deter a predator for hanging around your neighborhood but I think you might be able to deter him from thinking your little ones are dinner. I've heard of people using something sparkle on their dogs to trick a predator. But I wouldn't let them out of your site.

My husband had Bogey in the yard about a month ago. A HUGE hawk swooped down out of nowhere and was only about 10 feet about him and then flew away!:eek: What scares me about that more than anything is that Bogey is about 7 or 8 lbs and I don't think the hawk would be able to get far before DROPPING him!!!! :eek:

A few weeks ago, I was at the gas station with my husband. I saw the hawk fly by and perch on a light pole but didn't pay too much attention UNTIL it went after a bunny! I was on the phone and screamed like a fool when it happened. All the while my husband is pumping gas and not paying attention. The bunny got away but I am still traumatized.:rolleyes:

BTW~we live in suburban Chicago! So it can happen any place and any time.:eek::eek::eek:

We had one a couple of weeks ago hanging around in a tree on the edge of our property. I only saw it for 2 days so hopefully he has moved on. I constantly look up when I have the girls out back with me. Pixie is the one that pees outside and of course my smallest one.

They dont like loud noise. So one of those fog horns would scare them away. I read where people have their small dogs snatched even on a leash..

Wow! I would totally be besides myself if that ever happened . . .:eek:

I think my neighbors would think I was off my nut if I started banging pots and pans outside and/or getting one of those air horns . . .:p They'd be like, oh that's just our wacked out neighbor Deb, she must be having some sort of mental issue . . .;)

I live in Arizona...We live in the mountains now, but we visit our family in Tucson. The desert has so many predators! There are hawks, owls, coyotes, mountain lions, rattle snakes, bobcats and God knows what else!
When we lived there, something took my 3lb pomeranian and tore it up in the desert behind our house. I didn't even know she slipped outside!! It was horrible. I'm so paranoid now!!! All of my small dogs are walked on a leash even up here in the mountains! I have seen hawks up here! Very scarey!!!

We also have Hawks
 

in Northwestern NJ, kind of suburbia, but over populated. They fly over constantly. I see them sitting in the tops of the trees just scanning the area. A few weeks ago my husband was walking Bella in the driveway and one swooped down about 5 feet above his head, he picked up Bella and came inside. So scary. :eek::aimeeyork

We have hawks too. I learned not to feed the birds because that attracks them, but my two next door neighbors still feed the birds therefore I go out with them to the backyard when taking them to pee.
A few years ago there was an owl, a hugemongous one it was in the middle of the night. I heard something big wings flopping I guess. I looked up and this huge owl was descending to get Jerome!!!:eek: I took off one of my sandals and threw it at the bird! I hit it and flew away, I got scared because I didn't see chikis, so I grabbed Jerome and go around the corner of the house looking for Chiki and there he was unaware of what had just happened. Needles to say, I now take them on a leash when I take them out to pee in the middle of the night.

OMG :eek: How scarey!!!!!

OMG! your poor baby! I'm sorry for what happened:(.
That owl thing was very scary! after that I took them inside and started crying, I told hubby what happened and he told me not to take them out in the middle of the night, but I can't do that they have such a small bladder.
btw,i found my sandal @ my neighbors backyard!:) the next morning.

We bought a dog run from our fence store in town. It came with a canvas roof. I haven't used it at night...but we have my sons pups in there during the day and so far they are all there!:animal36

This just happened to a friend who has a maltese - she found out her neighbors had placed a new bird feeder high up on their deck - it was attracting the hawk - perhaps you could see if something has changed in your neighborhood that is attracting the hawk. My friend talked to her neighbors - because they also have cats they lent out to sun themselves. They took the feeder down.

Also, you may want to contact a local wildlife expert or bird place near you. My friend also contacted a store that specializes in selling bird feeders, seed, etc. - and they told her that the hawk she described is not the kind that preys on other animals - can't remember the 2 kinds they said it might be

I am so glad that Missy uses pee pads. I'm just going to keep it that way, she seems happy with it. A few times I've seen a coyote just wandering down my street, and we live right in the city. We also have eagles and hawks. Bears have even wandered into the neighbourhood from time to time. One even attacked a lady who was out doing her gardening. I won't let my kids play in the backyard without me there either. It's just not worth the risk of something happening.

