I read about something called "Predatory Drift" when a big dog is playing with a little dog and all of a sudden - sees them as prey. And that it can happen even with two dogs that have lived together for years.

That was a big discussion on another board I'm on. It worries me because my Westie is three times Lucy's size. It seems like he knows when he is getting too rough with her - he will go and grab a toy and put it in his mouth. They will still roll around together - but he will have a toy in his mouth and not be play-biting her.

Here's a blurb on predatory drift:

"Predatory Drift happens when the larger dog's instinct to hunt are triggered.


These instincts can be triggered when play escalates or gets too much like the real thing (an out of control chase game). It can happen when a small dog gets scared or injured and squeals or wrigglesin a way that makes them look like prey (dinner), Predatory Drift can happen just because thesize difference says, "You are comparatively bite-sized, or move like something that is bite-sized, and I am a canine predator."

Yikes! I never leave mine alone together when I am not home. Scary.

That is so sad:(

So sad. God bless those little ones.

Hugs Shirl x x

How terrible, my heart goes out to all who've lost a pet especially in such awful circumstances.:( We do our very best to protect our little one's but such is life that we can never know just what's around the corner. I know of two greyhounds that turned on and killed a little Yorkie while the owner (an old lady) was walking it.
Having a Yorkie or any small dog is rather like having a toddler that never grows up.

what sad stories these are. i hate reading them but at the same time, they really do serve as the best warnings to keep watch over our little ones.

i had never heard of predatory drift before but i wonder if that's what was involved in a horrible incident between my parents two dogs. one is a rescued mutt, part hound, with a sweet though hyper disposition. the other is an 11 year old pembroke corgi and the love of my mother's life.

in november, they got into it and my 70 year old mother had to rip them apart. their house looked like a crime scene in the aftermath and nobody could believe my mother escaped injury. it happened out of nowhere with zero warning and her corgi very nearly died, his trachea was ripped wide open, requiring surgery and weeks in the hospital. thousands of dollars later and after nearly losing him several times, they were able to take him home and he's happy as can be.

when he got home he wanted to go play with his sister, the mutt, but my parents were obviously terrified of taking a chance. months later, my mom still spends half her time making sure those two dogs can't get to each other.
iwhen i get lulu a sibling it will likely be another yorkie but it definitely won't be a large dog. i love big dogs, but i never want to experience what my folks did.

It's so upsetting to read that a bird of prey took a small dog. This stay's
in my mind for day's thinking of the terror that little one felt. It's so sad
to read.
As far as the family pet, GS, I don't care how gentle a dog is, it still
is a dog and can, for whatever reason, turn aggressive. Something
had to trigger the change but somethings you never know.
Just another tragic sad story. RIP to both of them.

My DH was out in the yard with my 14 week old yorkie Mia. She was not more than 6 feet from him when a coyote ran up and snatched her. He chased the coyote and it did drop her but she died in my husbands arms. He built me a 25 x 25 x 25 x 25 foot fenced play area for them. We still don't leave them outside alone but now they are enclosed so nothing can get them. If they are not in the play area they are on a leash. I don't think I could stand that ever happening again.

I have a friend in Florida that has 3 adult yorkies. She has an enclosed pen so she does not always stay outside with them. I was given a 6 month old yorkie that the owner did not want because she could not potty train it. My 3 did not like her and growled when ever she came near. I felt so sorry for her. She just wanted to play. We went to visit my friend and of course had all 4 yorkies with us. Her 3 loved the 6 month old and her daughter fell in love with her too. So I decided to let her have the puppy. She had her for 3 months with no problem. She put them in the pen on day and came out about an hour later and the puppy was dead. She had puncture marks in her throat. She never did find out which of her 3 killed the puppy or why.

These stories are so sad. I have been so fortunate that I have never lost a dog from an accident. Being a breeder I have got so many calls over the years from devastated pet owners that have lost dogs due to tragic accidents. I think the top of the list is dogs that somehow get out of the house and get hit by a car. I can easily see how that can happen because we have a big screened in porch at the front of our house so we have to actually go through two doors to get outside. Thank goodness for this because over the years there have been a couple of occasions when we would realize one of the dogs was on the porch and we did not know it. Sometimes they can sneak out so easily when we are coming in the door.

I think second on the list would be dogs killed by other dogs. Sometimes it is intentional and sometimes by accident.

I never let Pixie out by herself. If i did she would ran and chase after anything that moved. Living in a wood area I see hawks all the time. Pixie is always on a leash and If I do see a Hawk hoovering over head I pick her up right away and go into the house.

Sorry to hear of everyone that has lost a Yorkie. They need our protection.

:cry::lovewings:rbyorkie::ghug:

Sad and Scary
 

So saddening to hear this. But, it is so real. I see big birds around here often...hate when mine want to go outside and not use the pads.
My heart goes out to your friend that lost her little one to her German Sheppard.

My goodness, I am so sorry to here this! How sad for both of them! :( Your heart must be heavy too.

I may be anal but I won\'t be letting Cerise go out to potty. She is too small and too many horrors can happen. She will use the potty box. Two of them. One upstairs and one downstairs. She will only go outside somewhere when we are away from home, and ONLY by being in her harness/lead with me, with her.

I also will not have her around big dogs. Socialization is important, and she can be the smartest of all Yorkies, but it\'s the other dogs, and sometimes their owners, that I don\'t trust.