Christmas visitor

[matese]

I used my digital camera with zoom lens, it is not as close to my house as it may appear to be.

Just a reminder. Watch out for your little ones, winter food is scarce.

[Lovetodream88]

Yikes. We have eagles nesting very close to us. I won’t let my dad trap all the bunnies we have that have eaten through some of his shed cables because I feel like animals will go after them first because it’s more natural then my pups. That’s really a great picture though!

[matese]

I was quite surprised to see this huge thing a distance from me, I got my binoculars and sure enough it was a hawk, then I got my camera. It is rare to see hawks this close in my area. I had the camera on super zoom lol. I'll be on triple look out now, trees are bare, easy for them to spot prey and easy for them now to swoop and grab

[lilgidget]

When I have Gidget out for her walk, I'm always on the alert for predators. You just never know. Better safe than sorry.

[matese]

I live in a very heavily wooded community, when I walk Cody around my community I am checking behind me to make sure no dog got loose and coming up behind us as has happened years ago, then eyes peeled on the woods for coyotes, and checking the sky for hawks. The community road is wide, very easy for swoop, snatch and fly off. For this reason we don't do a lot of walks. I walk him mainly in case he should get out of the house "maybe" he would find his way home. Cody is always in my sight, never left alone on the deck, but as careful as we are, things can happen.

Always better safe then sorry.

[Yorktowny]

There are many hawks where I am and in a place I visit a lot in California. They can totaly get a small yorkie or dog or cats. I have never herd of one being attacked on leash but they can be eaten if you let them outdoors without a roof over them. Ive scene them eat big rabbits and maybe once a racoon!!!!

[matese]

Originally Posted by Yorktowny

There are many hawks where I am and in a place I visit a lot in California. They can totaly get a small yorkie or dog or cats. I have never herd of one being attacked on leash but they can be eaten if you let them outdoors without a roof over them. Ive scene them eat big rabbits and maybe once a racoon!!!!

NYC, Central Park, some years back the city decided to bring hawks in to keep the rat and pigeons population down. The hawks were trained what prey to hunt and eat then they were released in Central park. All work out well for several years.



2008 or 2009 a lady was walking her Chihuahua on leash in the park, a hawk swooped down, grabbed the dog the lady was tugging on the dogs leash and the hawk released the dog. The damage the hawks talons did to this Chihuahua organs should have been fatal, thankfully the dog survived. It seems the city had just released a new trained hawk, they captured that bird for more training.
These birds are very bold when hungry or have babies that need to be fed. There have been several news articles in various states where ppl walking their small dogs on leash where hawks have swept down and grabbed the dog. Some were not as lucky as the NYC Chihuahua.

[Lisa and Pic]

Wow, beautiful but scary for our little guys.

[matese]

Seeing this hawk fairly close to my house lead me to do a bit more research on them. What I found was, bird feeders attract hawks due to birds, squirrels and other small mammals coming to the feeders. I just started putting out feeders which I have not done for several years. This may be a reason that hawk was within my vision.

So heads to anyone that puts up bird feeders.

[Marna1957]

I thought this thread was going to be about someone bringing a dog or cat to someone else's home with them for Christmas Celebrations.



One of my sons brings his dog to visit a LOT. And one of my other sons (I have 5 sons/step sons) brings his cat. I LOVE THEY DO THIS and I think it is great training for our own dogs here. We also take our dogs to their homes. Next week we are going for a Game Night.



We live way out and have a LOT of wildlife. I am always cautious. I know that I will always be walking Katy on a leash....at least for a while. I would not put her out alone, even with our other dogs, until a pen is built with bottom and top. Here? WE REALLY NEED THAT! Wildlife is Wildlife is Wildlife. These little bitty dogs are food for them in their minds.

[matese]

Originally Posted by Marna1957

I thought this thread was going to be about someone bringing a dog or cat to someone else's home with them for Christmas Celebrations.



One of my sons brings his dog to visit a LOT. And one of my other sons (I have 5 sons/step sons) brings his cat. I LOVE THEY DO THIS and I think it is great training for our own dogs here. We also take our dogs to their homes. Next week we are going for a Game Night.



We live way out and have a LOT of wildlife. I am always cautious. I know that I will always be walking Katy on a leash....at least for a while. I would not put her out alone, even with our other dogs, until a pen is built with bottom and top. Here? WE REALLY NEED THAT! Wildlife is Wildlife is Wildlife. These little bitty dogs are food for them in their minds.

That opening line was hysterical.
I had a pack of 3 girls all 3 years apart all now passed. All family and friend visits my girls came with me. Any invitations I was always told "and bring the girls with you". I worked all week, my weekends were with my girls. Every dog I have owned came with me on all visits. Any friend or family member that owned a dog always bought them when they came to visit us, even a ferret lol.

[Lovetodream88]

Originally Posted by Marna1957

I thought this thread was going to be about someone bringing a dog or cat to someone else's home with them for Christmas Celebrations.



One of my sons brings his dog to visit a LOT. And one of my other sons (I have 5 sons/step sons) brings his cat. I LOVE THEY DO THIS and I think it is great training for our own dogs here. We also take our dogs to their homes. Next week we are going for a Game Night.



We live way out and have a LOT of wildlife. I am always cautious. I know that I will always be walking Katy on a leash....at least for a while. I would not put her out alone, even with our other dogs, until a pen is built with bottom and top. Here? WE REALLY NEED THAT! Wildlife is Wildlife is Wildlife. These little bitty dogs are food for them in their minds.

Lol. I wish I could do that with my family and I used to on my moms side when Callie was the only yorkie I had but with 4 it’s harder. Although my dads family is very dog friendly they all only have huge labs and lab mixes that get a little to excited lol so it’s generally safer for my pups to stay home or everyone minus the pups come see us. I love labs so visiting with them is still fun. We seem to be having lots of foxes lately here.

[matese]

Originally Posted by Lovetodream88

Lol. I wish I could do that with my family and I used to on my moms side when Callie was the only yorkie I had but with 4 it’s harder. Although my dads family is very dog friendly they all only have huge labs and lab mixes that get a little to excited lol so it’s generally safer for my pups to stay home or everyone minus the pups come see us. I love labs so visiting with them is still fun. We seem to be having lots of foxes lately here.

You don't have to worry about fox going after dogs. Fox are very shy, they go after small prey, mice, birds, squirrels etc. worry more for the dogs going after the fox lol. I have fox, coyotes, Bob cats and black bears, the last 3 is what I am watchful of

[Marna1957]

I always keep unopened dog treat packet and new dog/cat toys in the cabinet for these visitors..... And THEY and their owners LOVE that we do this.

[Lovetodream88]

Originally Posted by matese

You don't have to worry about fox going after dogs. Fox are very shy, they go after small prey, mice, birds, squirrels etc. worry more for the dogs going after the fox lol. I have fox, coyotes, Bob cats and black bears, the last 3 is what I am watchful of

Yeah I’m not worried about the fox going after the dogs it was just weird seeing them. There was a skunk living under my dads shed/ workshop that I was freaking out about more due to it’s possibly skunking the dogs but I haven’t seen it in awhile or smelled it.