I recently found out about the hawks, owls, and coyotes, in my neck of the wood (southern california just north of San Diego county). I had a 3 lb. yorkie that I used to let out back to go potty, and never had a thought or a problem. I have a fenced in yard with a gate and have people on either side of me and behind me. But upon talking to an acquaintance, she warned me about the hawks and owls, etc. and told me horror story after horror story of how the hawks swoop down, and even with a little one on a leash managed to rip the leash out of the hand of the baby's momma, and flew off with it. I was so hysterical I could hardly think straight. Since my baby Merlin went to rainbow bridge, I have two other baby girls, both two lbs full grown, and I was just beside myself. It must have been dumb luck with Merlin, but I was not ready to take any chances with my baby girls. Since then I have bought a very strong dog run with a metal top and locking gate. It is 6'W by 9'L by 6'H. I take them out there in their stroller to the locked enclosed area to go potty. I will never allow them to run free out back again. I'm like, terrified now. I can't believe how lucky I was with Merlin. That exercize pen or dog run or whatever you want to call it cost me a small fortune because I wanted something very very strong that could withstand just about anything, but I saw quite a few options at petsmart that might have cost me less if I had waited before ordering. Still, I'm not sorry I bought it. At least I feel safe and secure. Anyway, how very very scary. Good luck to you all. Try to protect your babies as much as you can. I can't believe I never knew about this!!!!!!

I know what is changing in our neighborhood. Its called progress. Buildings, new homes and lot of cement. We are taking their homes away. They have nowhere to go...

This is sad but true. They have nowhere to go. :( My husband just told me that he saw another coyote tonight. It was walking along side his driver side window for about a block.

we also have a hawk and now we are looking into a solution to protect our pups.i stand close to them now everytime they go out.

That's hysterical :lol tears:lol tears:lol tears

So very sad and true....we live in the woods in Jersey...and we have hawks take our chickens...I know people who have parrots ...and they have swooped down and took their parrot off their shoulder..:eek:.White...and bright colors attract them...
I was out feeding one day...and a hawk flew over my head low enough to see the fish in his mouth from the lake down the street....

You could call your local animal potrol. We had a similiar problem and they came to my house and they has a scream gun. It scares off birds. Well he shot it and they haven't been back. I don't know how long they will stay away for, but it has worked so far. Maybe you should check it out....just an idea!

FWIW: My other pet passion is koi. I have several ponds, and keeping the predators away from my fish is a high priority. We can net the ponds, but that isn't very attractive. We can build gazebos around them, but that may not be practical. But, with a little thought into how to do it, most people CAN string monfilament fishing line across their yards. You need a few posts, but string the heavy line back and forth. It only needs to be about every 6-7 feet or so, zig-zagged.

It doesn't interfere with visual openess for us humans, but the birds can see it. They can't get a clear entry and exit, and they'll leave you alone.

:eek::eek: Wow thats soooo scary. I live in Corona,Ca and I have those damn hawks here too!! 2 hawks fly over my condos every day at 5:00 every night, and an owl! I dont see him as much but he is learking around! Thats why I am with peanut 24/7 when he is outside he doesnt get out of my sight and off the leash!!

:bleh: Mr.Hawk -Our yorkies are not your food!!:bleh:

I'm a bird lover and dog lover, I think we have to keep in our minds the dangers that lurk outside, I have fox, coyotes, hawks, and new a bald eagle has moved in near by. I have a 5 pd yorkie that loves to think he can take on the world no matter his size! LOL!
If it's not that, I have neighbors that let pitt bulls and huge dogs off there leases so it's a constant fight to keep JD safe. They do have doggie parks near by, I wish those with big dogs would use them, not our neighbor sidewalks as there doggie walk. I guess just saying stay alert, that's about all we can do..

Netting Across the Yard???
 

I have a hard time coming up w/anything negative about owning this little angel of mine, "Ms. Apple"...In fact, I didn't know I could love a pup as much as I do her...But this predator thing is one thing I didn't think through....I imagined, on my days off, lazing around on the patio with the puppy running lose in the yard, joyfully chasing butterflies.....not so much!...I'm sitting out there tensed up w/eyes to the sky watching out for the hawk...I've seen one in the past...However, not sure if it will work, but my neighbor, a few doors down, has a net strung across her whole back yard, so her cats can't jump the fence...I've checked, online, and only found very very expensive solutions, so I'm hoping to catch her soon, and ask her how much it cost, and who did it...Has anyone else done netting?

We are in central NJ and live in the suburbs BUT everything imaginable will find its way into our fenced in backyard!!!!!!!! Groundhogs (huge ones), skunks,rabbits, squirrels you name it. And my Precious the ding dong thinks she is this great game hunter or something! Takes off like a bat out of hell after anything she sees & I'm running after her screaming like a loony bird!!! Oh what the neighbors must say?!!? LOL When I first got her I trained her to go potty outside very quickly but since all of the animal life walks through our yard we had to use the pee pads again & just walk on a leash. It is very stressful worrying about her getting attacked by a groundhog or god forbid a skunk! My DH also thinks I'm nuts now he will come home from work & I'm pacing yelling at him you have to do something...........KILL the groundhog now!!!!!!!!!! He just shakes his head & tells Precious her Mommy is NUTS!

MOMMY TO PRECIOUS:aimeeyork