OMGosh...I saw a hawk today just sitting in the tree. It wasn't doing anything, just sitting there. Hawks scare me more than anything. Matty is only 4lbs and the puppies are 2lbs each. I don't let the puppies outside by themselves, but Matty LOVES it out there. I would die if a hawk took her, so now I have to stand out there with her in the cold while she runs around, which she enjoys so much.

Yea...all this talk is getting to me
 

I was telling my hubby about all the talk about hawks on here and what horrible things could happen to our babies. He said he saw one about a mile from our house on his way home yesterday!
He said he meant to tell me about it because it was so big, he backed up to look again to make sure it wasn't an eagle, which we don't have in our area. It was just so big. Our girls are closer to the 10 lb weight but he said it would have no problem snatching up either baby.:eek:

Predators Here, Too
 

There are so many predators to avoid, such as hawks, eagles, owls, fishers, pine martins, wolves, coyotes, and even cougars.

There has been an incident where I live with most of these predators, and I'm in Michigan. In one case, a woman was walking her Chihuahua on a leash and an owl swooped down, ever so silently, and took her dog up high in a tree.

In another case, a woman was sitting on her deck watching her two dogs near her in the yard and an owl took her pug.

Another instance, a woman watched as a wolf took off with her toy breed in her backyard.

Just being near your Yorkie isn't enough. Please make sure you hold tight on their leashes and never leave them outside alone. Stay close to them. It's just too scary and sad to think what could happen.

dangerous hawks
 

We live in Minnesota by a lake where there are not only hawks but eagles and coyotes. My Miniature Schnauzer had eagles buzz her a few times. We never let her out alone afer that. Now with Belle being 6 pounds she never goes out off leash even then our 85 pound lab goes with. He watches her so closely. It's sad that they can't run free but that's the way nature is. Even if you are out with your babies, be careful, some birds make no sound at all when coming in on prey. We also have to watch for coyotes here. I don't think they would ever challange our lab but you never know. There was an article about a lady walking her baby in the stroller and a man came up to her and asked her if she had seen that animal walking right next to the stroller. She said she sees it often on her walks and it must be a neighbors German Shepherd. The man told her it was not a Shepherd it was a coyote and they have been known to snatch babies out of strollers. The poor mom was terrified, guess even if it had been a Shepherd I would have been scared if ti showed that much interest in my baby:eek: In the last place we lived in in Minn. out in the country I had just let my Schnauzer and Lab out when the phone rang, I made then come back in with me. When I shut the patio door I turned around to find 2 black bears coming toward the house. Oh my God, both of my dogs would have tried to go after them! Then there's me who got a good scolding from DH as instead of staying away from the door, I ran to get the camera and went out to follow them and get pictures:rolleyes: About half way to them I realized that was pretty dumb and ran back in the house.EVERBODY PLEASE WATCH YOUR BABIES... THESE PREATORY BIRDS ARE MOVING CLOSER TO HOUSING AREAS ALL THE TIME.

That's exactly the way I feel. I'm afraid to even let Harley out in the backyard at all. He loves to play but he can run so fast that I can't be on top of him all the time. He hops like a little bunny which I know looks real tasty to a hawk. We actually have a pair of hawks with a nest across the street. We've fed the birds for years. Last year I saw the hawk swoop down and pounce on a bluebird. Now I'm scared to death. I've always trained my babies to potty outside. I'm rethinking that now. We may use puppypads from now on. It's a shame he can't run and play outside.

I know my neighbors probably think I'm crazy, but I take Sunny out on her leash in our backyard. It's a big backyard (about 3/4 of an acre I guess.) We just walk the yard a few times, several times a day. I'd love to let her run free, but we have a hawk that circles our yard, so I'm thinking I may be walking her forever. We do run some, when she wants to. She has fun anyway!

where are these hawks beings seen? I would like to know b/c my doggies like to run around in the back yard, and just want to make sure that they are safe ... :)

We live in Georgia on 5 acres of land but have a school and subdivisions around us. We have hawks and coyotes, also every other wildlife. My 3 are always on a leash when we go outside.

If it was me I'd start looking under where the 5 were circling. Hawks don't usually tolerate others in their hunting area, so they might have been turkey vultures. There are a lot of those around here and they sometimes don't even move off the road if they have something laying at their feet.

I had that simular problem this summer and it was bad when the Hawks had babies they were always on the hunt for food .Andy is always with me outside . I don't know I'm just very protective of him .

they only thing i have is peregrine falcons from downtown i thought they wear too small to carry off my baby who is five pounds but dose anyone know for sure i think ill look it up

We are in the southern suburbs of St. Louis. We have a small patch of woods and a creek behind us. We've seen river otters back there, and I know there are some coyotes back there somewhere (we saw the pups a couple of times!) We hear an owl sometimes. The hawk freaks me out.

okay i did look it up and hawks rarely carry off more then 8 pounds and that is the big ones falcons almost entirely eat small birds and rodents. eagles and owls are the thing to watch out for they WILL carry off small dogs and cats but owls are only a danger at night and at dawn from what i read
hope this helps ease some minds

It's not unusual for my dogs to wake me at 4AM to go outside. It doesn't happen often, but it happens. I don't like owls - I think they're creepy.

Sorry and I don't want people to worry but many of these birds (hawks, owls, etc) will come to ground and slit the throats of larger animals with their talons. I lived in Arizona for over 10 years and I watched them do this with the desert rabbits.

People should never leave their dogs/cats out alone because they are on the lower end of the food chain for many meat eating critters. It could happen to you and how awful would that be. Coyotes are every where also and love these little ones.