Hawk stalking my babies
 

I need some advice. I have been training Pepper to use pee pads inside to no avail. She has been going outside with Ellie and Wrinkles now for a month or so. I waited until she got all of her shots and spay completed before sending her outside to potty. Yesterday about an hour after all of them came in, what did we find sitting on our fence, a hawk. It was beautiful, but the talons were large. It scares me. How am I suppose to potty train, when I have that out in the back yard? Any suggestions?

I think the only thing you can do is to be out there with them at all times, standing in the middle of the yard....unless you can somehow cover a specific area...

Google
decoy for hawks
maybe there is some kind of decoy you can buy, or a canopy in a designated potty area. They sell canopy's with poles that stake to the ground, can be found at Walmarts, or camping store or go on line. You can also build a nice size doggie run for potty area with a canopy, it's not an expensive project.

Thanks for everyone's help. I have been going out there with them, but it's still very scary. Pepper is only 4lbs. Ellie is 13lbs. I just don't want anything to happen to them.

I have reflecting wind chimes in my yard since I heard that hawks don't like reflecting objects. We have hawks and vultures here. I'm not too sure if it's working since Rasta barely goes outside unless it's for walks but please make sure you leash and have a trustworthy harness on at all times when out.

You had better not leave them unattended for a second, or you will lose one to that hawk. I have had an owl swoop down within 4 feet of me to get a dog thaqt was standing almost at me feet, on a leash. The covered area is the best solution for you.....I have decoys all over my back yard...owls you can buy, but they must be repositioned faithfully every two-three days or the hawks catch on!

I potty pad trained Hannah for this very reason. That hawk will not care about you or the leash if it's hungry. It can take your baby in a split second. Fenced in run with cover may be your only solution. Please don't let your tiny baby outside. Hawks can even grab your bigger pups! Be careful!!!

I have a 100' x 100' fenced in yard and I will not let Bentley out without me and he is on a leash. I keep an eye on the sky to see if anything is flying. Recently, I have seen a Bald Eagle and now have to look for them too.

So please be vigilant in keeping your dogs safe with whatever method you decide to do.

I think because we as humans have encroached on their hunting grounds so much building malls, parking lots, etc the hawks and other birds of prey are looking for the easiest and fastest food supply they can get. In this case it's our yorkies. If a hawk is hungry enough IT WILL do its best to get your baby whether or not you are there. Like Joyce we've changed to using an indoor potty, it's just not worth the risk.

We have owls,hawks, falcons and eagles where I live, I see them sitting on elec. pole on the highways mainly at open fields, looking for prey (not the owls). I am fortunate that my house is surrounded by 150 feet high Oak trees, no way to swoop and grab. When I walk him the roads are wide with no tree protection so I have to watch the sky as well as watch for dogs lol. Cody is 12.5 Lbs, I think to heavy to be carried away, but talons grabbing then releasing would shred him to ribbons.

We never let Max or Sasha out unattended. Too many unseen dangers.

I ALWAYS go out with my yorkies and usually within 15 minutes of play we have 2, 3, up to 6 hawks circling above us. I take them in. I would never let them out alone. Even standing in the middle of the yard with them is a false sence of security. My mom had one swoop down 3ft from her when she was out with her 6lb poodle. Scared her to death.

I have a covered pool area. I think that I am going to just let them potty there. Any good ideas on what to use since Ellie is used to going on grass?

Since she is used to going on grass there are indoor potty pads that incorporate artifical/real grass. Fresh Patch is one it's about $50 on Amazon and you'd have to reorder turf or go to your local Home Depot and make one yourself. The latter may be more cost effective. All you would need is the grass real or artificial and some type of box to place it in. Replace the grass mats as you see fit.

We have lots of construction by us, interstate construction, etc. so the Hawks are all over, the fields they used to hunt in are gone, so I see them on my fence every few days. When GiGi goes out, I am there with a long stick in my hand. Always watch the sky, always keep moving my head and eyes.

even if I had a fenced yard I would never train Lola to just run loose to do her potty, besides the hawks you never know what a yorkie might get into or eat if left alone to roam a large back yard. Lola only goes out to potty via a leash this way she goes where I want her to go and I know just when she went and what she did and she does it in a hurry. If you open a door and let the dog out and come back an hour later you have no idea if they went potty, what the did, what them may have eaten, chewed on an so forth. Then when you are in a hurry they might just go out to play. My sister's yorkie is free to roam the yard and I swear it has more stomach problems and accidents in the house because half the time my sister lets her out she just sniffs things or tries to hunt birds or squirrels. She also has a pool and a pond and twice she found the dog fell in the pool and once it was at night, you said you will let them out in the pool enclosure, not sure if you keep the water in your pool covered all the time, but have you thought about how your yorkie or any of you dogs will get out if they fell in the pool. Most yorkies hate water but some do not, Lola loves getting in the water so I would never leaver her outside in the area of a pool on her own.

When Cody goes in the yard I am there with him because he eats anything and everything, if it walks, crawls or flies, it's in his mouth. Last year I saw him sniffing and sniffing something, as I was approaching him he saw me coming and snapped it up, I had to pry his jaws open, a huge yellow jacket bee feel out, thank god he didn't get stung. Since then I am with in 3 feet of him.

I always go out with them. They are not left to go alone or for long periods of time. In regards to the pool, we watch them close. Ellie doesn't like the water unless I make her go in during the summer. I am not sure about Pepper since she's only 5 months old. However, they are never left unattended. I talked to my husband last night, and I think we are going to get some sod and make our own potty area outside under the covered patio/pool enclosure.

BEWARE hawk activity will increase as nesting and feeding young will soon begin. During these times they are very active and more aggressive in their search for prey! We are already noticing the increase in close-up encounters in our area:eek:

Good point. I didn't even think of that.