Please, everyone look out for hawks!

[navillusc]

Originally Posted by MandiesMom

This might sound like a silly question, but I've really been thinking about this and wanted some opinions. We have a hawk (or 2) and a couple of owls at night. I was wondering...since these raptor birds go after small prey animals, what if I put some sort of clothing on Mandie when she is outside?

Do you think a predator bird might see a yorkie in clothing and think, "Hey, that's not an animal. It has clothes on" and then leave her alone?

And about the covering over the yard idea above...I've been trying to figure out an affordable way to do something like that too. Ugh...

LOL

Dunno...what kind of clothing would it take...super lightweight, grass-camo umbrella hat harness that completely conceals the Yorkie and looks to the bird like wind blown grass, and for Mommy, a matching baseball bat as a surprise gift for the bird?

I know there are covered run kennels, screen enclosures, kitty tunnels, etc., designed to protect your loved critter while allowing them outdoor life. For the whole yard, it might be difficult...might require permits (gov...ugh) that might be tricky. I wouldn't think you'd need to cover the entire yard...just make access to it difficult for the bird. With a small yard, like I had at condo apts. (which were 3 story, actually), where there is also tall fencing separating them, maybe long poles with fishing line strung across the tops to prevent the larger wingspans from entering. You could probably build something like that on the ground and if you already have fencing, maybe just attach to the existing fence. Again, dunno, but a hawk is a threat, as is an owl, which might be trickier to see coming.

I have somewhat 'natural' protection from high hunting predators by huge granddaddy oak trees covering most of my yard, but if the bird was in the tree, well, I worry, too, about every little sound and movement. I have for some time now been contemplating a covered x-pen myself so they can stay out longer when they want to...sometimes they don't want to come back in and will just lay or sit down, leaving me no choice but to carry them back inside...and feel guilty in the process.

Here are some commercial products I've previously 'bookmarked' as samples:

Cat Fun Run...not suitable for 'business' but for outdoor fresh air that travels easily:

Cat Outdoor Containment: Fun Run Outdoor Enclosure at Drs. Foster & Smith
Crazy Maize Cat Tunnel | Indoor Outdoor Cat Enclosures

Screen Houses...again, not necessarily suitable for 'business':

Outdoor Cat Enclosures: Kritter Kommunity Kritter Kondo Deluxe
Outdoor Supplies: Happy Habitat for Cats: DrsFosterSmith.com

X-Pen Sunshade:

Pet Kennel Sun Shade by Precision Pet | DrsFosterSmith.com
Small Pet Playpen with Mat/Cover

Dog Exercise Pen: Portable Exercise Pen for Dogs | DrsFosterSmith.com

I'd be interested in everyone else's ideas!

[concretegurl]

Originally Posted by my2boyz

I'm so glad she is o.k.

My husband thinks I'm paranoid because the girls are bigger and he doesn't think a hawk would try to grab either of them. Well, I have seen them sitting on the wire above our fence and in the tree at the side of the yard watching my girls...maybe they couldn't take off with one of them but they could do some damage trying!

Please be careful no matter what size your dogs are.

Exactly.

We have black birds here, while I know they cannot actually take off with even my Elvis one of them really taunts him and with its beak and claws could do some damage.

I'm on an anticrow mission here...heck even though rats are yorkie prey they can do harm too.

[yorkiemini]

Now the Cali does not get the run of her yard as she used to she has started piddling on the kitchen floor and dining room/living room carpet.

Not sure if I'd is defiance because she is not allowed to go out a lot like she used to or if itmisman anxiety response thing.

She has always been my perfect girl - no housebreaking problems since the day I got her.....and now this.

I can yell at her - I have been telling her gently no when I find the places and then putting her in her soft sided x-pen - trying to go "back to the basics" kind of training. She does not do her business outside, she uses piddle pads.

Just not sure where to go with this. Also, she has suddenly started being afraid of semi trucks when we are in the car - starts panting and trembling a- and that has never happened before.

I'm very distraught.

[BabyGirl Rosie]

Maybe she is having anxiety. She had a very traumatic experience. Poor baby.

[navillusc]

Poor Cali. What a dreadful situation all around. You know, the semi trucks passing may produce a sound that reminds her of the sound of hawks' wings. I ride a motorcycle and there are sounds from wind baffling from the beds of pickup trucks and semi and box trucks that you can hear out in the open...and there's there's the actual wind turbulence too...she might feel that if she's out, but now, there's a new meaning...a fearful one. I hope this gets better for you and Cali and quickly.

[yorkiemini]

Oh my gosh I meant - I CAN'T yell at her

Originally Posted by yorkiemini

Now the Cali does not get the run of her yard as she used to she has started piddling on the kitchen floor and dining room/living room carpet.

Not sure if I'd is defiance because she is not allowed to go out a lot like she used to or if itmisman anxiety response thing.

She has always been my perfect girl - no housebreaking problems since the day I got her.....and now this.

I can yell at her - I have been telling her gently no when I find the places and then putting her in her soft sided x-pen - trying to go "back to the basics" kind of training. She does not do her business outside, she uses piddle pads.

Just not sure where to go with this. Also, she has suddenly started being afraid of semi trucks when we are in the car - starts panting and trembling a- and that has never happened before.

I'm very distraught.

[navillusc]

Originally Posted by yorkiemini

Oh my gosh I meant - I CAN'T yell at her

Of course not...even I knew that.

[bijoux1]

By the way, I know that this is an old post, but my earlier comment was not what I meant to say!! I never realized I had even done that until someone said something to me about it, and I incorrectly said that my vet said that hawks could indeed carry of dogs up to eight pounds, and that they were still in danger of hawks. What I meant to say, is that my vet did say that a hawk can indeed kill an eight pound dog. And they did tell me that my two that are right at 3 & 4 pounds really were in danger if there were hawks around. The issue regarding an 8 lb dog was because my foster baby, Cooper is not quite eight pounds. And the vet had told me still to not let him out unattended in the back yard with hawks around because they could still very much kill him. Very sorry for this.. I said it incorrectly in another thread, and I didn't mean to do that either. I need to shorten my "novels" and do a better job reading before I hit the reply!! Everyone is scared enough about hawks, and I am certainly not trying to spread incorrect info, so sorry for the confusion!1